The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-11
DEPARTMENT or rHE PArEYP
OFFI(E M
n ID Edaor. q d. tInlea /.

know nothing of the reasons and motives which led
the committee TO reduce this particular appropriation TO
this low figure. Knowing nor suspsctna anything 10
the contrary take il for granted that the Ndsss s
god but az the time must be permitted to say
that can see no good reos for diminishing this item of
public expenditure. On the contrary, il that
il should be increased To 800 600 more and can
not doubt that the members of the committee will agree
with me il they will carefully review the question
To arrive a "a wise conclusion IL is highly important 10
contemplate the great results heretofore produced and
be produced by these agricultural appropriations
Time nor space will permit to 20 into details in
discussing this subject in this article The first cannot
spare from other engagements aud the other take
il for granted would not be allowed by any editor in
this city
What say, therefore, must be brief and suggestive
mthc- than extended and argumentative. In this ar
Gle 10 Is not proposed TO say word for against the
consutonality of these agricultural appropriations
Those who oppose them constitutional grounds
entitled to respect from those who differ from them
But to be consistent they should vote seems me-
against all appropriations for the Military Academy
West Point and all other appropriations for which there
is very e constitutional provision either expressed
or implied Certainly, bread, meat and clothing are in
dspensabe moesas To the very existence of the army
and navy while the cadets educated at the National Mill
tay School only somewhat important but i'm
portant cheap food and clothing ITO make two blades
of grass grow where grew before is to double and
cheaper all agricultural products And this Is the prov.
noe of meteorological and chemical science the sciences
of improving, increasing and preserving all useful agr
cultural productions, whether animal vegetable. IL
ricultura appropriations made
For the fiscal years ending june 80 1856, and June
80 1885, these appropriations S3o 900 and SIS 900
One hundred and five thousand dollars appropriated
for the fiscal year ending June 30th 1857 and 500 500
the fiscal year ending June 30h, 1858 Ten thousand
dollars of the appropriation for 1857 for the extra
expense of importing cuttings For the fiscal
year ending June 30th, 1883, the of 500, 900
appropriated For the fiscal year ending June 30h 1860
it is proposed to reduce this item of the public
penditures TO $4,000. Out Of $50, 100000 or $780,,
900 600 for the Navy Department the War Department,
State Department. Post Office aud a thousand and one
miscellaneous objects, confdcd to the Treasury and ne
ror Departments, it is proposed TO dole out, with
grudging hand, 900 for promoting the greatest IN
tsrek OF the Union for promoting td interest, which
creates and supports all others
There is doubt that the expenditure for scientific
Investigations should be Increased diminished Re-
trenchmcnt in this direction would be great public
lamity, and would be regarded all the country
But, because of these expenses is the agricultural De
parmcnt of the Patent Office be dlscontlnued Grip
plel and rendered worthless for want of adequate
hope not My deliberate opinion is that the scientific
labors performed by Jackson smith, and the mcteoro-
logical performed under the direction of the
Smithsonian Institution will be worth times these
pcnscs TO the United States annually. II is freely adj
mitted that their iabors arc valuable. do not
trust, undervaue what has been done and Is doing in
other directions The distribution of the seeds OF the
Chinese sugar destined TO be worth to tho people
times the expense of this department The cula
and cork acorn imported from SPAIN may yet prove to
he of great value as doubtless will many other tnbers
seeds and cuttings heretofore distributed by the Patent
Office The earlier reports do, indeed, contain many ar
clrs of little valueartices which would not have
inserted but intelligent, candid will pretend to
say that they do not contain very great amount
of higbyvaluable reading matter agricultural subjects
Most of the articles ably written, and in
dictate research, careful thought, and small share of
investigation and practical application of means to ends.
AS to the seed distribution, it may be that it has we'll
/ nigh performed its mission by distributing and
useful seeds and good selections OF domestic growth the
office has walked up spirit of inquiry the subjects of
horticulture and agriculture from end of the Union
| to the other and thus it has been of esab-
fishing seed stores in every large city and town in the
country Hereafter it might well coninc its collection of
seeds choice kinds of foreign production through
the aid of consus ministers, officers of the navy, and
traders and travellers.
But will members of Congress consent to such an
| arrangement Are they willing to receive more seeds
for their coas'deats2 If So it is all right New
seeds might then be distributed to the several State soce
| ties and amateur farmers.
] But this saving should not prevent annual appropria-
tons of $1,000 to promote and dfuse knowledge of
agriculture and to increase and preserve the valuable
| products of the Garth.
There may be Just grounds for complaints about
of the seeds heretofore distributed but If there be- il is
too trling to be seriously urged Argument to
duce withhold agricultural appropriations. II any
thing (serious tring) be wrong in the Patent Office
elsewhere let it be ferrete out exposed and coecte let
justice fall where it may, bnt let the whole country suf
fer account of unavoidable accidents, tDg errors
supposed real mistakes in subonus In all such
w
of the department and make formal complaint setting
forth the existence of the wrong specifying the supposed
guilty party, and naming the proof and the witnesses
who will testify under the legal obligations of oath
that there is not Secretary of department
head of bureau in Washington who would not instantly
| dismiss incompetent dishonest subordinate upon
satisfactory proof of such disability. But the higher Off
of government would be wholly unworthy the places
they fill did they condescend to listen for single
ment to harum- newspaper complaints and
sults General personal abuse looked upon by all hon
est intelligent the slang of personal political
hatred offended pri e and so it is The authors of
this kind of stuff like cowardy dogs, shrink from assa
ing the responsible head, and bark at the irresponsible
subordnates. Surely member of Congress will be
novel to vote against sufficient appropriation to pro-
mote the great paramount interests of agriculture by
any vocal sanderer newspaper scribber. Should the
nation, cut entirely off, the will be found in the
consuonaiity of such appropriations. The friends Of
agricultural progress, trust, have nothing to fear from
General Slang or Madam Rumor
In fact, it to that there is nothing to fear
from any quarter if the question shall be decided upon
its merits it doubtless will be, after full discussion
and careful comparison of notes. by senator's and repre-
sentatvcs Even ii it be determined To discontinue the
seed collections and distributions it will be necessary
provide pay for those ordered from abroad
years since, and to distribute them. Seeds and
cuttings cannot be procured from Egypt, Japan and
| China and forwarded as readily they from
Europe and South America.
But the collection and distributions of seeds cuttings
and ube ought not to be entirely discontinued for many
years TO Th particular service should be brought
within small compass without unnecessary delay but Il