Retrenchment

On üubmUMng tlio Conference report on ÜiC ltidiaH Appi-o)iriatiöu bilt to tho Hoiiho, A"g. 14, Jlr. lUndall uppie aa. folloi'a óé th l)qtt)pcrAtio poli'c.y, of retrciicl""out i M)i. 8-rik:i : hef ore the final arljonrnmout of protruetod and laborions soa4on, it ia proper to roview our action concerniug áppropriatiom frora tho public treaaury to carry on tlio Goverument tor tho iiacal yor onding Juno 30, 1877. In the diaohargo of tliw ts I urn Honttiblö of no other motive thfln thafc thorö ahall bo a complete and iiiipartial eShibit of thp ttnrk in l)hif o' i;otrP';hronu.t ,a'd réfo'tn Wo üet Bilt to do,, ud tüe dilncultiee and 'Ojipoaitiou which niet iu at. every uLep in the int t-i'pnt of those who saw in any reduction of tlio public exponditure losa to tliera of aalary or place, notwithatandingtherewaBCOUsequent advantage to the taxpavfcrs, and the eüiciency of the govermeiital sidmiuiatration was in a degree impairoci. We were ract at the vory threahold by the inoxorablo iilteriintivn of t'odudng oxponditures to a lust and econoraical biiHia, or by ailowing appropliatiocs to be Riade ut. the amo flgnreK of previous yfeavs, wit1' increased Utxatton t and Hiis Hkrtjf 51 ivas our niigHte. iti'.ra anu soiemn auty , k preelit la bohalf of tho groat b3dy of Lho poople borue down by a heavy load of taxation, and who wero further distressed beyond cnea%iire by derangoment and misfortuno in every avonuo of agricultural, mánnfactv.riii;,', mechanical aud oommercial activity. To tbia end, eTery item of public expense, whether largo or oraall, was subjected to the Bevereet ?crutiny, and an inspection of evory bureau aud department of the üovernraent nudertaken, without parallel, I believe, for aquarter of a centnry. The Committee on Appropriationa give this work their most earnest attenüon. It requirod inoeasftut lab'r aid ir.ticii pat'ence. Arrtlyed güihst iis wero all thoso 5VhD!se favorito selfiah schemea wero to be fraatrated for the public good; eager and greedy corporations who sought to fatton froui the public purso; place-huuters and placoholdera, and the friendo and i partisano of HU, high or low. who T7e'.T !n ahy way to ba affcted . by rod'úctlon, and eapecially by tho iüarkod unwillingnena on all hands, by chiefa of bureaua and heads of departmente, to agreo to any withdrawal of their oflicial patronage. Bnt we bad the comforting aaaurance thafc we had behind ua the poople who demanded that thoir burdeua should bo lijtbtenod by practical and neoeBsai'y reducüon, aini itiiS cönsoiod oftontiïües In the discharge of our impetati've pablie dnty, when we found oiirselves compelled to deny appropriationa to tho eitiñt tle.iircd for object c'.o'ly eherished by our consiitutnls. KEMOTINO AN OBSTBOCTION TO KEFOEM. The raajority of thia House of Representativos waa electid to reform manífold abuses of administration, aud when we aaaembled in December last that reform oloment asmimed full uuthority in tbis hall, and obtained pardal control ovr public expenditures. Tho first difiiculty which presented itaelf to the execution of the mist confided to us waa tho oxiutence of a rule in tho House which provented the repea', or even modifleation of any law as lo appropriationsi upon ttuy atopropriation bill, uhleea twq-thirda of the membera a?sonted ihereto, xrtiich mimber the majority did not Mavo. The cqnstruction which had been given to that rule aliowcd amendmenta to increaee componsation preventbd, a out of order, any rednction wlmtovor. To overeóme this obstniction, a propohü ion waa Bubmitted to öo changO the rule a8 to allow tho incorporation into appropriation bilis of snch legislation, wliich, being germane, rotronched expenditurea, thiw making a completo revolution m tho oporation of tho rule, and turning legislativo actüon in this Höttse from ostraraganöe lhtb tho better Rnd ftaftr direotioh of öoonomy. That öhange, for the pui'poBe I havo iudicátod, was vigorously resistod by tho Republican sido of the House for the reason that, composing as they did and do, more than ono-third of ita momi'ers, no amcudmonts changing existing iawseould bo made or put upou an appropriation bill except when