Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-09
The Proposed EeVv Pension Office
Building.

A QUESTION UNDER THE ACT MAKING AN APPRoPRI-
ALTON THEREFOR.
Some comment is made upon the action OF Con-
gress In making provision that the construction
of the new building for the pension office, for
which 100000 has been appropriated. shall be
"un2cr tie supervision OF Gen. NJ c. Melgs. late
quartermaster general" ca TIE ground that the
desigaation OF person by name by Congress 10
perform any work is, in fact, usurping the powers
or the executive. A similar case concerning Gen.
Bucnanan'S administration. which called forth q
message to.CongrGSs on the subject from the exec
utve. In an appropriation bill passed June 25,
1870, there was an appropriation "for the COM
plet1on Of Washington aQueduct, five hundred
thousand dollars, to be expended according to
the plans and estimates OF Capt. Meiss, and under
his Superntendence." The next day President
Buchanan sent message to Congress on the sub
Ject, in which he said: 'The first aspect in which
this clause presented itself to my mind was that
1t interfered with the right OF the President to
be 'commander-in-chief OF the army and navy Of
the United States Upon further examination 1
deemed 1t Impossible that Congress could have In
tended to interfere with the clear right OF the
PRESIDENT to command the army and to
order ds It's n ofers to any duty he might deem
According to my construction of the clause in
question. 1t merely designated Capt. Meigs as its
preference for the work 1t is not improbable that
another question of great importance may arise
out OF this clause 1t is not probable that Congress
could have Intended that this great and important
work should depend upon the various casualties
ana ylciSSitudeS incident to the natural or Official
life OF single officer OF tho army This would be
to make the work subordinate to the man and not
the man to the work / desire to express no
opinion on the subject; should the question ever
arise it shal have my serious in consideration"
mer, for Gen. Meigs being now on the retired list
could not be assigned to the work contemplated
tons 1859 and 1860 X. s. provide that retired
officer can be assigned to no other duty than at
the Soldiers Home or as professor in college.
master General has written letter In reply to a
number of correspondents rela tive to the prohibi-
tiOn OF certain books which the writer's regard as
obscene for the mails. He states that he Will
the courts have decided the publications obscene.
Observation-Disclosures Henderson, OF Missouri,
Is at the RiggS.-ASSOciate Justice Matthews and
ex-Secretary BristOw are at the Profile House.
New Hampshire.-D. w. Brown has gone to
Mrs Mary f. Bowman is spending a months
vacation at Mechanicsburg Pa.-Dr. J. Curtiss
smisng has gone to WInstead Conn, for stay OF
gone to the Rockbrldge Alum Sprtngs-Mr. G.
W. Wormelle is spending few weeks at Punko-
league, on the eastern shore OF vfrginla.--C c.
Els. OF the Adjutam Generals oflcc, viii pas, his
vacation in Essex county, n. Y, among the ADJ
rndacks.-Mrs A. v. Keyworth has gone from
at the Colonnade Hotel.-T. P. Cleaves has gone
to Cumberland county, Maine, for the heated
lerH--C. ClrltZman Will spend a couple OF
months among the mountains OF Cambria county,
Pennsylvania.- B. Church has gone to South
Gardiner, Maine, for short stay:--Mrs. W. +.
Barker has returned from months visit to the
Fauquier Springs. and will shortly go to New
England: for stay of some tlme.-Edward
F.nki will leave this evening for extended tour
north, which will include the White Mountains,
Quebec, Saratoga, and intermediate points OF inter.
est-COm. X. ID. Evans, Inspector OF the Fifth
Light House district, is in the city, on flying trip
from his post OF duty.-The family OF L. E. Can
non are spending the season at Cape May. and, TO-
gether With the family Of Mr.. John Hardman, of
New York, are occupying the Douglass cottage
there."A NarragaGsett Pier correspondent Of a
Philadelphia paper says that Willie Sprague, who
mas lived In Canonchet since the Sprague trou-
bleS, is soon to join his mother and his sisters in
a trip to Scotland. They have planned rall ex-
cursion on Shetland ponies through the highlands
OF Scotland.-Owen Thorn. who has been here
on visit for some time, left to-day for San Fran
c1scO where he has resided for several years past
MI AMI Smith. the efficient and oblfging
superintendent OF the Senate document room, has
gone to Virginia to spend couple OF months.-
Mr.. Thomas J. White, clerk OF the Senate District
committee, has gone to England to spend the
vacation OF Congress in the homes Of his ances-
tors-A: Lisner, of the Palais Royal, has returned
from Brighton Beach. COney Island