Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-08-14
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SATURDAY. AUGUST Z. 1852.

state OF the Un0n or Missouri
and resumed the consideration Of the bill making appro-
prations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of Govern
ment for the year ending both june 1853 and for other
purposes.
On motion Of Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE, three thousand
dollars were appropriated for the purpose of completing
the cemetery the city of Mexico for the ntermen
American officers and soldiers who fell in battle or 9TH
! erwise.
Mr. BOWIE moved to amend the item appropriatino
for the support clothing and medical treatment
OF insane paupers Of the District of Columbia at such
places as the Secretary of the Interior may his discre
on deem proper so as to increase the appropriation
500 900.
Mr. b. stated that this increase in this appropriation was
because heretofore insane of the District
OF had been treated at the insane hospital Of
State of Maryland in Baltimore at an average expendi
turs OF two hundred dollars per week The superinten
dent OF the hospital of Maryland however had now given
70 the health officers Of this city and to the
superintendent OF the nrmary here that consequence
OF the great increase Of that character of patients in Ma
ryland would be impossible any longer for him to re-
ceiye and treat patients from the District Of Columbia
this account it became necessary for the supern
tendent Of the nrmary Of the District of Columbia to
provide accommodations for the insane paupers within
the Districts and he had been informed by him that some
twenty thousand dollars would be needed do this He
therefore trusted that his amendment would prevail
Mr. McLANAHAN said that he understood that it was
IN contemplation to make some arrangement with the d
rectors Of the insane hospital of the State Of Pennsyva
MIA for the accommodation of these insane He
not sufficiently informed say whether that
ment had been effected no but if it had BEEN there
could be no better Arrangement made the insane of
this to send them to the hospital at HARRIS
burg
Mr.. BOWIE said that he submitted his amendment
upon the information of DR.. Miller, of this city.
The amendment of Mr.. Bowie was then rejected
Mr.. STANLY moved to amend the item by increasing
the amount to $4,000 He thought that as this unfor
tunate class of individuals could longer be accommo
dated in the hospital at Baltimore Congress should make
some provision for their accommodation here or else
they would be turned loose upon them.
The amendment was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN decided that the amendment was not
in order
Mr.. VENABLE moved to insert in the bill an item ap
propriatng $4,000 for pedestal upon which to place
the equestrian statue Of Gen. Jackson to be erected in
Lafayette square. He stated that this monument was
nearly completed and would soon be ready for erection
1t was most magnificent work of art and he hoped his
amendment would prevail.
The amendment was agreed to-.
On motion of Mr.. HOUSTON $780, 900 was appropria-
ted for the construction and equipment of not less than
six revenue cutters.
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee moved to insert in the bill
an item appropriatng S200,001 for the purchase of
Winders building, the of and Seventeenth
streets
This amendment elected considerable debate when
On motion of Mr.. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, the sum
decreased to one dollar.
After further debate, Mr.. JONES withdrew the amend
ment.
Mr. BROOKS, by the direction of the Committee of
Ways and Means, moved the following amendment
To enable the Clerk Of the House of de-
liver to each Of the members and delegates of the House of
the present Congress- who have already received them
such books have been furnished to members of the
2Sh 29h 30h and 3s Congresses and which ordered
by the resolution of the House of July 49, 1882 $Il00
Procdd That such purchases and expenditures shall be
made under the direction of the Committee Accounts
the House of Representatives, and that's report detail shall
be made to Congress at its next session of the mode and
manner OF purchasing and where the books obtained
Mr. b. explained that the House voted itself books the
other day. but did not vote any appropriation with which
to purchase them The appropriation contained in the
amendment was therefore necessary
Mr. POLK moved to strike out the proviso contained
in the amendment considering it reflection upon the
Clerk of the House. When Congress had heretofore or
dered these works to be purchased usually done by
the Clerk Now he would like to know what act of the
present Clerk had ncapactated him from dschargng this
duty? What had subjected him to this suspicion on the
part of the Committee of Ways and Means? He stood
here to defend the character Of that Clerk and to defend
him against all suspicious direct indirect He believed
that the generosity the honor and the integrity of the
committee would protect of its officers from such in
situations. He would like to know whether the Commit
tee on Accounts had more honor, integrity,
fairness than the Clerk BY this process might be two
three sessions hence before the present new members
would be able to get their books.
Mr. WALSH said that in voting for the proyiso con-
tanned in the amendment of the gentleman from New
York. he should do with any intention of casting
any mputaon upon the Clerk Of the House He thought
that Gales Seaten the original publishers of
Of these books Justice required that long they
should have copies of them they should be purchased
from them. practice had grown up, Che did not
TO say under the Clerk and they could not shut
their eyes the fact that these books were sold by
some persons-he would not say who--and came back
here to be distributed again to members This not
only fraud upon Congress- but injury to those who
printed the books.
Mr.. DUNCAN expressed his views this subject stat
ing that he did not object to the distribution of books
among members, but he did object to the form in.
which this matter presented from year to year It
was constantly accommodating. He was of opinion that
books which were out of print should be omitted from
the distribution
Mr.. ALLISON also submitted few remarks believing
that when works were out of print Congress should not
appropriate money to purchase them.
On motion of Mr. FITCH, proviso was added to the
to the effect that the whole subject should
be subjected to the examination Of the Committee on Ac
counts.
Mr.. BROOKS moved to amend the amendment by ad-
ding thereto provso that report shall be made in de-
tail at the commencement Of the session of Congress
OF the mode and manner of purchasing these books and
the way they were obtained.
He remarked that it entered into his mind to con-
vcy nsnuation against the Clerk 1t fact we'll
known to the country that members Of Congress sold the
books which they received less than their orgi
nal cost and acommtee should disappointed to invcst
gate this subject he would stand ready to prove it. Such
fact screditabe members of Congress- deqrad-
to every principle and calculated nure this body
m the eyes of the people. New members should be
titled to books already in print, but expanding
hundred and fifteen thousand dollars annually purchase
he same books year after year. fact which, when
I should go before the country, would not stand the
country would not sustain such practice and the ohara
er of the House would be injured by it.
Mr.. DEAN opposed the amendment of his colleague
believing 1t would be interpreted into upon the
Clerk.
The amendment Of Mr.. BROOKS wns then agreed 10 as
vas also the original amendment s amended