ench amendmenta increased salarios, as under the oíd practico twothirda vero requirod to auspend the rules to allow the majority to voto ovon ou auch amendmeuta ; and tbat two-thirda, as I have already statod, tho minority in the Houae could at anj' timo rofusoi Without sttch a chango any anil all efforta on tho part of tho House to reduce tho expenditnres of the Government would have been as tho idle wind. Here stood the ltepublican momberH of more than one-third to prevent ana obstruet any mich roductien, with k Senato, as we afterward found, oven more dvl ermined to ita purpoae. Fiually, tlirough the ageney of the Committee on Bules, wo seeured a report of the altoration ao much deau"od, and the House adopto'! it by a majoritv composed exclusively of Demócrata. Almoat all the reductions we liavo accomplished have followed as the rean't of the fret step) fcr it oponed tho Way THE NECE8SITÏ OF ECONOMÏ. It must not bo forgotteu that whou Coügrees aesembled the country was proBtrated in all the eeaentials whieh go to make the poople prosperoue, contented and happy. Mnny of our mamifacturing establishment vere closcd. and most of thoso atill ruiming were working ouly a portiou of tho timo. Cominerce languished, agriculture went unrewarded, and a feeling of distrust widely prevailed, causins; capital to be unusnally cantioua. Almpst all new enterpriaes were"abandoned, and labor, then as now seeking employment, was to tho etent cf it activity liladeq'uately remunerativo. Öur duty in auch a conditiou of' affaire was too plain to be mistaken. It was to lop off at oiioo, and resolutely, every extravagant and unnecessarry expense. This wo havo partially accompliaaed, and in a manner which will ui no degree cripple the ndminiatration in its legitímate functians. But co secure even tilla partial rceult without produeing friction has rcqtürcd long and patiënt cxamination, inveetition and study. A fnrther plan of procedure adopted was to redúcelo per cent. all salaries over .$1,200, and provide for a reduction in the force of clerlca and employés of 20 per cent. Tnoao two proviaions, if fully adopted, woitld have secured a much larger roduction of appropriations and the diacbarge of all anpernumerary clerka and employee, of which thero are atill ii largo nnmber. Tho House considered this not an unreasonablo roduction in amount uuder tho circumstances. Bnt tbis reductiou haa almoat who'ly faiJed bcaue of the ubBtinacy of the Sonate aiid the Senate eonferces in rolation thoreto. A reduotion in tho uumber of clerks and employés haa been only partially roalizoii, aa the House conferoes wero'forceJ to yiekl a part of thoir recommendations. It will surprise many whcu thoylcarn the f act that fis many as 100,000 persons receive pay f rom the Federal Treasury. In order that no harni should posaibly Come from rednetion of foreo, we directod the attention of tho c-Xecutivo ollicera of tho Government to the existing law in rofcrence to the houra of labor required from the clerks aud tlie employés. Il ia to bo fouml in eoction 1C2 of the Roviaed Statul ea, aa f oliws: Sec. 162. Frooi th! flrt day of Octobor ïiuti! tlifl iirnt dny of April, jn each year, all the bureaus in Hm Siatc, War, Treasurj, Navy, Foetoflboc Bnpartmente, anl in tho General Ijjindoffice, shall b5 opeu lor t!ic tfan?aíítion ?f tlie public business at least fiRht hours of eacb day ; anti froJn tho .tirst day of April nntil the flrst day in October in each year, at least ten honra in each day, except Sumlaya and days declared public lioliria; s by law. Heretofore clerka havo been requirod to devoto híi houra a day to the aervice of tUe Government, lleeeiitly, on the coming iu of tho Democratie Houae, by ordera to tho bureaus, that timo haa boen extended to seven houra. If, howovor, the terms of the law are adhorod to, moro actual houra of strvioe will bo aecurcd uiidijr the reduced number of clerka and oniployoa agreed tlpon than we have now 'with tho present exceasive force. Again, Mr. Speaker, as a natiu'al rcsult of the proatratiou of bnsinoaa, tho revonues of tho Govomment havo dimiuiahcd to an alarming exteut, and the warniug held out to ua waa one not