, 1855-04-28

Of 50, 900 to cover another exploration to
Goose Bay. These $1,000, and $40 900
already expended by DIR. Evans. under the
authority of law, makes the S23, 900 asked
for in this appropriation. The papers, how
ever, which have sent to the Clerks desk
will set forth oil the facts, if the committee
desire to hear them read.
Mr.. Keitt OH no; We don't want to
hear them read.
Mr.. Houston. The gentleman from
Ohio, Mr.. Disney is in error in one Of his
points. 1t was not mistake, it was not a
common failure on the part of congress to
provide for this geological survey. 1t was
the intention Of congress to withhold appro-
priations on this subject; not only that, hut
congress passed law saying that no fur
ther survey should be made, unless prece-
ded by an act Of congress.
Mr.. Fuller. That referred to railroad
surveys, not geological
Mr.. Disney. AS stated before, the De-
partment of the Interior could not notify
DR.. Evans of this action of congress until
the amount indicated by the papers, had
been expended The Department advised
him by the earliest opportunity Of this ac-
tiOn of congress, and after il was received,
no further expenditures were made. But
this proposition asked for is intended TO
cover the expenditures made by DR. Evans
before he could be advised of the intention
Of congress, TO which the gentleman from
Alabama Mr.. Houston has adverted. 1t
is not at oil material, whether the failure
Of congress to make an appropriation for
this purpose was by accident or design. 1t
was only intended to restrain or limit fur
ther explorations The Department Of the
Interior took immediate action thercupon,
and proceeded TO advise the party; but, |
repeat, before the adviccs had reached the
party the expenditure had been incurred
under the previous authority, which DIR.
Evans had obtained from the department.
Mr.. Houston. The section Of the law
under which this expenditure was made is
very short. 1t appropriatcs $5,952 10 CO.
yer the balance Of compensation to survey
ors, geologists, &c, including the cost Of
experimenting the geological reports, pro-
vided that there be no further geological
surveys Of the government, unless hereafter
authorized by law. The object Of this law
was evidently good one. 1t was an OBJ
ject which ought to be in the mind of con-
gress whenever it passes law at all, and
that is, that legislation must precede the
expenditure Of money.
Now, the statement Of the gentleman
from Ohio relieves this particular appropria-
tion, because he states to the committee
that the information could not lie made 10
reach DR.. Evans until after the expenditure
had been made,
Mr.. Sellers. From the bottom Of my
heart / deplore the unnecessary and useless
expenditure Of public money in publishing
these reports. / have read the reports OF
the explorations made Of the Amazon and
of the course Of the Red river, and they
are all utterly useless. have read them
carefully and critically, and my judgment
is, that the best thing congress can do is
10 cut off all these unnecessary and useless
appropriations for the publication Of these
works.
Mr.. Stanton, Of Kentucky. l propose
to amend the amendment Of the gentleman
from Ohio, Mr.. Disney, so as to strike
out so much of it as leaves that work to b.
published under the direction Of the Secre
tary Of the Interior, and insert in it that
it is to be published by the public printer
My reason for doing so Is this, that tht
work, il published under the direction o
the Secretary Of the Interior, will cost foul
times as much as il it were published undel
the direction Of the public printer
Mr.. Disney. accept that modification
i The amendment was modified SO as t,
make it read:
"And the Department Of the Interior i
hereby authorized to have the report o
DR.. Evans published by the printer to tn,
house, tho expense to be paid out Of an
, money in the treasury not otherwise apprc
, priated."'
The question was taken, and Mr.. Dil
ney's amendment, as modified, was adopted