The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-18

II there any organization OF machinery 10 inquire nto
there secret about nothing which all thewohd does
not understand when their attention - called to IT, The
information all obtained with the utmost BY cor
respondence Yet you md thus gentleman going away
from the business committed 10 his charge. and spend
ing some two or three more months in Europe, leav
ing this office in the mean time to take care OF itself
And have heard gentlemen sayi cannot youch Tor II,
thai The business during his absence made little prog
ress. II was impossible TO arrange u SO that y should
make the progress the pablo hA right 10 expect hls
one of The by which This great expenditure was
incurred BY the government Now, sir, cannot think
Of encouraging in a course like this VIII mol,
merely crafty him. merely because he comes PERU
nacousy here session after session, and deyses rs one
means and then another for increasing hs salary agree
to the change in the law.
Mr. MILLER. The subject embraced IN the amend
proposed by the senator from Wisconslnthe SIR
king out OF that part OF the bill referred 10 as came IRON
the Househas not escaped the attention OF the Commit
tee on Finance in the Senae think my honorable Trend
from Massachusetts Mr. DAyIsl IS mistaken with regard
10 the object and effect of this provision IN the bill
that at the last session the subject was brought
up before the Senate, and the question was raised here
whether there had not been an attempt 70 procure TWO sal
ariesone as clerk OF the census board and the other
as superintendent OF the census bureau so under
stood The statement
Mr. DAVIS. My statement was this The salary OF
this gentleman is $4,000 The purpose Is to make II
$1,000 hereafter and TO make II $4,000 from the PERIOD
which according TO his statement Is very lndstnct one
when the census board ceased. do not know when
that
Mr.. MILLER. believe understand the senator.
do think that the question at the last session was the
oil Inc amount OF the salary SO
ton OF the supposed attempt TO take two salaries Tor Two
Offices held al the tme-$2 500 for the one, aud
5000 for the other The provision Of the bill is very
plain in its terms II declares that he shall receive
49, 900 as his salary from the time when his Office as
clerk OF the board ceased SO that i puts alto
gelher out of the question the idea OF his having two
salaries for two Offices. The only question now u.s.
whether he shall receive salary OF $4,000 Tor the time
that he has performed the duties OF this Office Now,
shall not pretend to 20 into the question OF the great ex
penditue of money getting out this census, or OF the
honesty OF the gentleman VINO Inc super
ntendence of it, That is not the question here he IS
in the otfcehe is performing the duties OF that ohce
and il appears that the salary OF $4,000 - not an
extravagant salary and that he ought 10 receive IT. m
asmuch he performs laborious and as arduous du-
ties any member at the head OF any bureau you go
into the question of the capaby OF the officer every time
that the salary OF the officer is taken into consideration
we shall get into much confusion. The question now
is not with regard TO the manner in which he performed
his duties That is question under the control OF the
Executive He is there, performing his duties; and this
proposition is merely to give him salary OF 900 from
the time when hi, duties as clerk OF the census board
ceased | hope the clause will not be stricken out
Mr. DAWSON, am a little surprised that discus
sion should spring up every time the of Kennedy is
mentioned upon this floor. few words will present
this question fairly before the Senate and enable them TO
vote Understandings upon it. When the census was
first ordered to be taken board OF census was Instituted,
and that board had the power OF appointing clerk.
They accordingly appointed man of high character and
distinction in this country, Mr. Kennedy and gave him
salary of $4,000 Att subsequent PERIOD when the law
10 have tables and statistics planned and arranged was
passed. superintendent of the ordered under
that law at salary OF $4,000. The board OF census
not repealed by that law but continued 10 act down
TO The OF the last session OF Congress,
and their report is before us The question then came
up. this individual acting IN the double capacity
OF superintendent OF the and clerk OF the board OF
census what his salary should be- The idea was first
promulgated, and believed by some honestly, no doubt,
that he claiming both salares-one as supennlend-
ent and the other clerk. This was not the fact The
Secretary of the Interior decided that both salaries
appropriated by lawone TO the clerk aud the other
the superintendent and the duties of both officers were
placed IN the hands Of the same individual MIR Ken
nedy entitled 10 the highest salary which was three
thousand dollars So the Secretary Of the Interior deci-
ded and the board of decided and be received
the salary accordingly a! subsequen, period some
OF the comptrolers decided that he only entitled
to two thousand five hundred dollars From this there
appeal taken, and carried 10 The Secretary OF The
Interior, who again decided that Mr. Kennedy was en,-
tied to three thousand dollars which decision was sup
ported by the board of We too had this subject
before US. and settled the difficulty bat believe
the bill lost ia the House OF Representatives.
think il acted upon in the other house. and thus
il lost Bu, when the deficiency bill is present.
ed us the House OF Representatives declare, wha' What
the Secretary OF the Interior has declared from the begin
ming, and what the board OF susainedtha, this
individual entitled TO three thousand dollars and he
claimed This bill declares that he is emit
tied 10 il from the time the office was created down 10
the present hour.
Bu ii said that he is not at the head Of bureau
that he is but superintendent or experimenting clerk,
thereby intending 1t 10 be inferred that he IS no, entitled
salary of $4,000. Why, sir all the heads OF bureaus
are attached 10 of the departments; and can
there be senator upon this oor who Will that the
superintendent OF the has not abored ndustr
ously any officer belonging to this government In
the opinion OF come, he is not very competent man in
The opinion OF Others he is very competent But in the
language Of the senator from Ne Jersey, mr. MLLER,]
thing is certain this administration, from the Presi.
dent down. has sustained this officer in his present posi-
ton, and the country al least lock with great deal OF
interest and anxiety TO any publication which comesir
his bureau AS regards his gong to Europe, that IS not
the question before US Tba, may have been very ndis
Greet thing not upon his part but upon the part OF the Sec
rotary OF the Interior We have nothing do with that;
the only thing with is, whether will declare the
law 10 be has been construed by the Secretary OF the
Interior and the board OF down TO the present
hour That is the whole case, and | see no objection to
our making that declaration.
ORDER BUSINESS
Mr. MASON. think 1t is very manifest that we can
not get through this bill to-day, and under CON-
initial 10 the honorable senator from New Hampshire,
Mr.. HALE1 who has the floor upon the subject OF the
Grafton OF this subject be postponed till for
the purpose OF taking up those resolutions
Mr. HUNTER. think we can &c, through with the
bill to day.
Mr. CHASE II will be impossible
MIR HUNTER. Let us go on, al any rate, and try il
The question being taken on the motion to postpol e
the further consideration Of the bill il agreed TO
Mr. MASON. | move now that the Senate proceed
to the consideration of the resolutions relative to The
right OF way across the sthmus OF Tehuantepec
Mr.. RUSk, Before that motion is put, wish 10 take
up, Tor the purpose OF assigning II TO another day, Senate
bill 800. presume there will be no objection
Mr. MASON. shall be perfectly willing as far az
concerned to conclude the debate upon the Tehaan
tepec resolutions to-day; but II tits concluded to day
hope the Senate will allow the debate 20 on from day
to day until the subject is disposed Of shall ask for
very short time TO enable me TO answer of the