Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-02-12
$4,5se 80

"That is bill for twenty-three persons during
thirteen and half days, amounting, / believe, to
some $l4 per day for each person.
"Then sir have here bill furnished by the
keepers of the National Hotel, at which Kossuth
and his suite stopped on their return here from
the South, when they were upon their own expen-
ses. believe there were then six persons they
stopped at the National Hotel about four days. and
their bill was S74, being S8 oS per day for each
person, when they were paying their own expen-
ses, and something over Sl4 per day for each per-
son when this government was paying their ex-
penses.
"These are the facts, and some of the reasons
why this appropriation is asked for by the Secreta-
ry of the Senatel"
The appropriation bill, Mr. Speaker, which pro-
vided the money to pay these items was passed by
the votes Of gentlemen upon the other side of the
House, who now object to the resolution from the
Senate which wish acted upon.
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee. want to correct
the gentleman from Ohio in his statement of fact
That appropriation was never passed by the votes
of any gentlemen, either on this or the other side
of the House.
Mr. CAMPBELL. The contingent fund of the
Senate appropriated by the votes Of this House,
and these items were paid out Of that contingent
fund -
Mr.. HOUSTON. If the gentleman will allow me
will state the facts connected with this appropri-
ation and correct the error into which he has fall
len. 1t is not correct that the items read by him
were in any of the appropriation bills. He charges
that they were in one of the appropriation bills,
| and passed by the votes of members ON this side
| Of the House. The Journals do not sustain his
statement. On the contrary, by reference to them,
gentlemen viii find that the Kossuth bill, embrac-
| ing the items read by the gentlemen was paid by
the Senate out of its contingent fund and, 30 far
from the members on this side ofthe House voting
for them they were not proposed in any of our APP
preparation bills, but we're paid by the votes OF
Senators exclusively out of the contingent fund Of
that body, which had been appropriated by Cong
| ress the session previous.
Mr.. CAMPBELL / ask the honorable gentle
man from Alabama Mr.. HoUsroSl whether the
money paid for Governor Kossuth's brandy and
whisky was not voted for by this HouseS
Mr. HOUSTON. have already stated how that
appropriation was made no money can be drawn
from the Treasury except by appropriations regu-
arly made by Congress. IL has always been, and
is yet, customary TO make an appropriation giving
to each House of Congress contingent fund. As
usual, those contingent funds had been appropri-
ated the session previous TO the payr1ent OF the
Kossuth bill--long before that bill was known TO
exist, and probably before il bad been created.
Senator'S considered that they bad the right to use
portion of their contingent fund TO pay that bill,
ana Lhey, IN tnat way, pau lt Wltnout sne HOUSE
having vote upon it, True, the two Houses ap.
propriated the fund, but they did so the session
before, and without reference to that BILL or even
| a knowledge that such bill would be presented
| for payment out Of it; and 1t certainly cannot bs
regarded as sound argument, that because tn,
Senate did in fact pay that bin out Of its contin
gent fund appropriated at the previous session
and long before the bill was known to exist, ths
those who voted for that fund really voted for tn,
Kossuth itens when no such items were in am
Of our bills, and none Of the money appropriated
in them was intended or designed to pay thosC
] items