The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-06-22
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Y 6if, rstfeuchmea ~ And sssfofn ase nor MT
eoss efimpsrative necessity. Il IL not ~ mer
!. ~ of dsmago baia problem densndinI
/ Ethe attention md Northy shs ligheat 1biljty .
the representstise " shs people. "a party
fit 70 govern this conntty, which cannot dolv!
sEit. II II In vain to look to executive Clacer
for reform. Their power aud ihfnence depens
upon executive patronage; and Whiie w grant
Ithey will squan6er. The ScnAts u neither VI
the theory Of our system; NOR BY iess co3nfcsi-
ti0n, fitted for the task. This House aione III
il the constitutional power 70 perfect radica
!. reform. The Constitution provides Shat no mo
lney shall be drawn from the Treasury but II
consequence Of appropriations made BY laW
and that al bills for raising revenue shalt orig
mate in the House of Representatives These
Il provisions we're designed to invest in this Houss
the entire control over the public purse--tft
power Of supply; this ls invested in the House
of Commons, and has been jealonsly guarded
BY il. 1t is the pearl beyond price, without
which constitutional liberty in England would
long since have fallen under the despotism oi
the crown.
AEusES AND UsURPATIoNs or THE EXECUTIVE.
By the exercise Of this power We may hold
the Executive and the Senate in check. But
instead Of using it, this House has, BY slow de-
grees, allowed the other departments Of the
Government TO evade and virtually overthrow
its constitutional power. This change may be
briefly Illustrated. The theory of our Govern
ment is, thatsa specific sum shall be appropri-
ated by a Law originating in this House, for a
snscifc purpose, and within given fiscal year
Il Is the duty Of the Executive 10 use that sum,
and no more, expressly for that PURPOSE, and
within the tiine fixed. Such is the theory; but
what il the practice: Under q section Of law
passed ID August. 1872, which was designed
only for that bin and for that year, the Depart
ments assume the power to fydnster appropri-
atlons made for one purpose, to any other pur-
pose in the same Department., thus defeating
all checks. Without Law, they use money ap.
propriated specifically for the service OF one
fiscal year, to pay for the service of another
fiscal year. Amarked example of this occurred
recently. The present Secretary of the Treas.
ury took money appropriated in March, 1856,
for the expenses oi the Territorial Legislature
lot Kansas for the year ending june 80, 1856,
and in the face Of refusal BY Congress to
appropriate money 70 support the bogus usurp.
ing Legislative Assembly Tor the year ending
June 30, 1857, took the balance of the old ap-
preparation, aud applied it to that purpose.
Another abuse BY The Executive Departments
j., in their habit ofmaking contracts in advance
Tot appropriations. They make contracts with
out law, and compel Us either7to sanction them
or violate the public faith. u will give COM
mon instance. An appropriation of 100000
IL made to construct a custom house; the De-
partnent, instead Of contracting for cnstom
nf haf Fn IL,
siructiono Of one costing two or three millions.
In this way, tile power Of the House has been
absolutely Oyerruled. And when they come
Pre- and ask for money TO carry on the work,
yOu .xtte the money, to save from entire loss
the SUM already expended. and because the
contracts have been made. Now, sir, / say
that every contract which looks to the expendi.
tnre OF one dollar more than has been appro-
priatcd, is utterly null and void. Take, for in.
stance, the custom house at Now Orleans Iii
lSiS, Congress appropriated 100000 for the
construction Of a custom honsein that city, upon
the express condition that the city should do
nate 20 the Government lot of ground for
that purpose, and make out clear and valid
title. Well, sir, the Siu0, 900 appropriated was
all expended in the sinking oi the foundation
OF building Ofuntoli magnificenc8, never cor.
tcinPiated by those who made the appropria-H
ton The Department again came to Congress
for anosher appropriation, and Congress has
gone on making appropriations until 81 O75, 25S
have been expended; and tue Representative
from New Orleans is now demanding more mo
fney to complete her custom house.
For the city OF Charleston, South Carolina, in
1913, an appropriation Of S3 {, 900 was made, as
sort OF arider to an appropriation for GUS
tom-house at Savannah. Well, sir, upon the
basis Of that Sc, 900 the Government has gone
on with its plans, and has already expended
81, ,7O3, 600. l do not know how much more will
be needed TO complete the building but the
Representative from the Charleston district told
" the other day that valuable ornaments Of
stone were lying about. and further appropra-
tions were needed, either to complete the build.
or protect the materials from destracton In
this way the Executive Is gradually sapping the
foundations Of the Government and DESTROYING
the Constitutional power Of the House. Instead
OF representative Republic, we ere degenera-
ting into bureauocracy, governed By red tape
and subaltern clerks. While the powers of the
House are invaded. the Executive takes care to
extend, by construction, his just powers OF
this We have an example in the. Utah war
What power has The President, without the
consent Of Congress, TO order the army to Utah,
and thus involve thesGosernmenti ia al expend-
iture Of millions upon millions? II is said that
he is Commanderln Grief Of the army, under
the Constitution of the United States. But tile
Constitution declares that Congress shall de :
clare war. He il Commanier-in Chief, hnt only
to. carry on war when war has been declared
by the Congress of the United States. He is
our instrument, he is our servant and not our
master. And yet be has involved the Govern
ment in this Utah war. 1t is usurpation
which ought to be resisted by the whole legisla-
tive power of the Government
We have the und0ubted power over supplies,
and yet the President SO acts as TO leave u no
discretion. He creates the necessity for cx-
penditures; anu when We are asked to appro-
paiate money to pay.them, all the reply we have
to our inquiries is, that. the army was ordered
there BY the President, as the Gommander.in in
Chief OF che forces. While would not allow
these gallant men to suffer where they are, yet
would call the Pfesidentto account Tor having
violated the principle and policy OF our Gov
ernment. gssE ~ Il ss 80 sss sss S
ABUSES DY THE SENATE.
The Senate, i,ealso, has been guilty Of an inva-
sisn OF our privileges When We send bills
there, they are returned to us, loaded down with
amendments for the very sums which we refused
10 give. They send these amendments here.
ard We are implicitly told, that unless We agree
TO them the entire appropriation bin viii fail,
and Congress be called back IN extra session.
~ will pc Fecolected that the appropriation for
the Washington aqueducs, and many other ex :
travagant items Of expenditure, we're carried
through in that way. The Constitution OF the
United States gives to the Senate power to pro-
pose amendments to revenue bills, but express.
| " withholds from il power to originate such
bills. But by the abuse OF their limited power
to amend, they defeat the exclusive power oi
the House. But not only that, the Senate al
this session, BY direct usurpation, has exercised
the power which the Constitution confers upon
this House alone. II has ofisinateda q loan bill
sent Il here, and il is nov upon the Speakers
table. Is not atoan bin bill for raising re-
venue There was some dispute as to appro-
priation bills being revenue bills, but there car
be no doubt about this bill. II i loan bill L
not revenue bill, do not know what II IS
blackstone defines arrevenue bill 10. include al
| bills By which money il directed to be raised
upon the subject, Tor any purpose, or.in al,
shape whatsoever. (Com.. vol |, page 16Qsl :
This bill proposes TO raise revenue ~ borrowing
II you look At tho practice OF the House of Com
mons, you viii see that loan bills are ia tho frs