to he diaregardod, as it might turn out in tho coming fiscal yoar that the roduction would be so great that the revcnues would fall below the amouut requiied to meet the exponditure of the Government. In this emergeucy, it waa absolutely esaential to provide for reductiou of exponaos rather than ontail any increafte of our interest-bearing d(;bt, or any addition to onr present taxation. Nay more ; if tho fall mcasuraof reductiouarocommondeil had been acceded to by tho Kopublican niiimrity iu tho Douao, and the majority iu the Seni te. thon, oven with a ful! revenne, the internal and other taxea could havo boen roduccd to an extent of say $10,000,000, with comparativo afely. I shall now procoed to an cxamiuation of tho soveral ap]ropriatiou bilis, in order of dato aa thoy woro enacted iuto law. TUK HA VING IN PENSIONS. Abpropriartione lat ycar, .-JliO.OCO.OOO ; department OHtiniatoH for tho year ending June 150, 1S77. t)39j688 500 : reconmiendatipn of the Houho Committeo on Appropriatlons, $29,533,600; House paaeed $29,583.600; Kenato Comuiittco rccoinnieydcd $(29,533.600 : Sonate panHi-d 129,683,600; law aa finally enacted, ■r2l',rj.'Ki,5C0. 'riio roapectivo oommittcos of tho two Honses and both Houhoh of ÜODST68B agreod in tlie unionnt t') bo pproprhited fni' pensions! vniiou u:m in (uil aa iadlgated by tlifl estimate. A pleasant incident in cOIjBèotloii with this appropriitimi was tho fajj of its n. ing. ia oomiuitU' ud iu tho House, iu char o( member of thfl nonitnitteii 'Atkiu", n! Teiinesaoe), formorly au oflioer.in tliu Confedérate army and a nionibor of the Confedérate CongroBH. Buch oxhibitionn givo tho deuial to the political charge that the leadint? men of tbo Öonth still bear auy liOHtility to the Union, for ho wa scrupiilous in ocing thut no ponfiiouer of tho Union Buffered in tho lenst de[;réo. Mány rcorms iiro üntwatiroly necded m êohoteolfob witli Mio dl3tribilU8n of fenriioiiH. Tho Committeo on Pensiona rocommended tho brtnsfoc "f tho Pension Bureau from tin: Interior )uparf.mnt to tho War Uopartment, whero it fomiorly was, fta ftppearfl ly tbeir rnport, for voasona, among otlni's, i foltoÑSl . ... iciBwii agonpicfi wliich ,How óopt ii!iri"!üly t'S,O0B. ihrt Odnüüittéë 8a Pmislona tipdn OOulu bo diapr-uued with, and twouty ci'tiuiout clerk, dividod eciuslly amoi'ig four c!aBSe of elerlcH known to tho iaw, at a cost of $30,000, could do tho work as eflloiently and with lees dolay tlian now occurs. 1 lio work, if andar tho Wat Dop8,rtmnt, tioul.d bo dono !n tho main by the retirod öflleers bf tho armj, ,röth ono-lial; pay in additi"u to Hio i'repcnt rut':1''-!! y?'r cf h ch ('■■- üere, and tho amount of pay naved vyoiild bo quito oue-half. At proHont moro tlian ono-half ia douo at.tUo üiirgoon Cicucrul'it and A'ljutant Ganoral's ofiivo. lktli tlxteo intreaus now em11C persons 011 thia workt and uu cqual numbcr of additional clork, if dutics wer trannforrod to t.!io Waf Departmont, loWlt,] 22 ciórks In all onld be ampio ; wuèreas, tliö pi'eaent foi'co in the Peiiaion Bureaii is oyor 400 ; rieaMy 0D over tfüat TOnotoi an;.' hecceeU reqihro. Tho obaracter of tho work is in a moaenro judicial, requiring lega) kuowlodgo ; and vet laat year 128 einploytH wero didcliivrged and ninely-six new appointmenti murifi - putting out xporiencod clorks and anbstituting for Btich men ignomnt and inefficiënt peronH in thcir stead. Thi was HoneffiRlnly for political oo:mideration9. ïho tfath in. na Uto ovidBnce ontabliBhos, the bniroau in luii a.i a pylitical machine. Tfco.elerka of tUo Nátionalltepubjtóau Cipngtessibjííl CotíjmitoWi or Lt yóar ïvóre enlortid on tUe p'onsioh-i'oll and paid froai pciiuion fundn. The War uid Pension Departmonts being separate, thero waa ixquired laat yoar 5G.0OO dnjiücutc of rolls from these two ofTipes, re'tuirijif; transmission Ijy ittail Itud rhóeeugor, ■■■hk-h ciighLaJi 'uavu iioon dono in tho' aame oftice. Tlio faot i, tho delaya now incident to applicationu for pensions or iucrcaao of pouHJons, aririe nlmout entirely from the&o öeparatiojii of duty, caiuing years of dolay to tboso least ablo to bear procraetinatiou, "and tliOHO, too, who ntvor ooght to !;o subjected to aucú amioyancea anct pfivalion?. I tÍIH alWilp to an''Uiet abus) and theh lèftvo tüifl töanch oí my subject. Tho finando división of the Pension Bureau can be dispensed with altogethcr, employing forty-eight olorks. Thia ia sec forth DJ Mr.' Clark's tcHtitaony. In reply to a question whether that divisioa,, ought not to b.p lofiped off, bo eáid ! Jf the orU h t'lr AuViltor a oilico was up to date the work in tbo finaneo divinion would be useless. There cannot, theroforo, be a reasouable doubt aa to the economy to bo gained, and the general propriety of the transfer. umoumcas. Appropriationa laat year, $1703,69!). 