The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-18
IN CONGRESS OF THE u. STATES
SENATE.

in the following clause;
For compensation Of ,~3 d,sw-kespers and an L, watch
the Potomac bridge, ond for fuel and OIL iof lamps
Si377 so: repairing the Long Bridge across the
Potomac river, O,OoO
Mr. HUNTER That is according to estimate 10 pay
the salary OF keeper which was left out by The
Mr HALE / hope that amendment will not be adopt
ed understand that IT IS Tor 'he repair OF 'he Long
MI HUNTER No. sir There is provision in the
bill for repairing the Long Bridge, and this IS 10 amend
the provision in which that occurs
Mr. HALE Then, l wish TO inquire whether II is in
order now to move TO strike out the whole clause.
The PRESIDING OFFICER, Not until this amend
MIR HALE II the Senate adopt the amendment,
shall ask them TO hear me IN few words on motion
TO strike out the whole clause, and shall conlne myself
to a statement OF the facts
The amendment was agreed to-
Mr. HALE Now move TO strike out the whole of
The PRESIDING OFFICER /, ia not in order for
individual senators amendments until the amend
ments proposed by the Committee Finance shall have
been gone through with. They have priority.
MIR. HALE differ most essentially with the Chair
in that particular This is amendment TO an amend
men The committee propose to amend in particular
manner and move strike out the whole clause which
has thus been amended submit 10 the Chair that 'his
mode of going through the bill is mere matter OF con-
venience There is rule OF parliamentary law, and
there rule OF the Senate which gives the committees
any priority in offering amendments Ii is matter which
is submitted by unanimous consent convenience
The PRESIDING OFFICER: The Chair differs en-
point The bill referred TO the Committee on Fl.
nance for the purpose of reporting it with such amend
mens as they might deem proper, and the established
usage of the Senate is that when bill is reported with
such amendments, those amendments are first 10 be con-
sidered
Mr. BELL That is the parliamentary law
Mr. RUSk. Let me give additional reason. The
chairman OF the Committee on Finance anxious TO
have the vote taken all these amendments together.
matter oil have preference, because they first
reported The proposition made this morning by the
chairman OF the committee to take the vote on all the
amendments together objected TO, and their separate
consideration called fer. We through with
them. They have been first offered. and must first be
decided
stanliay, in committee OF the whole and the bill Is now
in the Senate
Several SENATORS. In the committee OF the whole.
The PRESIDING OFFICER AT the suggestion OF the
Chair, the amendments were not submitted in commit
tee, bui the bill reported TO the Senate without
amendment. and the amendments have been submitted
the Senate. They have not been passed upon before.
Mr.. HALE Does the Chair rule that my amendment
is not in order I
ments Of the committee have been disposed Of
Mr. HALE. Very we'll
The next amendment to increase the appropria-
ton for the compensation of two drawkeepers the
two bridges the eastern branch OF the Potomac,
and for fuel and oil Tor lamps, from 5000 TO 81, ,0Oo
The amendment was agreed TO.
The next amendment was TO insert the following
For surveying leveling, and measuring the triangular
square the north side Of Pennyv between
Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, S42.
March s. isls completing the room Under the Senate
post office, $a5l 81.
The amendment agreed TO.
The next amendment TO increase the appropTa-
ton for salaries and incidental expenses of the commits
sion for settling land claims in California from $4,000
to $4,000.
The amendment agreed to.
The next amendment to add al the end OF the
clause making appropriations for that purpose the fol-
lowing
And the office ofassis,ant law agent is hereby abolished
commissioners Tor seling said land claims shall receive
salary OF $4,000 annum, instead of the salary which he
receives.
OF this amendment from the chairman of the committee,
This office of assistant law agent created under the
ac, of August 30 1852. The twelfth section of that act
provided that the President OF the United States may
appoint an associate law agent in California, learned IN
the law, and skilled in the English and Spanish Ian
guages, whose duties and compensation shall be the same
as those oil the law agent"
That office created al the las, session OF Congress
on the representations only of the Secretary Of the
INTERIOR but OF the board OF commissioners and the law
agent AS TO The necessity OF ITS continuance, under
take TO say that II is impossible for the law agent TO dis
charge all the duties imposed upon him by law, and the
continuance OF the office, therefore, is ind spensabe 1t
is exceedingly desirable not only for the government
but the claimants 10 land in California, that their rights
should be passed upon at early day possible In
order to despatch the business which before that board
OF land commissioners, it is absolutely necessary that
there should be assistant aw agent As said before
from my knowledge OF the business before that board
know that II is utterly impossible for 10 perform
all the duties OF law agent. Therefore, ask that the
chairman, some member OF the Committee on Finance,
should tell me why il is that that which indispen-
sable al the last OF Congress should be abo
ished am sure never would have voted for the Gre
alton OF the Office if had Ho, been satisfied that il was
absolutely necessary
Mr.. GWlN. THIS amendment, was introduced by the
Commltee on Finance at my suggestion, and will give
my reasons Tor proposing IL. This office created
originally en- The statement OF my colleague MIR. VEL
LERl that the law agent was not competent when ap-
pointed, TO discharge The duties OF the Office There
great complaint OF his want of competency In order
that no cause for delay should exist and to exonerae
the board OF commissioners who had done nothing up 10
the close OF the last session of Congress- from neglect OF
duty II they did act agreed that an assistant law
agent should be appointed, because had no control
over the appointing power, and could not dsplace the
law agent who was charged here and in California with
incompetency Since the assistant law agent has been
appointed, there has been intercourse between him
and the law agent, for the latter has been here during
nearly the whole OF this session OF Congress He has
not been in California for months past undertake 10
say that the assistant law agent discharge the du
ties OF both Offices, he has since he appoint
CO. we DO not require these two officers salary OF
IS, 200 each - :
~ moughtn u was necessary TO have two law agents,
snouo not hesitate to ask for the double salary but as
ne asss'aht has done all the labor since be was ap-
lu, anu nave never heard any complaint that he
M 'es. All 'he requirements of the law, one of the
OUNCES ougnl 70 be abolished. Since the assistant agent
mas oesn appointed he has been with The hoard of corn
mss'oners ana they have been DELAYED an hour so
1af ~ my knowledge extends was IN CaIifornia
yer ms ass'sah' agent was appointed AT the time
asea 'nA n's once should be created il was asserted
that the agent could not perform all the do,es -
HIM thought Otherwise but acaniesssd a. 81
mistaken. l | M, ,ra "@s