National Republican., 1876-01-25
F0RTY.FOURTH CONGRESS.
Mr.. KASSON said that as the resolution read
II took any fund raised b. taxation

Mr.. BUCKNER said the whole obiee. Of the
might exist in the minds Of the Commissioners as
TO their power to use this money. They have an
abuIdaIcc of money to pay the interest. and the
shall pay It, or whether Congress shall appro-
pirate for Il directly. The school funds ase not
affected at all. The Limitation is fixsd a: sl5,-
COO CSC because the Commissioners have nearly
reached that amount now.
Mr.: RANDALL said he understo, ID that the
board OF audit had already issued bonds TO the
amount OF sI4 200, 600, and he wanted TO stop the
issue at that amount. He had no idea of letting
the District issue $500 ooo more.
Mr.. BUCKNER said Congress must now make
good the credit Of the United States BY providing
for this interest. The question whether the board
ten mon IS oSe IN going
Mr.. kASS0N asked consent to offer an amend
msnt positively exempting school funds.
Mr.. BUOKNER accepted the amendment.
Mr.. WOOD, Of N. Y, inquired whether the
Committee on the District in offering this propo-
stiCn had considered the fact that if the board Of
audit had authority to issue bonds In excess OF
ten millonS, and If we authorize the payment CT
interest above that amount, whether Congress
pTepr alton Of monsy to pSg this S deStq 70 'ne a
Mr.. BUCKNER said no had not gone carefully
into the question Of how much the Government
was really responsible, as that was q subject for
after consideration. The interest must be pro-
vided for In some form and as the joint resolution
requires the District to pay It out Of its funds
he did not think Congress committed itself By
this act.
",
and to insert the words, amount necessary to
pay the same"
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. RANDALL said he wanted to reduce tho
limit below SIS 900 ,ooo and to stop right now. In
eighteen months the Commissioners Of this Dis
S. 600, co., and the Committee on Appropriations
had come to the conclusion that the District
must pay ;his interest out of money that the Unit
ted states had givea them. He never saw such
RECKLESS ExTRAvAGAHCE
there had bean n dah, oT
the District to-day is not q cent less than s2j-
COO. 600, and now they are asking large amount
is for sanitary purpose. He did not believe that
the sanitary condition OF the city required it. But
m is done the money to do It must come out of
the taxes to be collected here. The Commission
ers came TO the Committee on Appropriations,
and wanted an appropriation, saying that they
had but $4,000 with which TO pay their interest,"
but upon an Investigation It was shown that they
had 100000 on hand, which they were holding
back in order that they might go on with certain
wanted to offer an amendment limiting the
amount Of bonds to be issued to Sl4 800 OOO He
did lot propose 10 give them an additional $780,
COO to squander, as was proposed In Mr.. Buck
Mr.. LAWRENCE, of OHIO, said that when
authorized to nish certain msse tsse
begun, but he thought the time had come when
stop should be put to this, and he would, there.
missioners from creating any other debt for i'm.
provement except in relation to matters now un-
der contract.
Mr.. RANDALL ohie:ted to that, because It
would let In Gll contracts.
Mr.. LAWRENCE said his sole purpose was to
stop all further work.
Mr. HAMILTON, of N. J., said that the bill
under which the Commissioners wero appointed
did that.
proposed Limitation Of the amour. OF the bonds
said he doubted whether 1t could be done. as the
amount issued was now in excess Of what was
proposed IS the limit.
Mr.. HOAR, CT Mass., inquired whether tho
same rule did not apply to the District Commis.
siOners that applied 10 other Government officials,
viz: that they could be puJi he'd by fine and i'm
prisonment for exceeding the limit Of an appro-
priation tiIed by Law?
Mr.. WOOD, Of y. Y, said there was more in
this bill than appeared on the surface. The
District Commissioners were appointed to take
the place OF government which was not alto
gether eiicient, and which was not considered to
be altogether honest, and under the act appoint.
ing them they were authorized to issue these
bonds. 1t was then understood that the issue
should rot
ENCEED TEN MILLION DOLLARS,
and if IL had been supposed that the amount
would exceed that no one on the Democratic side
would have voted for the bill. The pending
proposition is to eTade an appropriation from tue
Treasury and to take it from the taxes of the
people. The whole proposition was az indirect
hOIiZaiCn of the ayment of interest N excess
of the amount authorized by law. BY this course
o! interest in the future. He feared the House
was about TO establish precedent which would
OF interest in the future.
Mr.. Bt CkNER did bot think that this meas
ure would commit the United States any more
than II was committed. The whole question was
whether it was not better to pay this out Of taxes
than to appropriate money for Il.
Mr.. RANDALL thought there was much force
in Mr.. WooD's remark that the House was about 4
to commit itself. He did not wish to take aay
step that would put any further obligation on the
Mr.. HOLMAN moved to amend by a proviso
that no further bones should be Issued eXcep: upon
express authority oflaw. Adopted.
Nr. TUCKER, OF Va, moved TO amenI by
provlsO that nothing herein contained should rem
der the Government OF the United-States liable
to pay the principal or interest on any bonds not
Issued in pursuance Of law.
The joint resolution was the en- passed as amended.
On motion of Mr. BUCkNER, mo, q special
QuiIe into the nature and history OF what was
known as the reales pool of the District of
and the manner in which Jay Cooke &
20. were interested.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
On motion OF Mr.. BANNING, of Ohio, the Sec.
retaTy Of War was directed TO give this House a
Of all claims and allowances OF all
kinds made to any officer OF the army on duty in
Wakhir gton since March 1, 1862 the length Of
tine each was on duty, and the duty for which
allowance and pay was made.
On motion of Mr. .WIIITEHOUSE, ofN. ", the
Committee en- Reform in the Civil Service was
directed to Inquire and report in relation to any
fraud in any civil service department of the Gov
and to report such legislation as will
and the inquiry may cover such period as in the
judgment Of the committee may be necessary to
the exposure Of fraud and illsgalily.
On motion OF AIr. RAMSEY. of 5. C., the Sec
retary Of the Treasury wss directed TO inform the
Special Committee on Affairs OF the Freedman's
Bank Of the present condition of the Freeiman's
Savings and Trust Company. and what progress
has been made by the commissioners in settling
up the affairs Of the bank.
The SPEAkER announced the following as
additional members OF the Committee on Ex-
pendituTes OF the Department Of Justice, under
the resolution adopted on Saturday last, viz:
Messrs. DUEHAH, Of Ky; COCHRANE, OF Penn;
OF Ohio, and CONG EE, of Mich.
Mr.. HOLMAN, of Ind, offered a resolution
recitiDg that II was alleged that improper and
fraudulent means had been rcsOrted to TO infiu-
ence legislation in the act incorporating the
Texas Pacific railroad, and that contracts and
had been entered into in violation
OF the provisions of said act, and directing the
Judiciary Committee to inquire If there had
been such improper and fraudulent mems en-
ployed TO secure the passage Of the bill, aud il
the company had cone any act whica would
justify forfeiture Of the charter. Adopted.
The House then, ar so p. M, adjourned.