The daily union., 1854-01-11


payment o invalid pensions in certain which was
re ~ ASsa and ssr0nd times by unanimous consent,
~ ysec,:d g The Coumuss on Pensions
III. UUU3E, OF Iowa, In pursuance oi nolice, asked
81 obino1 leave to inlroducs hill Is 1917 to divide
~ nosshern snd Missouri Land districts the State
!s.a Which wA. s read as nsr and second times Oy
6obGE, s56si Of Wisconsin, in pur.u.us. OF notice.
sSsiag % hs State Of Wisconsin land 10 sid in The con.
aFuetion Of railroad from Madison 10 the Missssipp
rives; which read The first and second times by
imoe consent. and referred TO the Committee Oh Public
Lssds l9 8W f5
GEORGE r. FLOYD.
Mr. 0WiN, from the Committee on Finance 10 whom
reerred the oiat resolution for the relief OF George
r. C. Floyd, late secretary OF Wisconsin Territory and
sasotas, reported back The same with an amendment,
an1 asked that il might be Immediately taken up for con-
No objection being made, the Senate then proceeded.
. n comittee of the whole 10 The consideration OF the
ported by the committee to strike out all after the
snaeting clause and insert in lieu thereof provision
that the proper accounting officers OF the Treasury De-
pqrten shall settle the accounts oil said Floyd uFon
The principles Of equity and justice.
The question being taken, the amendment was agreed
MI. DAWSON. desire 10 know why the difficulty
q = hs accounts between the government and that in
divAuAl cannot be settled now. The government re-
qnpo. no claim to be settled it is presumed except in
acccrdancs with the principles OF equity and justice and
il haTe be no law regulating the OF settlement of
sash accounts, would like to know il.
NJ: DODGE, OF Iowa. Mr. President. am somewhat,
familiar With this case, and will State very briefly the
lasts in relation 10 IL All who know anything OF ter
riorial organization and government know that the
Issaly s The Official dsbursag officer q the Terri.
Tory. MI. Floyd was thus the disbursing officer for
Wsconein Territory and under the resolves of the ter
rosa Legislature, incurred expenses in The transport
son o. specie and other services which were outside Of
things Congress passed very stringent law providing
thas no allowance by the legislature should b. paid for
certain thngs and the matters TO which Mr. Wh.tesey
objected are such as he approves OF and says are right
and should be allowed 10 the credit OF MIR. Floyd;
bat The law OF ls42-the stringent law 10 which al
M !hs1t allowance BY him The object Of
which will enable him to settle these accounts upon the
Pineipes Of equity and uscsLhsIe being some four q
credit for the perol of services and for money
expended, but which he cannot receive, owing TO the
provisions Ct the law to which have alluded.
Mr.. BRIGHT. concur in all that the honorable SEN
ator from Iowa has said. The Committee on Finance
have examined the provisions OF this joint resouon,
and believing il 10 be just have directed il 70 be report
cd and its passage recommended. Territorial officers,
has been well said by the honorable senator from Iowa,
frequently clothed with large discretionary power,
and i is necessary that they should be- in order TO carry
out the desgas and promote the interests OF the gov
srnnant In the exercise OF these functions, this officer
has incurred some expenses which ought to be reim-
bursad 10 him; but there is no law the letter OF which
warrants such Reimbursement. By passing an act OF
this kind, the accounting officer will be enabled to allow
some items in Mr. Foyds accounts, which otherwise he
cos n s9S s that will BE- o ed
claim. and have no objection to j, but shoald like 10 see
the thing done upon principle The act Of ls42 70 called
stringent law and lis very object s 10 project the gov
srnmen against the effects of ndscreon upon the part Of
thar dsbursng ofhcere. The law was made with view
toescl them and conol them in the expenditure of the
lowed these items Sir there hundreds OF similar cases
pending before the various departments OF the gov
ernment II we intend 10 repeal the law OF 1912 and 10
allow each officer TO be guided by bis own judgment, or
hn a be nriucipiaa OF
1ee. in the expenditure OF the public money, thea there
will b NO limitation upon this department OF the govern
nent Think, Mr. Presiden that the better plan will
b - refer this subject to committee, and let them
sider whether they will alter the law of l542 TO
have no limitation upon the power oil these disbursng
oooea have not word 10 say against the allow
thaa proposed be made in this case; bu, this
ianrooef nanner OF doing il = Why should We allow
The expenditures in this case when there hundreds
of other cases OF similar before the depart
nsasss II any gentleman will go to the officers
ana inquire the expenditures in the Territory Of
New Mexieo--ihe most distant OF all our territorial gov.
enmantshe will hnd that large amounts are there OBJ
jsoeoA TO- Many Of the officers who have dsbursed the
nossy dead, and yet their accounts rejected
New ask, Nf President. why shall not have gen.
sso law regulating all these things by fixed principles
We tAssght we had done in ls42; but we end ,ha,
~ nistaksn Tor now the expenditures OF the public
naeay are 70 Be regulated simply according to the Prn-
daoe Of equity and justice. Who 10 TO be the judge
wSss Is ui,s,:ons are when we use the words equy
H. DODGE, OF Iowa, lin his seat) Elisha Whittle.
Ar. DAWSON. Very well but Elisha Whiule.ey's
wa1e 10 - be counted for nothing, and that great
yspsAtion which he has for taking OF the public
money y TO Be dissolved and put asde Tor he Ia TO be
gulAaed in the discharge of his duty by the principles
o equity and justice Now, the law is intended de-
claw what the principles OF equity and justice
no doubt that many OF these tems stated by the
atoe from Iowa, Mr. DoDcr fall within the principles oil
eQni1y and justice but ali that want 10 general law
foe this joant resolution il passed, we shall have one
aftas smother coming in here, claiming allowances IN
their accounts upon the principles OF equity and
iuoaice. hope shall not be understood as being OPP
posed 10 this individual case for am speaking upon gen
sral principles wan, general law TO meet all The
will AK my friend over the way move that this sub
isct BE- referred 10 committee, that they may report
geoefal law, extending, II necessary the provisions
the set OF ls42. which believe myself TO be rather toe
Mr. GWlN. | have no objection 10 the views OF Tho
honosabe senator from Georgia regard 10 the propetJ
OF general law but will remark that this is specia
cAse, which up upon it's own merits and was In
vsssgated during the last Congress by the Commite,
o. Rinancs. and instructed by that committee L
rpust . bill, which passed the Senate without dis
oooling voice, precisely in the words OF the bill
posasd By The subject again came up at this ses
isoaaed ease and believe cay that there is nc
ohscson in any portion OF the Senate TO this bill Th,
aoeouniing oheers themselves recommend that bill o
this kind should he passed for the relief OF this mer
t0s0us Odhcer whose claim ought TO be allowed hope
the hon0sxtle senator irom Georgia will bring his
principle Of general law which we do not object ic
bear axanst the allowance os this claim and thereby
create postponement OF H. and delay OF Justice in
this case trus the honorable senator win Withdraw