The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-04
haI haye been .gned By .he plesdsn. Of the unI.sd

States ! -
Sac Ana be IL f.rths enacted. That before any pay
msni shall hereafter be made TO any invalid pensoner.
whose shall have been upon the pension list Two
years he shall produce 70 the agent Tor paying pensions
surgeons physicians. approved by the Secretary the
Interior stating, from personal examination the conn-
uance Of the disability descnbne it, Tor which the pension
was originally granted aud the date Of such disability al
tbs time Of making such affidavit and every years
after the date OF such affidavit, shall before receiving
any further payment produce TO said agent similar af
hdav,t and fin said affidavit, the disability shall be
stated al rate beiow thai or which the pension org
naly glanled he shall only be paid the rate stated in
said aiida ytsad affidavit shall be flied by said agents,
and carefully preserved and thereof shall be
mitted, with the semi-annua returns Of said agents to the
Commissioners OF Pensions, who shall file them with The
3rglnai papers oil said pensionef respectively P'opdsd
That when the pension shall have been originally granted
by special ac' o Congress 70. Total disability or me
either IN whole in The above affidavit shall not be
lied Invalid pension shall be the possession OF 3
salared ciy oice his pension shall De suspended during
The Tune OF his employment IN said civil oifce,
Mr.. ADAMS. | ask that separate may be taken
upon the last section.
The PRESIDENT That will be excepted, and also
the proposition for the appropriation Of two hundred aud
fifty thousand dollars for the purchase OF new site for
the custom house in San Francisco The question will
be taken on agreeing to all The other amendments which
have been read VII
Mr.. WALKER | wish the senator from Virginia,
who is at the head OF the Committee on Finance, would
explain THE amendment contained the eighteenth page
OF the pill repeating certain limitations in former laws.
Mr. HUNTER. Those were limitations which were
imposed BY former appropriation bills upon the appoint
ments ol certain officers connected with the commission
for running the boundary between this country and
Mexico. Under those limitations the appointments would
expire in April next and this is designed to continue
hem as is necessary to extend that commission in or
der that the work may be finished That is all:
Mr.. DODGE, OF Iowa wish TO inquire Of the hon.
orabe senator from Virginia whether there is included
among the amendments which it is proposed TO
adopt, which understand has been reported by the
Committee Finance. that would have The effect Of de-.
priying any individual who may now be pensitner of
such pension OF his holding an Office under the
government OF the United States
Mr., HUNTER. One OF the amendments that have been
reported has that provision in it. eea
| Mr DODGE wish TO except that amendment
| Mr.. ADAMS. That has been excepted, at my re-
| +. Mr.. DODGE. All! was not aware OF that
be question being then taken all the other amend
mens, they were agreed to.
The question then recurred on agreeing the follow
ing amendment: ~
For the purchase of new site for the custom house in
San Francisco hundred and fifty thousand dollars and
the Secretary the Treasury hereby authorized if in
judgment the public interest will hereby be promoted
Of former the spesio" Of &c
house he land reserved for said purpose the pur-
public Offices and the sad Secretary OF the Treasury
is hereby directed 10 take all legal proceedings which
be necessary advisable 10 manan and secure the pos
session and ,,Ie OF the United States heretofore
selected for the site OF a custom house."
i MIR HUNTER Mr.. President, according to former
laws the custom house al San Francisco was directed
be built on lot reserved by the United States
and claimed by IT, upon the wafer front; and some eighty
ninety thousand dollars expended by the United
States preparing this lot for the erection OF the edhce
which they proposed TO erect. During The process OF
preparing this 10, for that building, 1t ascerained
that some claim was set up TO II by the State OF Calor-
MA The Secretary OF the Treasury proposed to the
eminent OF the State Of California that il should relln-
Qusn any claim which II might have to this lot before
proceeded TO the erection OF The custom-house This,
sir they have Tefussd 10 do--ihe government OF that
State refused 10 reinquish ills ue to that lot and al.
though OF the opinion that we are entitled 10 II,
still would be dangerous to 60 on with so expensive
building land with regard 10 which our title
tain |. therefore proposed in order 10 gain time aud
to prosecute title TO this lo by all legal means within
power TO give the Secretary OF The Treasury author
y 10 divert these appropriations TO some other lo and
thus enable him 10 purchase other site upon
which he may erect building, or purchase some site
upon which there buildings now erected. IL was
thought better TO do This than TO stop the appropriations
entirely, because the amounts which now paying
for government Offices in San Francisco very large
being between one hundred and thirty and one hundred
and forty thousand dollars per annum. In order TO get
rid of this annual dfan II thought better To proceed
with building for eusom-honse, and the aecommo.
daton o these other public otces and IN order that we
might do go aud obtain meaDs 10 prosecute title IN
safety TO the lot that CLAIM propose to in the
Secretary OF the Treasury the power TO buy another site
and build upon u, or else TO buy another site upon
which buildings already erected This stands there
fore, in different position from all the other custom
house appropriations and do this 10 order that
may not ose time, and may notose the materials which
have already been purchased, and for which conrset Is
have heen made, when II supposed that there would
be no difficulty in the way OF erecting a building upon
this lot The seemed he committee stand upon
different grounds from all othes fhe Secretary OF the
Treasury thought IL important in order secure
the interests OF the United States, thai contract
should be made and that such power should be vested
in that department The Committee on Finance con.
CURED with him 10 that opinion, and therefore reported
the amendment
Mr. HAMLlN | have no objection to the appropua.
ton, and may be advisable that should be included
in this bill st do not hiuk that The reasons which
the chairman OF the Committee Finance has ivsn are
such necessarily TO include thus preparation and ex
cluie others OF Ike character There may be a con-
royssy there between the State OF Caiorha and the
general government in relation the fee Of the site upon
which they propose 10 erect custom house and 1t s true
hatthey paying large sums for the OF buildings for
warehouse and custom. house purposes II 10 me
that would be appropriate TO place this appropa
lion IL another deficiency b which the Committee OF
Ways and Means OF the House OF Representatives have
ready rePoned and would then cresie anessness
purpose this 10 have precedence OF others for puf-
poses OF like character Now, sr have before the
COMMITTEES or Commerce a memorial asking for an ap-
proy atom or The rebuilding OF ihe custom house a,
n Portland, which has been destroyed by hrea case cef.
tiiny much stronger Than that of California The bui
ng which destroyed Afforded accommodations for lhe
! United S,aes cours; il also afforded accommodations
for the post Office ard the United States are now "a y.
ing large SUNS Of money for those accommodations, which
Of inferior character and are such as are adj
equaie to the business OF the place, such the ei-
zens have right to expect sbal be afforded II this ap.
propatlon s 10 be included in this b ask that appro.
prsons Tor other places, similarly situated, also be
included, ask that there may be similarity In the &C
ton OF the government upon the various and for
the purpose OF testing the OF the Senate with re
gard TO this mstleI move 10 amend the amendment by
iadI linz IhoFof thaf foil