The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-13

ps,Hlrs should resist so reasopable motion that
which he had submitted The chairman should invite
Investigation insist upon the other committees
examining their work IL possible for that com
mttee TO examine expenditure Of eighty millions of
dollars within the thirty days allotted 10 them IL was
not within human power 10 examine these estimates In
detail and therefore these bills should be referred TO the
appropriate committees He satisfied If It should DO
referred TO the Committee Naval Affairs, il would re-
ceve thorough examination aud he believed the result
you'd be saving Of not less than two Millions Of dol
lars.
| Mr. GARRETT, 81 Virginia, inquired whether the
gentleman In order to avoid tie danger OF setting pre-
oedent would consent TO modification OF IT'S motion
to refer the bill 70 the Committee Naval Afac 90
inquire Hhether the appropriation cannot be reduced
i Mr.. SHERMAN thoTght che gentleman ought to be
satisfied with the statement of the thaman of the Com
mittee Naval Affairs that they did not vsh 70 in
crease the appropriation, but simply to examine tits
| bill.
Mr. wAsHBURN, of Maine, stated that his experience
In the Hose Had convinced him that it would be very
unwise to adopt the SYSTEM Mr. SasRMAs proposed to in
agurate That gentleman inquired what vas 20 De the use
of the Naval Committee, the Military Committee aid the
other committees, if they not to have the prepare
j ton of the different appropriation bills What was to
become of the functions of the Committee of Ways and
Means ii they transformed it into conduit for passing
the estimates of the different departments through the
i House of Representatives to these channels. 80
i Mr.. SHERMAN thought the Committee Of Ways ahd
! Means would have enough to do TO furnish ways and
means to meet the appropriations. y
i Mr.. WASHBURN replied that the Committee OF Ways
| auu means na charge OIL tnclS
be organ in connexion with the departments of the
| government. If the Committee of Ways and Means
! was not tide proper one they must make some other,
! otherwise there would re Infinite confession ~
Mr. LETTER of Ohio. asked his colleague tMr. suER-
MANI what facts he had in Ills possession authorizing the
declaration that by making this reference there would
i be saving of two millions Of dollars. Fp s,aH y
Mr. SHERMAN replied that the estimates Tor the navy
i yards amounted to upwards of two millions of dollars,
and those for repairs &C., to upwards Of three millions OF
deais, iaking on aggregate Of over five millions ot
dollars He prepared 10 show that not onethird Of
| this amount required. " am expenditure upon
old hulks and vessels not worthy Of repair, 1he Com
mittee of Ways and Means could not exuiie the eighty
millions of expenditure now they might have done y at
/ the beginning OF the government .f.n AZ
Mr. LETTER desired to know whether the Committee
of the Whole the state of the Union was not the
| very best place of all TO make the very corrections OF
which the gentleman spoke. IL
! Mr. SHERMAN replied that they all knew what the
Committee Of the Whole In it everything was IN
order debates about Kansas, Oregon the man in the
moot, everything and this bill never would be consid-
cred IL was possible TO get in amendments under the
hve-minutes rule but il impossible TO lay before
the House the whole naval establishment in that time
| Mr. GROW, of Pennsylvania said the object of the
motion to facilitate the business of the House. I'M
der the present rules the Committee Of Ways and Means
required within the first thirty days of the session,
to report the general appropriation bills The motion
innovation, but he rejoced that it had been made
Ii designed TO give to each committee its share OF duty
but the proper mode to change the rules to
fer all the estimates from the departments when present
cd to the appropriate committees having charge of tue
/ different Subjects and require them within certain
number OF days 10 report The appropriation BILL which
i should be referred to the Committee OF Ways and
/ Means. @ ~ at Hs A# taa
/ Mr. MILLSON inquired whether the gentleman knew
of any rule requiring the Committee Naval Affairs, If
1 the bill should be referred to them, to make report
4 within any specified time. t w
! Mr. GROW replied that that was the reason why he
| desired TO change the rules.
i Mr. HOWARD, Of Michigan agreed wholly with the
! gentleman from Ohio Mr. SHERMAN in reference 60
| rctrepchment and economy but he dssented
trely from all he had said in favor of the proposed ref
erence of the naval appropriation bill to the Committee
Naval Affairs, and for the sole stated by the
gentleman from Maine, hIr. WAsHpURNB that it would
increase the expenses Of the government twenty thirty
| or forty per cent
Mr. SEWARD, Of Georgia, contendcd that the Com
mittee of Mays and Means had not time to examine all
the appropriation bills and uttered The opinion that
the extravaganza of the government depended upon the
present of legislation from the very fact that the
Committee of Ways aud Means merely carried out the
orders from the various departments of the govern
\ ment
Mr. JONES' Of Tennessee, had served several years
the Committee of Ways aud Means and believed that the
present the first time that he had any recollection of
proposition like the one under considerations IL was
both in the House and out of doors to find fault
with the action of the committee but it his opn.
ion that If this motion became the settled practice of the
House 10 would have greater tendency to osruct the
business of the country than any other practice they had
Their rules had been wisely framed and adopted, and il
they would all conform to them, and permit the Speaker
every morning to proceed to the business in its regular
order the despatch of the public business would be pro
NOTED. .#H. a "
Mr. KEITH of South Carolina, obtained the floor, but
! gave way to " s'
] Mr. BoCOCK, of Virginia. who moved that the House
resolve itself into Committee of the Whole the state
| of the Union which motion was agreed to
! THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
| The House accordingly went into Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, (r. BococK in the
andre he of
annual message-the question being the adoption of
the resolutions of Mr. PuEPs of Missouri referring it TO
| the appropriate committees. @ E"
Mr. JENKINS, OF Vrginia, replied to the remarks Of
Mr.. WAsuBuRN, of Maine, in relation to the political
parties of the day He regretted TO that IL the
old cry against slavery and Of Lecopton and anti
| Lecompton. He for the constant ba-
angues upon this subject II the tariff to be modi-
fed these gentlemen thought the only way enghten
the House and the country preparatory to doing
by speaking against the South. Ii seemed If they
could only approach il through the medium Of at
tack upon the ''slaye ogarchy.' lie referred TO
| foreign relations, and quoted from the Cincinnati
platform the resolution requiring Americans 10 hold
ed the condition OF Mexico and Central American af-
fairs and earnestly advocated the abrogaon of the Clay
ton Buwcr treaty which he said the result of what
the world called diplomacy but what he called European
diplomacy. What seemed to be wanted specific
ton. IL had accomplished not of the things il
intended TO accomplish but from the time Of its adop
ton to the present dny a continual of asia
ton and luminosity between the two countries Its abro
CATION could not make the country off than il is
at the present day. and justified under all law.
! Mr. GlDDINGS, of Ohio, said the President, in his
I Al 4 e