Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-15
THE pEFIeIENcY BILL.
From the Congressional Globe


TIE DEFICIENCY BILL. s.st
[From the Congressional GIobe-l
The first section having been read
Mr. BrOoks(N Y } said: wish to call the at
tention of The committee for short time to many
of the recommendations for appropriations con-
tanned in this deficiency bill. | sometimes re
greet that in the assignment of here il has so
resulted that | am upon the outskirts of Demo
cratic civilization, and not upon the other side,
that might obtain better hearing from them;
for it is no use to address the Democratic party
in The House, as they are utterly powerless here,
BUTT is Of the highest Importance to The country
that gentlemen upon the other side of the House
should give bfis Of this character their atten-
ton % ,ts 4g1 o. ilas ~ aa- ~ taa stst ,1t
| know | am far behind thisage and that It's
utterly impossible to keep up with the progress of
il unless one runs wild | was educated in the
olden school with another class of men when, in
the reporters gallaries of this House or mem
Der uDsh the floor of the House, NE were all
taught to look upon deficiency bills with great
distrust, and TO scan them with the severest scrn
tiny When first entered the halls of Congress,
a de6ciencybili of $4,000 WIS caleuhtet to
create excitement in TO inconsiderable alarm.
And when. pending the Mexican war, a de6cien
CIV bill OF S360, 900 was introduced into this
House, there was an extraordinary debate,
which is fully recorded in the Jourpals of Oon-
gress But here to-day we have deficiency of
over seven million dollars, it NAV be more.
/ know gentlemen upon the other side will tell
me that this is an era of rebellion; that this sum
is extra1dnarily large. belonging to an extraor-
binary era, and that therefore II isfmpOssble for
the Administration of the Government to have
that prospective view Of public affairs which will
enable it absolutely to foresee what will be thu
expenditures of the Government l have only
this to saw, that, pending the war of 1879 with
L. d. Al
no such deficiency bills L give large credence
and large credit to the argument of the other
side, that. in the progress of civil war, it is i'm
possible for the Administration, even in the
third year of the war, to foresee what was likely
to be the expenditure of the Government; but it
is possible to foresee something.
What mainly object to in the deficiency bill,
is the creation of offices without the authority of
law; the acceptance and endorsement of Offices
created without Law; the creation of offices who'll
ly unknown to the statute book; and to appropri-
atoms in a deficiency bill oflarge sums Of money
to pay them. Here in this bill are four hundred
and fifty clerks created in the departments of the
Government, at the other end of the avenue.
know many ofthem are necessary--perhap they
are all necessary-and | do not intend TO make
any decided opposition to the appropriations for
them. But do say that it was the duty of the
Administration, and that it was the part of wis
to fcresee the necessity of these disbursements
and the necessity Tor these clerks, in the esti-
mates of last Congress, and then TO call upon the
last House for the necessary appropriations.
But here is recommended the creation of four
hundred and fifty clerks who have been serving
for from six months TO year in the departments
in their respective offices. to whom owe
debts, and TO whom if not we, at least the AID
ministraton IS Under the necessity Of providing
/ the nrOuqr mode md means of ma uent
| mean to say further, it is the duty of the Ad-
mnistration now. in the second and third years
Of the war, to comprehend its magnitude and ex-
pense. and to make the necessary estimates in
advance, and not appear here with an enormous
deficiency like this The extent OF the war was
as well known two years ago il is now aud
its disbursements were as well known; the ne
cessiry for these clerks we'll known.
These Offices. then. have been created without
authority of Law, while there is imposed upon
Congress, in the exercise of its legislative duties
the necessity of making anappropriation for their
support 49, -
There are in this bill the most extraordinary
estimates which I'VE have ever seen IN anv de-
fciencv bill within the whole range of my con-
gressional experience. Here are deficiencies for
buildings. deficiencies for fences, deficiencies for
furniture, Deficiencies for carpets, also for tho-
graphs and engravings. and many other articles
out law ,.ass.d ats
What mean to say upon this subject is, that
when the regular appropriations ran out tor
fences. for grading, for carPetng, for furniture
&C., IL was the duty Of the Administration TO stoT
its expenditure. and await an appropriation by
Congress before is discussed the money. 1t car
wait, as other people obliged TO wait, for
their comforts and their conveniences and theil
Injuries, without taking the law into their own
I.r
ury, and then calling upon the legislative de-
partment of the Government to make the neces-
sary Appropriations.
There i-createsi ny this hill foreign. mission
The subject was alluded q the other day, but il
did not at the moment attract my attention OIL
the attention OF gentlemen upon the other side oil
the House, and the matter was not fully and fair
~ met. But here is an appropriation for Min
isler to San Salvador, who is recognized by this
deficiency bill. the Office being created without
any authority of law whatever. This is the APP
pointment OF minister to an inconsiderabEe
power; il is the creation of an Office for the bene
BIT of an ofiice-holder; the appointment OF a min
ister To a foreign power which has not In popua-
ton, in magnitude. or in wealth, anything hike
the importance of many OF the wards Of Pha-
delphia. New York. Cincinnati and Chicago.
And yet here is the creston by the State Depars-
meut Of foreign mission to San Salvador with
out the least authority OF law. and We are called
ron here in this bill to make a defciencv ,ap-
preparation for that purpose appeal TO gentle
men ON the other side OF the House. I appeal to
them in sincerity and truth TO resist this thing If
| were one Of them and among them, II l be-
longed to their party, never would sanction. ms
never have with any party. here or elsewhere.
sanct;oned these assumptions by the executive
authorities OF The country
| viii call the Fttention of the House to other
subjects connected with the deficiency bill, but
before i do it. | wish to disabuse, if possible,
gentlemen nom the prepossessions and preju-
dices in their minds ! stand upon the floor of
this House az Wing, almost solitary and alone
/ fCries Of No" from Mr.. Rollins, Of Missouri,
and Others am an Old Line Wing. and
nothing but an Old Line Wing. For the last
twenty Eve or thirty years have resisted the en-
ercise Of all executive authority, Of all executive