, 1874-06-14

suSDRY CIVIL B1IL+
| The Honse then went into Committee Of ths
Whole (DAWEs in the chair. on the Sundry
Civil Appropriatioa bill.
On motion Of A1r. FORT, an item Of $50 900
Was inserted for printing the agricultural reportt
for 1854.
The appropriations made for public buildings
under tue Supervising Architect Of the Treasury
include the following: Custoul-House and Sub
Treasury at Cnicago (continuation), $780,
600; Cnsto1n-House and Post-Ofice at Gin.
cinnati (continuation) 100000 Custom-H House
Cot1tt-House, etc. at Evansville, Ind, $500,
900 F.; Custom-House and Post Oi1ice at Memphis,
Tenn. $500, 1000; Courthouse and Post-office at
House at Port Huron, Mich. (continua-
tion), s75,0o0; Custom-House at Mil
waulee (repalrs. etc. 53s,5i3 Gus
tom-Honae at Knoxville, Tenn: (furniture,
Mich. (cost of SITE. etc.. $4,000; repairs and
preservation Of all public buildings, $500, 600
new building for State, War, and Navy Depart
ments, Warrington (continuation), @7oo.o0 /;
furniture for same, Sl12,Goo; furniture for
ell public buildings, S2oo, 900; fuel, light, ETC.,
for same, s225 600; vaults, cafes, and locks for
same, SIS, 600, and beating apparatus for same,
5000, ,00u; heating and lighting new Stats De-
partment building, $500. When the item Of
800, 600 for the new building for State, War, and
moved to reduce the amount to $500, 600. aud to
postpone construction Of the wings for the War
and Navy Departments.
In the course OF debate, Mr.. SPEAR inti-
matod that some Government officials
we're interested in quarries from which
Chairman Of the Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds, emphaticay denied it. aud e1-
planned that one of tho quarries is in Maine aud
the other near Richmond, Va. He himself had
been very active n procuring 4 contract for the
Richmond quarry, but had no pecunia1y interest
in it. direct or indireck and had never been re-
1moursed eEen for his personal expenses in the
matter.
1Ir. CODURN'S amendment was rejected.
I. On motion Of olr. RANDALL, the item Of
9112, COO for furniture fos the new State Depart-
ment building was reduced to s75,o0o. and the
item Of a2oo,ooo for furniture for all the public
buildings was reduced to a150, ,000.
4 1fr. BUTLER (l1ass.) offered an amendment,
Of which he gave notice Yesterday. "to abolish
the Civil-Seryice Commission" He accepted
makes it the duty Of the head Of each Executive
Department to prescribe and publish rules for
ascertaininG the qualifications Of applicants for
appointments at his disposal, and to make SUCH
appointments only from candidates who have
the qualifications OF honesty, efficiency and f.
delty. and not reward for mere party zeal,
giving preference only to those who have the
additional qualification of En- honorable record iu
the military or naval service of the United States
and to make such appointments as equitably as
possible from candidates from the seyeral Con-
gressional districts. The proposition also re-
quires reasons for removal to be entered on the
records Of the Department..
Mr.. HASk1NS moved to amend the n1nend-
meut by striking out that portion Of it proposed
By Alr. kasson, and insert in lien OF it para
graph to give preference to soldiers and sailors,
and their dependent reiatione. Agreed to.
Without disposing formally of Mr. Buffers
as amended. the Committee rose,
and the House, ut 5:45, adjourned.