Washington sentinel., 1854-05-27

hituouBH THIS is the CdpitAl, tue Bdlidnt SOnS OF
that State have not asked q dollar for the erec-
tion of custom-house, post Office, and court
room, to beautify and adorn the city, and en-
hance the value of real estate. admire their
course, and should be glad to see it more gen.
orally followed
Well, sir, there are some strange facts con-
nected with the expenses and receipts at these
different custom houses. For example, in the
city of New York $38, ,289,34l So was collected
in 1853, and it cost $766,902 64 to collect it,
while in San Francisco, California, the revenue
collected In the same year was $l,794 l40 66,
at cost of $76S,432 76. Now, sir, there
doubtless is difference in the cost Of living
there and in New York, and those who live
in California tell us that this is the secret Of
these enormous expenditures However high
the cost Of living may be California, is it high
enough to make SO great difference? Should
it cost more to collect the revenue there than
in New York, where twenty times the amount
is to be collected, and where, of course, much
more labor is to be performed?
Well, here is Sacramento, California, where
in '53 the revenue was $66 sc, and the expenses
$ll ,909 80. The last case / shall mention in
this connexion is Minnesota. 1t seems they
collect revenue there too. According to the
returns they collected in 1853, $44 40, at an
expense Oh $i,UoJ 40.
Now, sir, call attention to these things,
because think they are worthy of the atten-
tion of the House. 1t is well known that we
are in few days to be called to act upon the
Deficiency bill, which has come back to US from
the Senate, containing vast number of APP
preparations for custom-houses and marine
hospitals.
In this bill find appropriations for custom
houses for st. Louis, Mobile, Cincinnati, Lou
isville, and Bangor, Maine, where, / believe,
they have built a custom-house in the water, and
to complete the foundations and "connect The
same cith the Shore" an additional appropria-
tion of $4,000 is asked. Laughter. There
are also appropriations for Bath and Whining
ton, tor purchasing a site for custom-house at
Providence Rhode Island, and for erecting
custom-houses at Portland, at San Francisco,
California. There has already been appropri-
ated for these purposes Sl,455,990, and now
it is asked that we shall appropriate $77l 900
more to complete all these buildings and pay
for the sites on which buildings are yet to be
erected.
The revenue collected at ST. Louis in 1853
was $294,790 78, at an expense of $2,439 20.
This looks more reasonable than most of the
cases which have instanced, but still think
the st. Louis custom-house has been very liber-
ally provided for, having heretofore received
$227,000. | contend that 100000 more is
not needed for this custom-house, and win
endeavor to show it. If | am rightly informed,
there have been propositions on file in the
Treasury Department for more than twelve
months, to build that custom-house for the ap-
preparations heretofore made.
Congress, at the last session, on the applica-
ton OF the then member from st. Louis Mr..
DARBY appropriated $l15, 900 to complete that
custom-house, and it was the express under
standing then that we were not to be asked for
more. / took part in the discussion then. and
such is my recollection. But let me refer to
the debate. find the following letter adj
dressed by w. L. Hodge to Mr. Darby, dated
February l6, 1858:
"DEAR SIR Under the propositions received by
the Department, the new custom-house and Post
Office al St. Louis, will require further, appro-
praton 81 Sll50o0 and for the marine hospital
$4,000. Very respectfully, WM. L. HODGE,.
"Hon. ]. +. DARBY"
Mr.. DARBY used the following language in
his remarks, as find them published in the
Globe:
:" do not know that should trespass longer
upon the patience Of the House. II has been
very indulgent 10 me, and hope rs the sum asked
for is not very large, and. the report shows, it
will be required TO FINISH the building, that they
will award it,"
This is what was said by Mr.. darcy when
the last appropriation was asked for.
Now, here is what Mr.. Corwin said on the
same subject in executive document, No. ga,
lst sess. 32d Congress, under date of lth Feb
ruary, 1852, in relation to this custom-house
at st. Louis.
" Cincinnati and st. Louis-The present ap-
preparation for the purchase of each of the above
sites, and tho erection of the buildings is S75000
with proviso that the cost OF the buildings, re-
spectively, shall not exceed $4,000. The sites
have been purchased; the one at Cincinnati has
cost $4,000, and that at ST. Louis $4,000. The
department, under the present law, feels itself
authorized TO enter into contracts for buildings at
these places, at a cost not exceeding $4,000, and
is making arrangements accordingly; and II IS
therefore respectfully recommended that the need
ful additional appropriation should be made to
cover the costs OF the respective sites, which have
been paid from the present appropriations. The
full amount will be required during the ensuing
fiscal year"
This was after these custom-houses had been
ordered to be built. And here we are told by
the then Secretary oft the Treasury that 1000
had been appropriated, and that he could, for
that sum, make the contracts, provided Con-
gress would then appropriate sum sufficient
to cover the cost Of the lots purchased at st.
Louis and Cincinnati. Those appropriations
were maze anu from tnaJ tlIne 10 tne present, |
session after session, we have been appropriate
ing money for the purpose Of carrying on these
custom.houses, until the appropriations have
run up to the enormous sum OF 1927 900, for
st. Louis, where not stone has been laid, as
l hear, and $2l2,745 for. Cincinnati From
present appearances and from the experience
which we have had, it is not even certain now
if you make the appropriation provided for in
this bill, viz, 100000 for st. Louis, and
$4,000 for Cincinnati, that these custom
houses will be completed without further ap
from the treasury.
No sort of regard seems to have been paid
by the public officers to the limitations put by
Congress in their acts restricting the expendi
lures to given sum. There was limitation
fixed in both of these cases, as Mr.. Corwin ad.
mits. 1t was FIRST departed from in consequence
of the cost of the site. Additional appropria-
tions were then made, and instead of conform
ing the buildings in their character and ap-
pearance to the amount of the appropriations,
the law Of the land was disregarded, and they
went on making contracts without the slightest
respect for the law, and depending on the lib
erality of Congress to supply whatever sum
might be found thereafter to be necessary.