13 ; department eetimivtes íor tho Toar cudfng Jiiuo 80, 17Ï, $2,723,471.79; recommendcd ,fo House Commitlee on Apjiroprjatie'ts, HflJG2.3ÍíCP7 ; House p'a8aed$!.71.'IBG. 74; enate rooominended $840,831.27 ; SenatepasBed $840,831.27; tho law aa finally enacted 5810 723 56. I believe these deflcionoics aro leas than usual and horotofore, because o( the knowledge by the departments that a Democratie House waa tq be in aflthority, this ycar, notieO having been givcn last 7oar by tho tlien Democratie minority of the Fovty-third Congrega tbat tho practico of allowing largo dofiaiencioa would not be conntenancüd. Tho departmentfl aro, howover. entitled to partial credit, for tUeir cBtimatOH of defiuiency thin vcar wero couaiderably leo than herntoforei jhe auras rjgi nJe 111 he (iffaih rtppiie't. ana tce departmenta muat goveln themselves accordingly. t3, 000, 000 öAved os füËtificatioks. Appropriatioua laat year, i'350.000 ; departmeut cstimates for the yèar onding June 3(J, 1877, $3,40fi,000 ; reoommendationa of jlone Committee on A'ppvopriatious, 8315,000 ; Hcuae passed .Í315.OÜ0 : Senato committee recommoudcd $315,000 ; Senate paesed t315,O0O ; the law, ae íinally enacted, 8315,000. This via a largo compantivo reduction, but I bohovo no material iutorobtn will Huffer thorofrom, eithcr in rospect to our fortificatioiis or as to experiment'! to bo made in tho trial of armament or torpedoeo. 'i'ho largcoc siüed guna of oui' tecent Var are how oonaiderett ÏDcffcctive. Ëarthworka osporienco bas ehown . to be ho best protoction agairist artülery on1 lsüui, or tiron-cladd on vtatcr. The öuma.aolavifc&hly expended sinco the war havo not brdiight an adequate return in these respecta. Ia tbc past ton years, up to and ineluding thi& year onding june 30, 1876, wo appropnated for theao purposoa more than $13, 000,000, alarge nmount of which could as well have been saved by tho samo character of roductions whicli wo havo mado tilia voar. THE ArPItOPRIATIONS FOH THE NAVY. Naval service appropriation lat year, $J7,001,006,40 departmoiit eatimatos for ,bo yeBr erding Juno 30, 1877, 2ü,H71,0C6.10 recommeudatious of llouso Committoo on Approprüitions, $12.808,055.40 ; IIouso pasued S12,-13;!,855.40. Sciiuto ooramiltcc recoinuicwled $16,107,855.40 ; Senato pansed ii,857 855.40. Tbc law, as ünally ouactod, 12,710,305.40. Tho appropriations for the naval establishment are largely reduced. It ia a branch of the service whoro large saving can bo prudently mado. I nced not alinde at leugth to the eiraa heretofore expended and the nianner of their expenditnre. Tho department, in its management, liaa beep thoroughly examined into by a oomnii'-teo of thiB House, and Uieir findinga are ín print, wliicb render a further critioism in this coiinection uunecesaary. These reducod appropriationa come up tú the full measnre of rocommendations by tho Naval Conimittee. TUK I'OSTOïnCK. Postofflceapproprintiouslaetyoar.föS 376,205 ; doparttnent estltnate for the year ending June 30, 1877, 8,431,602.! ; amiunt reco:nmead;d by House Comtnitteo on Appropriations, $2,080,906 ; amouat pasaod the Houae, i4 230 - 9UG; atnount ruojmuioiided by Souate Committoo on Appropriitiom, $7.580,647 ; amotint passed Senate, $7.288,647 ; tbo law, as flnally noted. 