The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-22


consider that ii would even in that be admissible
Mr. HUNTER have some more amendments from
the Committee on Finance. The hrst 10 70 insert The ioi-
lowing 10 the bllli
To supply the deficiency and defay the expenses Of the
$4,000
MIR. BUTLER What Is thai
Mr. HUNTER THIS is deficiency in the contingent
expenses OF the Senate for various select committees OF
Nj CLARKE should like to know what that
Mr. WELLER. should like to have some e2plana-
MIR, HUNTER. FIVE thousand dollars of il is for The
committee OF which the honorable senator from Calor
MIA MI WELLER is chairman len thousand dollars Tor
the committee OF which The senator from Louisiana MI
SoULE chairman and thousand dollars Of II is Tor
the comniltee OF which the senator from Texas lMr.
HousroHl is chairman II is founded on letters IRON
those gentlemen. | should have thought that the
senator from California would not have needed an eK-
| PLANTATION of the amendment.
Mr.. WELLER understood the amendment. but 1
not that the senator from Virginia himself un-
! Mr. BAYARD part Of that have doubt arises
from the committee Mexican CLAIMS II became neces
sary they supposed, IA Inc performance Of hef duty
thai they should appoint commission TO 20 to Mexico TO
ascertain FACTS. The result OF which VIII appear
hereafter. That commission necessarily Embodied large
expenditures, because it required men OF high character
standing, 10 carry conviction to The country oil
| The true performance OF their dunes. That IS one
Item that enters largely into this increase OF the ex-
penses.
Mr. BUTLER. Do understand that this is to appro-
pirate money indemnify the committees for their ex-
penses
The committees, with view 10 carry out The objects Tor
which they raised 1t is not al all for any compen
sation 10 the members of the committees.
! Mr. Blu TIER. did not speak OF that
Mr.. sOULE, The expenditure is necessary to carry
out the objects Tor which the committees raised
/ Mr. Blu TIER | suppose ii is all right il my friend
says SO but do say II is mode OF proceeding entirely
| VIII hOut prpcedent
Mr. CLARKE canno, say that it is all right large
portion OF this arises the senator from Delaware has
said, from the commission TO Mexico. What has been
paid How many have been sent There have been
| four commissioners sent TO Mexico
i Mr.. SOULE. I'm his sea) Five.
Mr. CLARKE. Well, five have been sent to ascertain
whether Dr. Gardiner bad had not any mines IN Mex-
co. believe have seen u in paper somewhere that
ii was proposed TO pay The individual at the head OF thai
commission "a 900 for about three months service, with
all his expenses, and 81, 900 TO The other members OF
The commission, in addition 10 all their expenses beg
the Senate to understand before they act blindy upon
this matter think that Is pretty good pay. | would
mach rather have been in that commission than on the
committee with such pay We should understand the
items which make II necessary to have the appropriation
made.
Mr. BAYARD. II there is such want Of faith on The
part OF The Senate in the committees which 1t appoints
that is necessary go into the items OF the accounts
which they allow. be il SO So far as am member Of
any committee, am perfectly willing that full iDvesi-
CATION and publication shall be made of every payment
10 which have been party, every sum which have
ordered be disbursed And allow 10 say the
ator from Rhode Island, that think, in the particular
10 which be refers he would rather have accepted
the compensation than performed the duty There was
no little risk as we'll as no ittle responsibility incurred
in the performance OF that duty.
| Mr. SOULE. | am somewhat surprised Mr. President,
that the objection which is interposed TO The additional
section upon your table should proceed from the quarter
in which it has originated The senator from Rhode
Island Mr.. CLARKE was one OF the committee Entrusted
with The confidence aud authority OF the Senate, and had
he been regular attendant its stings-hs other avo
cations doubtless have prevented bm from sharing much
in our labors-he would have known great deal more
than he know It's abors and OF the measures
which have rendered necessary the expenses TO VIII he
objects The committee in The discharge oil the high
trust reposed in them. deemed advisable TO organize
commission and to direct thorough and fell inquiry into
matters connected with frauds charged against certain
before the late board organized under the treaty
OF Guadalupe hidalgo. That commission proceeded 10
Mexico and had 10 perform important and arduous duty,
which sill result in bringing TO light mass OF lnloma-
ton seldom il obtained in OF so intricate
nature those submitted 10 it, investigation. What the
bearing of thai information may be- II IS not for me TO
Considerations OF public interest require that II should re-
main sealed IN secrecy until judicial investigation, now
going in the oil this District shall have been dis
posed OF will. however presume to assert that whatever
expenditure have been incurred by The prosecution oil
the great objects which The committee had IN view 10 at
ain ii will not be found mlsappled when the result OF
their labor .ba be made known 10 the public The honor
able senator from Rhode Island should have been The
last 10 question the prudence and reserve OF the commit
tee IN whatever disbursements they may have had 10
make Of The public MONEYS The Senate feel assured.
Will find eventually tha neither It's confidence has been
misplaced nor lls authority abused.
/ Mi CLARKE he honorable senator alludes 10 ms
not attending The business OF the committee know
that he has been very active while have not been
was appointed member OF that committee, but my own
engag enents have prevented from taking much
part IN the labors OF that committee as perhaps was
bound 10 do. know that their Investigations have ex
tended To various subjects, and among the rest the
"Gardner fraud" as il has been called but there has
been report made 10 the Senate-noihng upon which
The Sena.e act. except Is recommendation OF the
proposition that this amount OF money be appropriated tor
he hua
mtee who out for the purpose Of ascertaning what
The position OF The mines regard TO which DR. Gard-
had claimed indemnify under the provisions OF the
treaty OF Guadalupe Hidalgo. IL struck me that that
preparation large. Ii struck me that he amount al
lowed these men, particularly TO the gentleman at the
head OF the commission very large for the services
required TO be perfomed-pot extending beyond three
months-Si 900 Tor the gentleman a, tae bead OF the
sson, and 81 900 for each OF the Others do not
the investigation OF that nitee may not be OF the ut
mos, importance to the country. do believe from the
evidence that have seen, that there has been not
fraud attem pied fraud, that requires the consideration
oil the country 10 regard TO the men who have committed
IN acting under the official character which they possessed
as officers OF the United States. II the senator from
Louisiana supposes that the salaries that have been paid
the amounts granted, right perfectly willing
to put off any particular individual objection may have
to 1t, although at the time repor, has been made,
and the Senate knows nothing about what that commit
tee has done, and the appropriation is very large 10 de-
| fray the expenditure.
Mr. SOUI,E. | have already intimated that consldera-
lions of public interest would induce the committee TO
withhold their report until a certain Indictment now
pending before the tribunal OF the District, should be dis
pos'd Of The committee do not Zee at liberty TO let a,