Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-13
XXXIXth OONGRESS--lst Session,
WASHINGTON, June l2.
SENATE,


Mr.. WILSON, from the Military committee. re
ported Homse bill for the settlement Of the accounts
If certain public officers II prescrbes the mode in
which the accounts OF disbu sing officers Of the
passed
Mr.. CHANDLER cal ed up the bill approprating
money for the preservation, repair aud completion
of public works on the Pacific and Atlantic coast IN
the lakes and at other points, which was passed
Mr., GUINNESS, from the committee on Postoffees
aud Post Roads reported joint resolution reless-
ing the Pacih, Mail Steamship Company from that
part of their contract compelling them to touch at
Honolulu, which ives ordered to be printed.
Mr.. EDMUNDS, from the Committee on Com
merce called up an act further to provide for the
safety Of the lives Of passengers on board of vessels
propelled in whole or in part by steam, to regulate
the salaries of Steamboat Inspectors, and for other
The bill as amended was passed. 1t goes back to
the House for concurrence in the amendments
At one o'clock h bill mailing appropriations for
the Legislative, Executive and Judicial expenses
Of the Government for the year ending June 80 1867
was taken up. 1t is hill of fty-one pages and
provides for salaries of officers in different depart
ments.
On the question of sdopting an amendment plac-
ing 100000 at thedisposa Of the Secretary of the
Treasury to increase at his discretion the compensa
tion Of the CLERKS of his department
Mr.. WILSON said he was opposed to giving such
discretion to any man. and especially to the present
Secretary of the Treasury. 1t would give that Off
cial too much control over the men in his Depart
ment.
Mr. FESSENDEN said that the political course
Of the Secretary of the Treasury had not been very
agreeable to Mr.. Wilson, and perhaps not to great
many other Senators but he knew the Secretary TO
be a faithful and competent public officer. The pol
icy Of the proposed amendment had been inaugural
ed under Mr.. Chase and followed ever since.
Mr.. HENDRICKS said there was nothing in the
record Of the Secretary of Treasury to warrant Mr..
Wilson's expression of want OF confidence in him, he
believed him to be capable and faithful officer as
a citizen of India he was proud of him. Political
differences ought not to be allowed to prejudice the
minds Of Senators in such matter. After, some
debate, in which Howe, Howard and Trumbull took
Mr.. WILSON said in reply to the remarks of Mr..
Hendricks, that he had no desire to cast mpu atons
upon the Secretary of the Treasury but il was well
known that he (the Secretary had done great many
things of which the of the people, though gnor
ant, would not approve. He mad appointed men to
office without requiring the oath prescribed by law.
There we're great complaints against him for his
course in the selling of gold. He (Wilson)
had received a letter from an eminent mer-
was very well known that when others were
in favor OF coming down and recognizing the
existence Of Congress he stood out defantly boldly,
to characterize. He had gone beyond the President
himsefin in maintaining policy that 80 out of every
100 citizens were oppose1 to.
Mr.. FESSENDEF said it was in bad taste for men
to turn questions Of business into political attacks
1t was in bad taste also, to attack absent men He
MIR. Fessenden did not agree witt the Secretary in
his speech and thought the speech was in bad taste
especially as the Secretary was not in the habit of
making speeches aud hardly know just who're he was
g5lng when he commenced.
Mr.. GRIMES said ii was q prepared speech He
(GrimesD was there and heard it, aud noticed the
Secretary recalled several sentences and repeated
them, just as men do when they are delivering pre-
Mr. FESSENDEN said he sometimes recalled
sentences, yet he never made prepared speeches II
only showed the jaundiced eye with which Mr..
Grimes viewed every thing done by the Secretary of
the Treasury 1t was true the Secretary indorsed
the Presidents policy, and he Fessenden) did not
DE was sure, however of the honest intentions and
nQN 40 nf No A. g.
amendment, if it was bad principle, he (Fesseh.
DEM was responsible for it than any other man.
Mr.. GRIMES said he did not see the propriety Of
Did not the Secretary Of the Treasury assail Com
gress in its absence on the evening of his serepade
speech? DE had good reasons for refusing to give
the discretionary power asked for TO the Secretary
and it was we'll known what they were - = -
Mr.. GRl MES then rev iewed certain recent acts Of
Mr.. McCulloch, the appointment Of men who could
not take the oath, thelate sales OF gold, et,. ~
Mr. C0NNESS, in a few remarks, characterized
the PerSons vino TSssHt,y seTenaded the Cabinet as
wandering minstrels, political scrubs political fungi,
Mr. SHERMAN explained the causes which in
ing, amendment.
YEAs-AnthCpy. Conness, Dawes, Doolittle, Fes-
sendSn, Foster Guthrie, Harris. Hendricks, John
Wrinkle, Williams and Yates-l7.J
NAYs=ChandleT, OrOgan, Cresswell, Edmunds,
Grimes, Howard, Howe. kirkwood, Lane of Indiana,
Nye, Poland, Ramsey, Sprague, Stewart, Trumbull,
w ade and Wilson-l1. t
The amendment agreed ois in the following lam
guage:
For compensation of temporary clerks in the
Treasury Departm emit and for additional compensa-
ton to officers and clerks at the same department
el6o provided that the temporary clerks herein
provided for may be classified according to the char
acter OF their services aud thatthe Secretary Of the
Treasury may award such additional compensation
as may be in his judgment just and may be erequired
by the public service. XII r-#f.r.' .,a|---1I tr Il
So much Of the said act making appropriations for
the Legislative Executive and Judicial expenses Of
the Government approved March a. 1855, as |
forbids the Secretary o.. the Treasury to
award any such additional compensation after
the lst of July, 1866 is hereby repealed provided
further, that out Of the Appropriation of Ss5O 900
made by said act for compensation to temporary
clerks in the Treasury Department. and additional
to clerks in the same Department, |
there shall be paid to each person therein appointed
BY the Secretary as clerk or counter, who shall
have served in such capacity for one year previous