85,0C7,49S. The reductions in this act arise maiuly from the cutting off of the salarien of the highor class of Postmasters, wbich have been confessedly too bigh, and the reductioü of 10 por cent. on tho ainoiints to bo paid to tho railroada for the transportatiou cf mails, anionji irhicU is what is kuown a the "last mail." Au erroucous itapresaion prevaila as to tliia lattor servico. Tho fast mails wera not provlded for by law. Speed was not taken into coneideration in dotenniningtUecompensatiou. Wclght and the number of postal car were and aro tho elementa in flxing the pay to milroadü This extra lino was (irat cstnblialiod loes thau a year ago, by tlurowiug au increase iu the qnantity of mail matter on theM principal rond, thu increawing tbo number of postal cars, and, with additiousl weight, causing au increased amonnt of payment to special roads. The compenaation as flxed by act of Jlarcb, 1873, was a vory great iucrease over former ratoe. Prior to tiiat time, Í375 per milo on all linea waa the maximum rate. Uudor that act the pay on pomo line was increafced to 5705 per mile per yoar, and on tbo fast linea a high as $1,010 por milo por vear. Thia Congreas has reduced the rates for railroad service generallv 10 per ceut., whieh i a moderate reduction. Tho componsation on star linea and steamboat servico haa been reduced far more than 10 per cent. since Mareh, 1873; in fact, from 10 to 30 por cent. Tho amotine paid befuro tho passage of tlio act of Maroh, 1873, waa considered high even for that ueriod. The reduced pricO of every commodity whieh goe into the cost of running a railroad ia far greater than 10 per cont. These roadn have reduced tho coinpensation to their employés, ánd togother with a general shrinkage of values, it goos to show that tho amouut now fixod ia liigher than it was at tho time tho former rate was agreod to. The Postoftice appropriation act for the yoar ending June 30, 1876, rai'ed tlio rates of post ugo on third-elaas mail matter, no as to tako it from the mails and give tho monopoly of iti trausportatiou to the oxpress compauies, wbilo at tho same timo tho postage on nwepapers was doubled. The latter imposition has been removed by the logislation of this ycAT, but the firat still remains a burden upon tho peoplo in beha 1 f of the expresa companies, aud ia eatimated as worth to thoae compauifis half a million of dallar per aunutn in increased receipts from trauaportatiou of merohaudise, etc. The House at every opportunity sought to accomplish full repeal of both provisions, but f.he Senato was oblnrato, and refitsod to concede the ropeal of the merchandiso portiou of tho act. TUK KKDÜCTION IN ARMY HXPF-NSE'. Appropriatiou last year, #27.!S3,830 ; departmoiit etimato for year ending Juno 30, 1877, $33,3-18,748.50; recommendation of Houso Committco on Appropriationa, á23, 155, 077. 12 ; Qoose panaed, -Í23, 17U.81ÍI.52 ; Sonate committco reoommended, Í27, 717,877.20 ; tíonate pasKQd, 427, 715.877.20 ; the law as ünally enactoil, Y25,087, KJ7.Ü0. Tho Army Appropriation act dooa not hov that extont óf reduction which wo intomlcd umi had roason to hopo wo ohould obtaiu at tho oKiiing of tho seeelou, becauso of our Indian trovibles, and bccaue of the dotormiuation o! the admiÖiiJtrAtidn to keop a largo f orco in tlio I South. Tho Hoiwo bill (ixed thearmy at 22.000 soldiere, relatively divided between the three anus of tho eorvice, and 8ouj,'ht, in ftdditiou, to rvdiico tho coinpoiiHiitiou uf csrtain ollH-ern wUob were deemed (liBprojmrtionato and too high Tlio manuer of paymoht of theee compenpatlona in, in aomo respecta, highly objoctiüuublo, reudoiiug it nlmoHtiaipoaeiblotoomputo with any accuracy tho pay rocfiivcl by oIliceiH in the army. Tho Henato ivaa resolute iflHiimt all these ohivugo, aud the Houae vran compelled to yieldt nn huxii;v i'lvll. i:ll.I,. Approiiriution last yonr, $26, 644, 380.09 ; dopartment eptimai for yoar onding Juin1 op, 1877, $32,500, 175.29; amouut rcconuuinded by u uao Committoo on 4pproprUtii ■rlt.857,I ; 8ent comtnittee rac . , ídS,iöï.flöl.Si: SishaU piifced, J19.95fl,498;W; the act, wbich covers tho aundry civil cxponHca of the Government, in that upon which it is atoniptod to encraft all doubtfut Bebemos and unuQCessary cxpoimoH, wliich to any other general appropriation bill would bo rulcd ont of order au not germano. In rnforenco to tliit particular f.ct tho Prcaident of tho United SiiUCfl 6a1Y 'fit, nlthoitgli approting tlio mmo, lrtnu(t i jiirnHrtg6 (jn'mlamnlng tltO character of our reductions. I propeeê, höO end liere. willi duo rcHpect to the Chiof llagistrato, to iiujiuro into tlio jnstico oL hiu criticwuw. In tho first placo he naya : " Nntabljr monK tbo first classis the rediwllon !u or'linury animal appropriatimm for tbr revciiiio tiuUür aptylOQi to tho prejudicc of tho ciistoins XliiH cnüejfjm ia lompletsly rofí{led .by a i)lain etatcmont of tho facto, wliicli how that ;ho niuount approjiriated is in oxceflfi of tho amount oxj)pnded in tho rovenuo cuttor service during tlio lnt UTOai ycar. Tho exponditnroM fortheyear endint; Jtino 30. 