Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-10


Capitol dome was voted for by both parties
and therefore each partS is fsspcusible t
tbs extent of the support given to #.
The bill creating Lieutenant General
and increasing the ray Of the officers ane
men in the army, was passed by the las
Congress, and vas most cordially supported
BY the opposite party in the House.
During the Thirty fourth Congress, 3 l6,,
O22 was appropriated to pay Per diem ano
mileage to Archer, Fouke, Turney, Reeder,
Milliken, and Bennett, tor contestirg the
seats of members returned to that Congress,
and in all those cases the contest were dcci-
ded against them The yeas and nays
show that the opposition are responsible for
this expenditure.
During the same Congress river and har-
Dor bills, footing up the sum Of $745 600,
were passed by the opposition and vetoed
by President Pierce sseatlyto the annoy
anoe Of the gentleman and his party. At
the first session cf the same Congress APP
/ propriations amounting to s., l88, 739 were
passed for forty one custom houses, court
houses. post Offices. and marine hospitals.
Of this number, only eleven were recon-
mended by the administration, At the
third session of the same Congress, appro-
priations for the same purpose were made
to thirty one buildings Of like kind, a.
mounting to $2,O84, 600, only four Of
which had the Recommendation Of the ad-
ministration.
During the same Congress appropriations
amounting to the sum of So, 27O, 900 were
made for the extension Of the Capitol the
dome, and works Of art. It was out Of this
appropriation for the Capitol extension, if |
am rightly informed, that desks were pur-
chased at 500 each, and chairs at $40 each,
for the new hall Of the House Of Rcpresen-
tatives.
The appropriations for tue several items
of the contingent fund for the House Of
Representatives for the Thirty third Con
gress amounted to $9o3, 100, Sc. The APP
preparations for the same object for the
Thirty fourth Congress- ran up, uader the
action Of the opposition in this House, who
had the majority, to the SUM Of 81 ,0S7, no
showing an increase in this hrsnch Of ex-
penditure Of S184 669 a.
At the last session Of the Thirty fourth
Congress the Senate returned to this House
the sundFy civil bill with 1913 amendments,
covering appropriations to the amount Of
18Th, SIC 40. E caare to this House
on the last night Of the session, when we
had no opportunity even to read the amend
ments III tire House On the recommends
ton Of the Committee of Ways and Means,
the House rejected all the amendments, and
the bill and amendments thas rejected went
to committee Of conference, who reported
the next morning tina. the Seaate should
recede from amendments covering S7l3,-
256 OF. and that the House should recede
from its disagreement Us to- the residue.
When the reading of Tie amendments was
called for, Speaker Banks decided Chat they
could not be read, and The House was
brought to a vote on the adoption Of the
conference report-and thus, withoat any
knowledge Of what they were doing, the
members voted away S3,o58. $50 A Of the
public money, by 81 yeas to 81 nays. Of
the 81 yeas, S. belonged to the opposi-
ton
IF T had thc time I would refer to some
Of the votes On the Senate amendments to
the sundry civil bills at the present session
For the custom house and mariue hospital
amendments-for the aldendmelit directing
the payment to- tho State of Maine of usu-
riots interest on money borrowed to carry
Oh the Aroostools- WARRIOR the amendment
appropfiating to Gales g. Seaton, $40
0OO for the publication Of the American
State papers, and other amendments that
might be enumerated, decided majority of
the yeas came from the opposition of the
House
The gentleman complains that ctr for
elgn-lntercourse expenses have run up to
an enormous figure. The gentleman evident
ly docs not understand the subject. 1t will
be recollected that awards paid under trea-
ties and other payments of like character
are embraced in this expenditure BY way
Of Illustration, take tile year ending June
30, 1919, when the appropriation for this
object was So, sos, 996 II, made under a
democratic administration ard the year
ending June 80, 1858, lnade ,ihii6s an OPP
position administration, when the appropri-
alton was $950,87l so. IN the former
year S6,565, 1854 70 was used 70 falfl
treaty stipulationy with the Mexican ra5ub-
lie, tie King Of tie Two Sicilies, and the
republic Of Peru, leaving balance Of 1913,
641 90. In the latter year only $297,
l55 81, vas required to pay awards, leay-
ing balance Of 1858, 7l5 F3' for foreign
intercourse prorer-aimost double the a..
mounts used for this purpose in 1S49. How
will the gentleman explain this increase
under opposition rule 2
Sweeping charges Of extravaganza, such
as the gentleman has INDUCED in, do not
strike my mind as the most satisfactory
mode of discussing this question: If the
charges are founded, it il an exceedingly
easy matter for gentlemen to designate the
items in the annual appropriations that are
not justifed'by proper regard for economy
If you are for reform, present your meas
ures, let tEems be examined, and, if they
are wise and just, you can rely upon our
support to aid in their passage f you are
in earnest, you will do this; but, until Il
shall be done, you cannot convince the peo-
pie of your sincerity. Cease your denun-
Citations, give US the details, bring forward
your measures of retrenchment and reform,
and thus furnish practical evidence Of your
disposition to remedy what you consider ex-
listing evils in the administration Of the gov
eminent and in our system Of legislation.
~ .,.s..4;h,, ,yhioI hac- n+Arh ofnI .