The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-07

bursed as they choose And Why retf They are AL hon
rabIe men Trust 10 their honss yos adop lie prne-
Die O. te seniIeman from Georgia Hare gentlemen
sdered the eheths and restraints attempted 10 be thrown
around the drawing q saey from the treasury claim
Is first examined by auditor, then by comptroller
passed warrant by The Secretary u the Treasury for The
amoant allowed; this passes throBsh the hands q
register into tbs hands OF be treasurer and 10 preserved as
voucher by hun Here all these officers ebecking
each other and preyenting malfeAsance The SecrsafY Oh
Treasury c.n draw otnt ON the treasury wioua
the corporation OF ccmpuoler register and receiver.
Ard IT is proposed TO brrak down All these safeguards
in favor cs lhc House Of Reprcsentsi vss
Ny friend bei0rr Inr. NILSSON submits This ques-
uon whether there q nor ary Law iequing lne 1srh %
the Treasury The accounts OF the Clerk like other
of expencsre must be examined and passed by
the proper accounting officers Of the Those OH
cers are there for purpose As said the Outset the
sraeiice Is this certain amount appropriated AZ
contiua.s. fnnd The Clerk makes out his seeouu spe
Giving the taftirular objects which he wishes 10 draw
this money He makes reauisition the Secretary OF
the Treasury for that The Secretary pursues the
usual course and sends AZ TO the soinpsfoef ns Go%P
iroIler examines it, lie approves and passes II II IN hs
Judgment the expenditure is legal bot disapproyes snd
flscs he thinks the contrary thai Ma IN VIOLA
ton of aw. s~ IN other cases 80 IL ~ In
this.
was showing the restfsints and safeguards that are
sought be thrown around fbs treasury Why all tni'
if honor be the ground Of trust IL you adopt pIln
pe carry on-show that you belicss j. 70 DC sound
but do adopt to others ans aii 70 90 so as
ourselves We viii not trust these geniiemu we pu.
Grd security We make Of lnem supervise sn1 'her
When it ourselves, however, relax The rus
ga we can be trusted ~ n whom bs Osrassss, % q
ut the rsstrsint of the COMMITTEE on Accounts
TheJ viii supervise the accounts OF The Clerk nndtI The
proposed Law. The gentleman from Georgia tMr CoEnl
has asked if the tine has NOW come il be
pected come when The Sf~rksr Of this House VIII APP
y-nt Committee Accounts that Is not reliable Look
that argnent Who thsyg Tbsy constitute part
of this House and participate in its action Let them be
honorable they be yet great Dapy OF The
resolutions to appropriate the contingent fund o the House
apply them.
Here Is the subject Of book distributor shall spcal
sparingiy thst subcc know large majority Of me
members Of hls Horse are new members ana may i
magi1e that those who voted for II did 20 in good fait
that hereafter when books ordsd their price shall
deducted from The pay Of members who receive the
Suppose in some hour Of good feeling and inoonsderae
Soutes in the last days OF the session that tas Honse
shall forget itself as 10 vote to pay tor these books
OF the conasnt fund. The question goes TO The Co'
mfrtee Acconng Vow, ana the last man to iwPeaeh
the pryse integrity of single member OF that comuit-
only arp. general rules Three Of the se members
on that committee are interested in the matter because
three of them memsrs Tten you refer tnhcf,
contrary 10 all rule and contrary all reason, to in
seresisd tribunal You offer the judge bribe end leave
,he decision OF ths question to his impart;aiity
The Intervention Of COMMITTEES OF ACCOUNTS made uP
CT yoar cn members win aurd but little guarantee Of
etric ustics wonld her take the regular accounting
officers of reasury skilled in the laws and reu-
ia:ions and who occupy position OF mpartalty dare
soy this notwithstanding the condemnation pronounced
aWeil sir If you PREPARED to to the country that
you unwilling yourselves that your honor has
sunk 80 low your serespect has 50 entirely from
of the Treasury guard against corrupt use Oh
this contingent fund down the bill and stsnd self
convicted before your constituents Weli sir confess TO
some humility do not desire 10 upon myself any
tempting responsibility. Pride goeth before destruction
Beiter is il be Of an humble spirit with toe owiy than
to divide the spoils with the proud
But sif, ,fe whole argument s fallacy one man
here is the Hooss he control the action OF the
Eopse seek restrain the House OF Representatives,
and in dospa M with rfrencs to Others fully
much as myself II the action Of thF majority round
which would throw satguarde lo,k not 10 particular
individuals.
However much of honesty and aisgrity there may be
among members yet there times when hsy are called
consider which strongly appeal 70 their
syTpatbies and their Interests and which they DO not
duly consider Iuppose that in former days. the proPo-
stion have been discussed whether il WAS hight in
the administration of government to rely on the honor Oh
functonares whether it right 10 haVe checks
and safeguards thought that argument rad been closed
and that under this democratic government at least
the Of the people, expected 50 far as
We could to throw every safeguard around the peoples
| treasury.
Ny distinguished friend from Georgia [Mr. STKruEssl
has contendsdothers may conendthst the Comptroller
of the Treasury has made erroneous DECISIONS ana tha
like Others he is fallibe Wo not acGg now IN rel
erenee this Comptroller Of the Treasury alone have
always understood that be was good and faithful ON
but let gentlemen prove inconsistency gopsistency
against him and how does il affect the great 7rInc
pie involved We arc legisiaing in
single reference tie Cec15iopS OF
officer. We are legsstins great principle Whit
tlesey may go out OF oce} be may die but princi-
pie should always be in power principle never dies
But let look at the decision OF the Comptroller, TO
which much exception has been taken TX there Is
the part Of Comptroller it l. because OF his
cautousncss But that he has been too
cautious in allowing money to be paid from the treasury
What the in controversy and to which auson has
been made by the gentleman from Georgaf After the
passage of law in 1854 orbdding persons who received
increased salary under from after receiving extra
compensation there another resolution passed by this
House giving extra compensation to these Here
clear violation OF Law by this House If the resolu
tion bad been referred the Commitse Accounts the
money would probably have been pad they would
have felt bound to obey The order of the House But
sent the Treasury Department and the accounting
officers refused make allowance under it They could,
in tie proper discharge of their duty nothing contrary
TO law.
has been said, however that provision made by
law in the appropriation bill for paying this money And
call the attention Of gentlemen the clause iu the
appropriation bill in order that they may how far this
Comptroller Of the Treasury has offended Ii in these
words:
"To enable the Clerk Of the House OF Representatives to
pay the additional compensation to s employees and Others
Of August Is 1856, sufficient for that purpose Is
hereby appropriated of not
otherwise appropriated and hereby added the contin
gent fund Of the House Of Representatives"
most extraordinary law was ttat Istsnd here to-
day to say that such law cannot be justified IL sppro
prated particular II indefinite spproPria-
tion for indefinite object IL is 10 enable the Clerk TO
pay authorized by the resolution Of August Is 1856
What is the meaning Of the authorized n Can
be authorized TO do thing which is Illegal AAu-
thorized in Law, that which Is permitted by
Law, do Il s clear that the resolution Of August 18th