1871!, were 'iH12.300, andtho a(ipropri"Hi!i!5 for tie year endiiigtuiio30,Í877. íi7i,8.íll. the latterexceciing tho forpior moró thai 439,009. peil an to tho arnouii'v gïVen Ui continue ihó Hguiil Setvice. Thiu Hcrvico cont lait year nearly a million dollai-H. It has growu to be au immense bureau ín its worliiage), and we think it ia cxtr;vaL;aiitly oondiiütcd. It draw í'h remíreos írom tiirco appropriatiou billa - tho Legislativo, tho Army, jraid tlio Hmiilrv Civil- and aggregaten, aastated, $l,OQOjOO0. "Wo aro. aíviseil by tho manager of tlio Western Ünion Telegraph botöptei l":'t t'ioy cah perform the saino Kcrvico wiüi eqnñl oatisfRction to fno public for ene-half tbo monoy. and be ia quito willing to tmdortako it at that reduction. Thw, we ucdorstand, ia also the opinión of many ofh'cers heretoforq in charge of the Wy Dopartmeut, Our reductionn. In view of Ibis statement, liavo been very moderate, asiounting to $100,000 in tho gÊneral eSperioo ptoiiAèa fot in the Sundry Civil tiill, áud of only fifty oniiatefl men in tho army for bis ftorps. At nomo of the etationa the "ertployos nnmperod a.high as Beven, aml T3y cAriSfni ièrinish of Ih6 fbrco at tho aoveral t-tatiouH this rcduetioii oi City ihsu nul hnrdly bo' feit. Tho criticism as to the mariteOTidently aroso from want of kuowlodge of tho amoinits appropriated in the several billn. It would ha.vo bebn bcp'i by examina tion that tho araomit npproprlated for rulinlng th"5 rv"ti nd Bay ollfecB waa fully up to tho necesaitios ot tho country, even taking into coneidoration tko increaaod expenso for coiuing subsidiary ilver roceutly authorized by law in eubstitutiou of fniotiO!jl ourrencv. PüBiié Bijna tai. ftov? a? td ,the oWebtion urgod to reduction of appropriatiolia foi.thc cohsflit:tWu of public buildinga tl'roughout the couutry, ana he building for the State, W'nr and Navy Departmenta, in tho city of Washington. The policy wbich guided tho Jlouae wae to malto approI prtaUoMM '::m ynar for jj.o building tlie couBti'ifc'tioh of vlüoh iiaa.not ;.ot been cemmtiu'cJ, and in malting appropriationa for those alroady bogun, to give a aufiicient eum to liniuh aud furnish tliose of pmaller size.such s tho Cnntom House at Naw Orleaua, tho CiiHtom ÏIouso and Pontoföce at Italeigb, N. C, the Custqm House and Postoüico at Port Huron, Mioh., Ulo Custon) House and l'ostollice at ParHersbul'gh, W. Va., tbo Court IIoUho and P.ttoPïee . at juinc'o'n, íieb.,. aud tbp Custom Itoiiaoatul Pcmtuflico at Kockland; Me., givicg the balance, which we deenied wiae to appropriate m a moderate degree, to tho larger strnctui'cs, so as tu go ott WÉH tlie vrork slovrly. Tho apjiropriatiou is i'2, 000,000 lesa tlian )m year, wEen the sppropiiation for public buildings, new and old, were unusuall; extravagant. . Aa to the appropriation ior n uow structuro for tho State, War, and Navy Departmouta in tho cit of Washington, it was uuder the eame rule. The expondituree for thifi BtrucXure arr made n exoeption, a)l tho Diñen boint,' nDdo the yporviit)g Ar'!hite"t of tho 'l'roaaury JJbparment, wjillo tlilü i UndCr an engineer of Ihaiirmy, Clon. B. Y, üabooik. l'oi' the repnirs aud pteáervatiou of tho riavy ya)-(J8 we kvo;51Ü0,00Ü0, againafc i$500,OU)lafit year. We leeaa;d tbat, for the Iegitiainto purposes of repairs, rroper at tho different navy .yarda "aiid etatioas, and tho proaervation of the Bame, $100,000 ia adequate; and bolioved tho half million lieretofore givon was diTerteil to othor purpobcs not ]uoperlj! chargeablo to thÍ8 particular service. In referenee to