Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-02-19
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.



THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1853.
Mr.. Hunter m owed that the Senate proceed to
the consideration of the deficiency bill, which
motion was agreed to.
The question pending was on the amendment,
to strike out the provision increasing the salary
OF MIR. Kennedy, the Clerk in charge of the cen,
sus, to $4,000.
Mr.. Downs addressed the Sennte i, favor -,
the increased salary.
Mr.. Walker denounced the pertinacity with
which this census clerk had endeavored to defeat
the oft-repeated decision of the Senate that his
salary should not be increased to three thousand
dollars. The Senate had three times declared
his salary was and should be S2,5OO-and now
was the Senate or Kennedy 70 back out. The ex-
pense already incurred for taking the census was
S2O2,65l.40 and now $4,000 more is asked, out
OF winch kenedy was to receive this $4,000 he
has been SO pertinaciously pursuing.
He was authorised to say from Kenedys own
report, that in the expenses of his trip to Eu-
rope nearly four hundred dollars were charged
for his passage to and from Liverpool by steamer.
when In fact he paid one cent for his passs ge
either way, but had free passage. Kennedy had
run up the expenses of this census to this i'm
mense amount by the employment of one hun
dred and ninety clerks who have been engaged
his own benefit.
The expenses of the census of 1910 on which
IL clerks were engaged, were made serious
charge against Mr.. Van Buren,, while this CEN
sus clerk had incurred the expense of S2O2, 600
and wanted more. One item of his accounts hav-
ing been proved to be fraudulent, his whole ex-
penditures were suspicious. The friends of this
census clerk had better not press his immacu-
late character, or other charges would be made
aud proved against him.
Mr.. Rusk opposed the increase of salary
Mr.. Davis admitted that the matter was
small one, but it was the manner in which the
census clerk had pertinaciousy importuned
tor this allowance to which he objected. He
referred to the many attempts made by Ken
edy to obtain by legislation an allowance of three
thousand dollars; also to the judgment of the In
terror Department, allowing him that sum, not
withstanding the decisions of Congress otherwise
Mr.. Williams, the disbursing officer, who refused
to pay Kennedy this illegal sum because there
was no law for it, was dismissed and another ap
pointed who would obey the unjust order. This
very amendment was to cover up this illegal al
owance.
He would not have complained if the census
clerk had asked in an open and manly
manner for an increase of his salary, but his
course had been by pertinacity and opposition to
the law to obtain it. He did not deserve it, he
Hdu uououuCeu anu llaO0led all senators who had
opposed his misconduct stood in opposition to
his unauthorized extravaguncies.
MIR. Downs replied.
MIR. Rusk moved postponement of the bill
to take up the Pacific railroad bill, which motion,
after debate, was rejected; yeas 25, nays g.
MIR. Houston examined with minuteness, the
items of Kenedy's account of his expenses in the
trip to Europe, showing by letters from Mr.
Collins, that the items of about $500 for passage
to and from New York and Liverpool. was en-
tirely fraudulent. he had not been charged
anything by Mr. Collins; Kennedy had certified
that his account, containing these items, was
correct, and fell short of his actual expendi-
lures.
Kennedy had received the money in advance
OF his trip, but his accounts had never been set
tied, because he could not produce any vouchers.
Mr.. II. dwelt with much severity on the course
of the Secretary of the Interior and Mr. Kennedy,
with respect Of these matters, his irony and
sarcasm creating considerable merriment at
times.
The question was taken and the amendment
was agreed to- thus the Senate again have decided
that the salary of the experimenting clerk of the
census has been and is to be $4,000 per annum,
and no more.