National Republican., 1883-01-04

many opportunities for making up doiiciences
as IL had encountered whei 10 came into
power.
Mr.. Hiscock denied that there existed any
preconcnved plan to create deficiencies to be
provided for by the next congress, though Che
committee on appropriations in the forty
sixth congress had Intentionally thrown
large amount Of deficiency upon the forty
seventh congress.
Mr Bount Give us the items.
Mr. Hiscock replied that the gentleman
would find the items If he referred to a speech
delivered by him (Mr. Hscocls) at the last
session. The deficiencies TO be provided for
amounted to A270O0,0OO.
Mr. Atkins, chairman Of the appropriation
committee in tho fOrty-sixth congress, asked
the gentleman from New York to give some
thing besides his bare statement, his bare as
serton in support of so serious charge as he
had made against the political and represent
ative integrity Of that committee.
MI Tl,cock. viii give the evidence here aud
now. TIE committee on appropriations, over
which tie gentleman Ind tho honor to preside,
fniled 10 mike appropriation in the sum Of
$4,000 900. Now. / say 10 him, i say e. tue COM
mittee, aud sny g. the country, that a fiqt qs
sartlingns that either proves the incom neieney6f
that committee on appropriations or It's dishpli-
e'y; either that for political purpose II struck
down the appropriations, or else that IL lid not
tlat investigation which that service demanded.
On two occasions
NIr. Atkins. do not yield further to the empiy
patitudes Of the gentleman nom New York
tLNughtcr.l | am amaz that the gentleman
should stand in his place and mako su ch m ar
raignment as he has made OF the committee on
appropriations Of the forty.sxth congress, OF
which no himself was a member When this is
the first notice he has ever given 10 the country
that he euterinius such opinions rs no has had the
hnrlihood tn express, u is matter Of surprise to
me and ought to he to him. He charges that that
committee was either dishonest or incompetent
That Is wholesale charge that the genucman
makes before the country. That committee VIII
average with the honorable gentleman for iutelli-
gcnue aud imagine that there is nothing IN us
record TINT would disparage II IN the mntter OF
honesty when compared with the honorable gem
tlcman IMAGINE that the members OF that COM
mittce ready to compare their records with his
In either particular and have further to say
that hurl the charge back to the gentleman as a
slander.
Mr.. Blount said that he hardly knew how
to answer politely the speech of the gentle.
man from New York. That gentleman could
account for deficiencies only on the idea of
the dishonesty or ignorance of the gentlemen
on the appropriations committee in the forty
sixth congress. He had sat silent until the
result of the last election, but now he charged
the democratic party of the house with the
crime Of stupidity. The country would know
no honest economy until the democratic
party and its principles should take possession
of the executive as well as the legislative
branch of the government.
Mr. HiscOclS said that he had insinuatcd
last session all that he had plainly said to-day.
The gentleman had said that he had never
protested against the practice of the appropri-
ations committee of the forty-sixth congress.
There was no man on tho floor for whom he
entertained more respect than he did from the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr Blount)
Mr.. oNeill. This is affecting. [Laughterl
Mr.. HiscocR said that the gentleman from
Tennessee Mr. Atkins) had declared that he
(Mr Hiscocl) had reflected upon the appro-
Of txth
and had hurled back something or other.
Laughter lie did not mean to say that the
committee had been dishonest in that way
that t should be indicted and punished, but
he had meant that the democratic congress
had been accustomed to shove deficiency
over year after year.
Mr.. Randall said that, having been o MEM
ber of the appropriations committee in the
| forty-fourth congress, the last remark of the
| gentleman had struck him, and he wanted to
reply TO it. In the first place, he did not be-
lieve that any executive officer of the govern
ment had the rightto involve the government
| in indebtedness of any sort beyond what con-
| gress in it's wisdom provided for. This sys-
tenn of deficiencies had grown up during the
war, and until both political parties combined
| to break it up ut every session this abuse
| would continue. 1t was q violation of the
statutes for an executive officer to involve the
! government in expenditures not authorized
| by congress. TIC ulu llOU UulHk IIul tCOHOiuy
| ought to be a matter of politics at all, and he
! believed that the one thing above all others
| that had brought democratic majority into
| the next congress was the wasteful, wicked,
uniustihable expenditures of the public money
by the republican party.
Mr.. Robson thought that the debate had
siIhmered down from direct proportions to
Piclxwickian explanations. All that the gen.
tleman from New York (bIr. Hiscock) had
meant to say was that the las democratic appro-
priation committee either had not given suili-
cient time and attention to investigating the
4 necessities of the government or had been will
ing to postpone those necessities for the pur'
pose of acquiring seeming political advan'
tage There was difference between parsi-
mony aud economy. Parsimony sought only
for reduction without knowing the lasting
result; economy was q broad system of polit
ical expenditure, where the relations of ev
erything were understood and where small
appropriations adapted themselves to the con
ditions of political affairs. The democratic
party had pursued system Of pairing parsi
mony, but had not risen to the dignity of po
litical economy.
Mr. Calkins said that the gentleman from
PENNSYLVANIA Mr.. Randall) had not been par
ticular to specify any appropriation which wa
reckless and wicked. democratic congress
had appointed the Mississippi river commits
sion, and II had reported that certain amoun
of money should be expended for the i'm
provement of that river, and believing tina
that Improvement should be made repub
licam congress had bravely voted for larg,
appropriation. On every stump in the nortl
the democratic speakers had assailed the re
publican party for that vote.
Several democrats. No; we did not.
Mr. CallSins, continuing, asserted that th
northern democrats did one thing in congres
and said another ON the stump. The asser
tion of the gentleman from Pennsylvania tina
there had been reckless appropriations woulC
not help him in the high aspirations which h
had. The presidential chair was within hi
view and he held up his longing hands in tina
direction, but he had sung that song for si'
years in n democratic majority, and that ma
iorty had been swept away.
Mr. Springer II will come back.
Mr.. Calklns Yes on account of our discussions
but don't think my friend, that two years henc
we viii go in divided. Applause on republican
side.1 The republican party viii never be througl
until II has vanquished the old bourbon dc
mocracy, which it will do.
Mr.. Randall controverted the assertion tina
the democratic party had not given that consid
Grafton to the interests Of the Mississippi rive
which they deserved. He had had the oppOr
tunity, as presiding officer Of the house, to as
sist in the creation of tho Mississippi rive
commission, because he wished that that rive
should be improved, so as to increase its com
merce and Che safety Of the people livinl
along its banks. He had always been read,
to vote appropriations for that purpose.
Mr.. Humphrey. Did you vote for them?
Mr.. Randall. l did not; because you crowded.
them over with many items which l could no
Mr., Humphrey Every dollar was needed 70