armones and arncnals the rednetious, except in ono or two ingtanceH of uo aniall amouut, wcre thoo lecommended by tho late Secretary of War, Mr. Taf t, iu hi commuuication to Uongrcoo rovisiug tho eatimatea Of hia predecesBor. In regard td the Judicial eSpenseS cf tho Oovtr'nmeiit, rodnclion' was mado úpori tlio recoinmendaticjn of tho Committee on Expouditures in the. Department of Jnstice, and justified after thorough investigatiou by cxpoHuro of tho most outragcona frauda upan tho Government, perpetrated by Marshals and other United States ofücers, thn most flagrant of which were m the States of Arkauuas and Morth Caroliua. Tlio justico aud proprioty of thia i'Giluction aro undoubtod. The President f ui the complained that wo hai impaired tho cllicieooy of tho light-houso aeryice. Beferonce to figures show tha coinplaint to be without foundation. The appropriation last yoar was il, 099,000, and for thia year #2,018,600, the appropriation for this year boing uearlv Í20,000 over that of ]ant year. A])propriations for lighthousoa, beacona, ard fog hghts were uuulo atter consultation with Uio proper ollieer having that service in charge, and wo gavo a suni eufiicient, a wc wcro advkcil, for all that was' absolutoly uocoBsary tuumtf tho fiscal year. Thero wore some wmou wero dosirable, for whiph we did not mako appropriation, but they woro not saoh as wo thought to bc demandod now. DISTRICT EXPEXDITÜBB8. Appropriations for tho District of Columbia aro generally i:i"!udcd in tuin act, and I heed not stop to give tho roasón why wo sought to ue cautious ia wliatevcr wo Bid. Past experience has shown sneu proiligacy in tho managoniont. of tUo afTairö oí tliiii Dintrict that common jostioe to tho peoplo reqmred we shouid suiv ronnd all onr appropriations with every poeiUlo safegiiard. Wo nuthorizod au advance from the treasnry of the United Statea of the mouey uocewnary to meet the interest on the public debt of the District for tbo entiro focal year, thue preventing aoy defanlt of prompt paymeut like tlmt whicli has iieretoforo oecurred, although a x)rtion of tho debt has been reported by a coníiúittee of this Honee to have been illegally contracted. Wo siso appropriated for the vatrious c'.iaritieH and charitablo institutions within tus DiHtrict ; autliorized tuo tepavmg of lcnnaylvaniu aveuuo, a proportionato nhaïe of ■ tho expenso to be borno by tho Govornment ; providod for tho payment of ono-half of the eiponsna of tho polioO and Board of Hoalth : amt, b3sidês, aliowcd the government of tho District to incroaso tho teiuporary dob.t to tljo extent of over 4100,(100, so that noombarrarainentsliouldoris Hkely to occur. Tho approjriations for the yoai' oudiug Juno 30, 1875, amouutod to 2,ÖG2,251.11, almost all of whicli waa exohiBivoly for the benefit of tho peoplo of tho Diiti iot. Tho implicd staloniiiit of tUo l'roüiilejit that tho BggTegaie appropriatiorm of the Snndry Civil bilí aro in amouut aot more than 05 por cent. of tho.io horetofore mado shouid comniand approbatiou ratlior than censuré. Tho appropriation for public printing and iinding we relace largoïy on the rccominondation of Hm Gótotñtrteíí on rrinting of tbn HüiiBO, which uatablishe.'l tho fact of gross abuao and extravaganco in the adminintration of that ofliee. Tlio amount giveu last year was íl.Cfiá.rjOT.Gü. 'Xho amouut anked for' tho current yoar, was ifl.i'.iCMCi.fSG. Tho amount allowcd this year uuder advice of the Coromittee on l'rinting, is il, 133,737.50 - about $500,000 lesa thau tlie apjiropriation laat year. The report of this comuiittoe, to which 1 havo allnded, cleai'ly eatiiblishos the fact that this Bum hóuld havo beon íinllic'ent to have dono the wOrk last yoar if the proper pricos lnul beon pald for uiateriul, aucl the running expenses had been rightfully adjustod. Kor tbo support of tlw National Homo ior Disablcd Voluntëor Roldiorfi we gave the exact amouut asked. i'CC8,733.4i. Tbe uppropriatious for tbe sundry civil expensáH of the Oovorument for tho year endiug Juno 30, 18C8, we'ro $5.807,191.88. Iu 1870 they bad crept up to .!,7ü.22881. Ia 1872 they fmthcr advanoed to24, 1(51,773.80. Finally, ju 1874, thoy roached tlio