The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-06-19

\
of south CarOlina,in the United
Stai9s House of Representa-
tives, Tuesday. sfaS Is, 1850. On
the Appropriation Bill Pre-
sented by Committee ON Agri-
culture.
Tha House, being in Committee of
the Whole House 6r the State of
the Union, considering the agffenl-
tural appropriation bill,
Mr.. AIKEN said: Mr.. Chairman,
| arfi gfatsful to my friend, the
chairman of the ConiFilitteE of Agri-
culture Mr.. Covert, for the tifife
allowed me, and shall consume it in
endeavoring to convince this House
| and the country that the appropria-
ton for the department of Agricul-
ture are not commensurate with the
claims which that Department has
upon the Government. That | will
succeed so far as this Honse is con-
cerned Is quite pfeblenatical; for,
sir, | have been a member Of Con-
gress long enough to know that IN
all political discussions upon this
floor party fealty shapes the issue,
and upon all other questions local
interests, prejudice, or self-assertion
are more potent than argument in
determinining results.
The very first item in the bill is
the salary of the Commissioner
SO, 900. I contend, sir, that the re
responsibilities Of him who presides
over this, the peoples department,
are such as entitle him toN$ salary
equal to those paid the heads of
other departments of the Govern
/ rnente. True, they aray all styled
Eteeutive Departments, and their
heads compose the Cabinet of the
! President, while this Department,
whose sole purpose is to promote
the general welfare of the people, is
stoutly denied constitutional exist
ence. But, sir, if the authority of
the general Government is to be in
voked in such "n1atters as concern
all the States and which can not be
managed by the States in their in
dependent capacity, or managed
only with great difficulty and en-
barrassment," then does the consti
tutional necessity exist for the es-
tablishment here at our National
capital of an Agricultural De
partment which should con-
troll all matters of a general and
common agricultural interest"whica
can not be wisely and efficiently
managed by State authority" And
he who presides over such De-
partment should be equal in pay
and equal in rank with any other
officer appointed by the President.
If to give this Commissioner the
salary and rank of Secretary of a
Department thrusts him into the
Cabinet of President, then be it so.
But let it erememb bered that Meth
er our statute or organic law recog-
nizes the existence of a Cabinet.
That word or even an allusion to
it is not to be found III the Consti-
tuition, which authorizes the Presi-
dent to require the opinion in writ
ing of each or all of the heads of
the Executive Department upon
any subject relating to the duties of
their respective offices. The Cabi-
net exists by the volition of the
President, our first President having
instituted the practice of convening
the heads of Departments in council
at stated periods.
i The House will pardon me if ]
trespass for a few moments upon
their practice by giving them a sue
cinct history of the organization
and growth of the Cabinet of the
President of the United States.
In September, 1850, six month:
after the inauguration of Washing
ton, there were created by con
gressional enactment three Execu
tive Departments, to the heads o
which " ere assigned specific duties
To the Secretary of State was in
trusted the keeping of the seal o
the United States, all official CORES
pondence with public minister
abroad, and the supervision Of every
thing pertaining to the Paten
Office.
To the Secretary of War wa
: confided the control of the en-
tire land and sea service; our Arm
consisting at that time of one bat
TALON each of infantry, cavalry an
artillery, a provost guard and
company of engineers, and gu
Navy comprising a few woode'
hulks scarcely worthy of recogni
ton as ships Of war.
: And to the Secretary of tn
t Treasury was given the control c
= 49, eaoa1 !. f1,.;ro IF tI,e CSoyarry11e.,,