Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-06
The White House SpOIlatlOHs.''
Thaddeus stevens Accounts
From the Congressional GlObe.I

Mr.. STEVENS-The gentleman from
Pennsylvania is not mistaken. We have
already appropriated 100000 for furnishing
the Presidents house. 1t is proper that
should say, under the circumstances, that
heretofore the sum usually appropriated for
furnishing the Presidents house under the
incoming of an Administration has been
$4,000. There has always been small de-
ficiency however. In Mr.. Buchanan's time
it was $4,000. In the case of Mr.. Lincoln,
owing to the dilapidations, IL was some
thing more; $4,000 or $4,000. Then, 10
the last Congress, we voted $30,0O0, Dut tne
bill failed, and we have repeated the appro-
priation this year. But owing to the con-
fusion which took place after the death of
the President, and the long continued sick
ness of his wife. the house was left prey
to almost everybody that chose to go there,
and it was found, upon examination, when
Mr.. johnson was about to take possession
of the house, that scarcely anything was
left, and that it required not only the $50 QUO,
but, upon full estimate of what is wanted,
made by the commissioner of public
buildings, under the direction of the in
mates OF the house, it was found that TO
restore matters as they were, and to add
the usual ornaments and furniture, it will
require $4,000 more. 1t was found, after
the $4,000 were appropriated, that there
had already b, en- expended $4,000, and
that the sum appropriated was not only ab-
sorbed, but some $4,000 more, and the
house was still unfurnished. The servants
and everybody had access to the house,
during the fatal period to which have re-
ferred, for about six weeks-and may say
it was open for anybody to plumber 1t that
chose to 90 there. The result was that ale
most all the valuable furniture was miss
ing; and when the present President came
in, it was found necessary, even before he
could be entertained with a single meal,
that spoons should be brought into this
city for the purpose OF furnishing his table;
that linen, sheets, bedding, and all these
things were necessary, and even the beds
themselves.
1t was found that the house was in Gus
tody of nobody. The steward who was
there was responsible. But it was found
that these goods had been taken from every
where. They were traced-I will not say
among the employees; but they were gone
They were not to be ound. 1t is enough
for us to know that the things were not
there, and it is due to the present President
and his family to say that their estimates
OF what is needed have been made, in my
Judgment, on the most economical scale
consistent with the dignity of the nqtion.
We find that less than this sum will not
suffice. There is some $4,000 un paid after
appropriating the whole of the $4,000. l
trusL that enough has been said to show the
House the necessity of this appropriation,
and that it will be made without objection.
Mr.. UPSON-I would inquire OF the gen.
tleman if there was no public officer W hose
duty it was to see that this property was
protected?
Mr.. STEVENS-There was steward
appointed by the late President, but it
turned out that he was not responsible
person. lie was appointed by Mr. Lincoln
himself, and it was his duty to take care of
the property.
The committee on Appropriations, un-
der these circumstances, have prepared
bill making the steward responsible to the
Governments and requiring him to give
such security as will prevent anything OF
this kind in the future.
Mr.. NIBLACK-l would inquire if the
missing spoons are the same that MIR. Ogle
talked about few years ago? Laughter
Mr.. STEVENS-Yes, they are the same
spoons. They are the gold spoons that were
purchased, think, by Mr.. Van Buren, at
great expense, and may say that out of
a large number of spoons, forks and
knives, which were very valuable, but
one or two would be LETT out of two doz-
en-; and all that has been done has been
to furnish samples to the persons in New
York who furnished these things, and they
are being replaced, not to the extent that
Mr.. Van Buren, had but as nearly as the
present humble and economical President
deems necessary. l can say to the commit
tee that nothing more is asked by the Pres
ident and his family than is absolutely ne
cessary to make the house decent.
Mr.. UPSON-They left the same for
samples?
Mr.. SrEVENS-Thev left a sample or
two, because they did not want to make
them get an entirely different set. l have
understood that some of these things are
WE'LL it is no matter where they are.