The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-15


auel $500 ........... $500 90
Advertising list ofappropriations, (next
ssssion) ........: ................ $500 90
Advertising proposals for stationery and
coal. .................... 600 90
Purchasing Directories for members,
. tho~ que ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 500 90
small items, (for mats, brooms, mat
ing, nags, &c. )................. 1000 90
WINE Tor foldlng-room, "a part now
uuel ........., ......s............ 800 90
rasde Tor ioidlng- room. ............. $50 90
TOT ih'sceiianeous items. ............. 5000 90
MAKING IN ALL. Observation-Disclosures 1924 $50 90
These boxes, / understand the COMMITTEES on Ac-
counts nave decided, it is within the province of
Congress to furnish. They are boxes for the books
OF the members.
Mr.. sTANLY. Will the gentleman from Penn
syivania inform me where he procured that state
ment?
Mr.. FLORENCE. got it at the Clerks Office.
Vi course the Clerk asked for the appropriations,
and communicated his wish to the Committee on
Ways and Means; but he could not get it be-
fore the House through the Committee on Ways
and Means, he could not have taken better me-
dunn for it than myself Laughter.
Mr.. STANLY. No. be could not have taken a
better medium than the gentleman from Pennsyl-
yania.
Mr.. FLORENCE. do not mean to saw that
could present the case eloquenly or effectively
Rs other gentlemen; but can present it as plainly
Mr.. STANLY. | have said nothing about the
manner in which the gentleman has presented, or
Mr. FLORENCE. will suggest that am not
spiritual medium. had no allusion to that sort
of medium.
Mr.. STANLY. Then it seems that the gentle
man from Pennsylvania is the medium and con-
hdential friend of the Clerk of the House, through
whom ne makes his Communications to this House.
Here Is the Committee on Ways and Means to
whom this matter has been referred, and the chair
man Of that committee asks for appropriation of
$4,000, or tchateUer the amount is. But the Clerk
gets has confidential medium TO come here and ask
for an appropriation Of than 1924 900 for items
Of incidental expense, among tchtch are expenses to
be incurred hereafter unknoton and undesirable.
Mr.. HOUSTON | will state that the sum of
$4,000 was fixed by the Committee Ways and
Means as amount they deemed sufficient The
Clerk did not communicate that sum to them, but
they thought it a reasonable amount.
Mr.. STANLY. Well, it is a strange way to do
business. This matter has been referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means, who have inves-
ugated IL, and report that they think So 900 is
sufficient Yet the Clerk of the House, through his
medium, comes here, and in the tumble and confu
zion of this committee, asks for 1924 900, without
being able to state any information of the
Tor asking this amount. That will not do, sir.
think it Is time to stop these medium communica-
tons. | think it is time TO stop making these
appropriations without knowing what they are
for.
Mr.. FLORENCE. will tell you what they are
for, if you will give opportunity.
Mr.. STANLY. understood the gentleman to
say that there were items in the list he read that
Mr.. STANTON, of Kentucky. Will the gen.
tleman allow me TO interrupt him, to ask single
question?
Mr. sTANLY You can do that after | get
through.
My friend from Alabama, (Mr. HoUsToN,) the
chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means,
a while ago remarked thatI had animated that
was in favor OF removals from Office. Now, sir,
made such intimation.
Mr.. HOUSTON. o, that only jocularly
said
Mr. STANLY. The gentleman says it was done
Joculariy. Well, then, let it go. / will merely
remark, that have iuterfered oftener to keep De-
mocrats in office. within the last four years, than
shall to get Wings appointed for forty years to
come.
do not approve of any such policy. think we
had much better save the money than to apply it
as proposed for indexing. The honorable chair
man of the Committee on Ways and Means
marked that these whole expenditures for this in
dexing nothing but imposition upon the
House. Now, if this is the case, call upon the
House 10 look into the matter and the abuse
There is no reason why it should not be done.
There is a Democratic majority of fifty in the
House. The Democrats have the control of all the
committees of the House, and there is no reason
why they should not actin the matter. Mr.. Chair
man, call upon both the Democratic and Wing
members to say that these impositions upon the
House, as admitted by the honorable chairman
of the Ways and Means, shall be n longer sus-
sained.
But hope the committee will not have any fur
Their communications from the Clerk throu gh this
medium. Before vote him S24, 600, bis me-
dunn must be able to tell Us where it is going to-
Mr.. FLORENCE. The gentleman says this is
an imposition upon the House, and that the Clerk
has selected me as his medium to communicate
with the House
Mr. STANLY. quoted the gentleman's own
language. He referred to himself as medium
Mr. FLORENCE. Now what is the position of
this body with regard to this index matter? The
House provided for this index some years ago, and,
II my memory serves me right when there
Wing ma ority here, and when there was Wing
Speaker of the House.
Now. / have but word to say of the appropria-
ton have asked for in this amendment. The
money cannot be expended unless it is needed.
DIR. SfANLY. AS to this matter of indexing
being originated by Wing House, will say the
Wings then had man there for whom the place
was made-a man by the name Of Young-who
was, IN my opinion, very improperly removed by
q Democratic Clerk. If that competent man had
been retained in Office the work would have been
completed; but he has been removed, and his place
been filed by green hands, who know nothing of
the work, and it progresses slowly.
The question was then taken upon Mr.. FLOR
ENcE's amendment to make the appropriation
S24,95O, and it was not agreed to.
Mr. MASON. | move TO increase the appro-
priation contained in the amendment of the gem
tleman from Pennsylvania dollar, so that the
clause will read:
For miscellaneous items, ,95l.
From what has been said by the gentleman from
Alabama, (Mr HoUsToE,) conclude that the
Committee on Ways and Means did not take into
consideration these. various items. That com
rnittee at first made the appropriation $4,000, and
now have raised it to 5000, instead of S24,O00
that being the sum asked for by the Clerk. In
looking these estimates, it seems to me that
they have been made tfrom amounts which have
been actually paid. Here is for detention OF mem
bers for sickness, s 5000. Now, it has long been
the custom of the House, when members are de-
tanned upon the road by accident or sickness, they
are to be paid their per diem. There is standing
law OF Congress to that effect. take it for grant
ed that these estimates are for deficiency which
has already occurred. We continually allow
ing claims of this kind
: see another item of s. 600 for the funeral ex
penses OF members.
As understand it, these expenses have already
been incurred, and the accounts allowed. Now,
Congress have allowed these various items by laws
and resolutions directing the Clerk to expend
shese amounts How can be pay them unless you
appropriate the money! If the money is not ap.
propriated the Clerk cannot sxpend it. Is it rea-
sonable that you should authorize and direct him
to incur this expense and then refuse to furnish
the money to pay them?
Mr.. HOUSTON. ] wish to ask the gentleman
from Kentucky question. Does the gentle
man say that there have been expenses of this
kind paid during the current year?