Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-26
HOUSE.

Mr.. Nesmith moved to strike out from
the paragraph relating to the Department of
Justice an item of $40 for the care and
subsistence of horses and 5000 for repairs
to carriages and harness. He spoke of the
Attorney Generals sixteen hundred dollar
landaulet, and remarKed that lawyers of
the Attorney-Generafs calibre in his State
rode on the outside of fifty dollar mule.
| GLanghter.1 There was Spanish proverb
TO the effect that if you put a beggar on
| horseback he will
Ride TO the Devil.
Mr.. Negley objected to the comparison of
an officer of the Government to beggaron
horseback.
Mr.. Nesmith-I simply referred to the
mule. [Laughter.]
Mr.. Chairman - The gentleman from
Oregon will continue, being careful to keep
in order.
Mr.. Nesmith-I was only quoting the
| Spanish proverb which says, put beggar
on horseback and he will ride 10 the devil"
have no objection to the gentleman jour-
neying in that direction, but | don't want
the people to pay for the transportation.
| [Laughter.l
Mr. Durham said as a subcommittee of
the Committee on Contingent Expenses
in the Department of Justice he had in
vestigated the subject and would be pre-
pared in day or two to make a report of
the extrayagances of that department, but
he now desired the Chairman of the Com
mittee on Appropriations to state
How Many. Horses
were provided for in this 81, 400 item.
Mr.. Garfield replied that the bill said
nothing about the number of horses. He
supposed it would be as many as could be |
provided for with that amount.
Mr.. Durham repeated the question in |
somewhat different form and said he want |
ed frank and candid answer.
Mr.. Garfield replied the Committee on !
Appropriations had required from the At |
tornev General full detailed statement Of |
his contingent expenses for the past year |
and that instead Of appropriating the sum |
in d lump, as had been done previously, the |
Committee had now reported the appropri- |
ations in close detail.
Mr.. Durham still put the question 20 the |
gentleman, as he has itemized this matter, |
how many horses this item is for.
Mr.. Garfield: If the gentleman, as a sub /
committee, has made a lawful investiga- |
tion. he can answer the question as well as |. I
Mr. Durham: There were three horses
kept in the past year. 1 want to know how
many there are TO be for 1875?
Mr. Garfield: The number of horses in
the future, | suppose, depends upon the
amount appropriated for their care and
keeping.
Mr. Durham: How much have you pro-
vided for?
Mr.. Garfield: / am utterly incapable of
furnishing brains to understand my state
ment. If the gentlemen thinks the amour.
too large let hmm move 20 reduce it,
Mr.. Durham.-Ifg have not brains to uIl-
derstand, have candor ond honesty to an
swer. But the gentleman who is at the
head OF the appropriation committee and
who asks an appropriation Of 81, 400 for |
keeping horses, will not have the fairness
and candOr 20 answer on the floor of the
House. / will leave the House to Judge
between him AMI me.
williams Line Of Defense.
Mr.. Garfield.-There is no need of any
heat about this matter. The Attorney
General stated'tO the committee that there
is not a day that he does not require the use
of horse and carriage, whether it be what
the government owns or is hired. | have
no objection to abolishing the whole system,
but it is a custom of seventy-five years
standing. There are abuses in thersystem,
some of them older than any Congress. In
1
departments want the whole thing abOl-
ished. l believe there was purchased for
the Attorney General an expensive carriage
which ought not TO have been purchased.
1t was an improper and indefensible use of
the contingent fund in a way which none
of MS are here to defend or approve. The
Attorney General had no knowledge of the
matter and regretted what had happened.
The purchase was made by subordinate.
Mr.. Maynard asked Mr.. Garfield wheth-
er the salary and emOluments, carriages,
horses and everything else allowed to the
Attornev-General were or were not ade-
quate 70 sustain the position, so that poor
man could properly fill it.
Mr.. Garfield replied he did not think
that a carriage for the use of an office should
be considered an emOlument. If a carriage
vas needed it should be voted to the office
and not the man.
Mr.. Wood characterize the practice of
the heads of the departments, using public
horses and carriages for
Private Convenience,
as a shameful abuse, but denied that the
practice was one Of long standing, or of any
standing prior to the Republican Admins
tTatiOn.
Mr. Wheeler, of New York, in reply pro-
duced voucher from the War Department
showing that in 1859, while virtuOus Jno.
Il. Floyd was Secretary of War he charged
500 for the difference between an old |
wagon and a fine Germantown carriage.
Mr.. G. f. Hoar asked the gentleman
from Oregon (Mr. Nesmith) whether he
would like to have the Attorney General
ride down Pennsylvania avenue on the back
OF fifty dollar mule.
GeOmetricaI Progression.
NJ. Nesmith- -Wbeeler's rancho showed
that extravagance had been increasing in
the IA 10 of the difference between a $500
wagon and n $1,000 one. In reply to Mr..
Hoar h. said he had seen the Attorney
General ride in Oregon on a mule; that
Philip ScOnd of Spain, rode on an Anda- |
lusian mule through the streets of Madrid
when ne vent to marry Mary of England,
and sacred history gave an account of a | ,
better man shan either of them riding one of
those useful animals. that had no pride of |
ancestry and 10 hope of posterity.
Mr.. Ward lactured the Republican mem-
bers for Just fying end defending the
abuse. ,
Mr.. Holman. aid this was the first time
Congress was called upon to vote distinctly /
on such propositions. Hitherto it had been |
allowed to lump lums. i
Nj 1DulONS ieNOISu Stilhlll99 Out llc |
items. I
Mr.. Williams sal the objection to the
thing was it was alittle peddling picayu- !
nish attempt which smirched honor and
Shrivelled manhood in the eve of the Amer :
lean nation and of lht world
Finally the debate vas closed and Ne {
smiths amendment t. strike out the items !
for horses an carriage was agreed to by /
s. to go. /
Mr.. Merrisin made speech onthe fnan- 9
cial question: AIt was frequently interrupted /
by points of order which the chairman I
OVerruled. =
What Has Bee the Law Heretofore? I
Mr.. Hoar uipved an amendment provid- e
ING that no CiVl officer of the government L
sialrhereafter Sceive any compensation or a
perquisites drealy or indirectly from the ?
Treasury or p3perty of the United States a
beyond the salaJ or compensation allowed '
bv law or shall nike any private use of {
such property orsryices or the labor of any =
person emplOve, lin the service of the