enorinoua aruount oí Í0Z, Ï8Ö. 12'J." l'n 1875, wlion tho diatres in tbe couutry became bo prevalont it could no longcr pB unlieodod, oven in a llopublican House of Kepresontatives, we find there wa a BruaJ] reduction from 32,ll,129 to L27.009.744.81; in 1876 to í2(i.C14.35U. We have reduoed the sundry civil etpatas tliis ypar bclow tbe approprintion of Iaat yenr f 10,441,780, appropriatiDg onlyabout one-half tlio amount approprtated in 1874, boing a rednction of about il6,O00,0OO. THE MILITARY ACADKMÏ. Approiiriatious lat yoar, 31.740 ; dopartraent eatiuiatCH for year eudin{ June 30, 1877, L437,470 : amomit rccommemled by House Committee on Appropriation, $231,241 ; amount paasod tlio House, (259,231; Sonato oomniittoe recntumendod, $808,844 ; Scnato pasaed, ':)O8.S11 ; tho law, as tinally onaetoc!. 290,0G5. ïhere was in controveray bütvreen tbe two Ilouso LUo qncation qf gomwcuBitiou to profcsnom al West Toint. ïlie Houao docmed tbatiaaomo inataucf bciuy uvor jli.OUU per annnni, tUoywdo biglior than íor similar ser vices in civil lifc, oppccially vliem we tako into consïderation tho fnot tbattbc profciors, without eneouutermg any of the priVAtiona, bardbips, and daftgeib of arrny lifn aro, wliun tliey reaoh a condition if mpaired ïwcfulncsa, placed upou the rotircd lit, and rcoeivo tbreoqaartersot tbcir pay at the timo they are rotired. The Benato dêmandod tlmt tlio quoetion of tbi reduotion nhould be romitted to tho coniraiHsiou orcatod to inqniro into tho rcorlianization of tbo anny, and lbo House was compoJed to uceedo tnoroto. THK. I11VKH ANI AimOH lm.:,. ltivor and hail'or anpropriMUxife last yenr, -ti.(;i;?,r17.rii!; cropaftmont ostimates for tbo year oudlug Juno 30, 1877, lt 3(11. 100; amount ïeoorntnonded by Honne Comwittoü on Apropriiti'niH, $5,872,850; amounl pan(l the Houüb 15,872,880; 8uiite conuuitteo roobminoiKloil ■).!);, UOU: fcteiiatii viuMá QIHÏO.OOO; tlie )w a fiually enotW, BiflOOiflOQj ThÍH bUj wsm iioc, mAt, 'i!. by ilio 'omtoittee n Approprinüoiuv ftiui thfcreíoro I have hot liat f uil knowlodgo which wonld witrraut me u speaking of its detail in comparietín with ircvious bilis with tho aamo certainty that I am iblo to do coucerniug the eleven other apprcpriatiou billa. It ia, howover, a large reducLion on tho amount appropriated last year for Llio samo purpose, and pu immense rednction, tut will bo leen by the forcgoing figures, upon the estímate of tho dopaftmpnt. 'tur. 1NDÍAN r.il.i,. AppropririÜynn liwtyoar, 45,3fi'.,534 55; depnrluH'iit PHtiinatoH fOr 7e+ Gilding Juno Í0, 1877, Í5,7S7,'J!)5.CO ; amoant recoíitóenrted by House Comiiittoe on Appropriations, $8,908,771.27 ; amonnt paesed tho IIoubp, W,9TO,602 il : filel'atfl comtnittoo reoommended, -"95, 2(1C,8C1.27 ; donato piKsr-1 4,158 3C1.27 ; tho law as Prt9?ty ènatitcd, ?"(. f,70, 117.03. Tho piin. i; . i ili aR'loem'vtit-b6tw%en tho itt'o Housoa rolatod to thé tranWëf 8t tifo Judian Burean f rom the Interior to the War üeparlment. Tho Honne believed that the manageminl o! Iivliau afTairs conld be more ccouomically Rnd eHicioutly administered by army offioers alreftdy tinder pay than by civil officers, ander whom hail gtoihi tip a widepread sytem oí peciilptioti Spou the indiana, as WOU e upon the GovorntMiuf; . ,, Tlie Houao authorized Uo itttatSr in the Indian appropriation bill, having previoii sly paBsed a separate propoBiüan on tho samo subject, which was transmitted to tho Sonato on tho 25th of April last, but which the Scnate never took np for nonsiderfttion or discnsaion. Ineidentalljr; ' hoiteve}1, the? dil disouns the clauao ri the Infliati bill, tfld totert ft down, upon t'" growïra tHaf ft wa(5 a c)iahè of láw upon an approiiatlof ttt; ; Mb 'thinh the country had a rlght to expcct liÜnd rhè Sonate moro onsiderMic-n of thia subject, and ïhe Hone yielded at last when longor peraistonce could ouly result in tinlimiU-d extensión of tho Beesion withoat correspondinfc good. Tho mismaiiagemont now existing, although tuifortunaté, is Ttell illnstratcd by tho faot that ttio hostile Siouï arfe trfíted with botter weaponu than tho troops put in the field agaïnst thetn. At thia vovy seaeion we have been corüpolled to pass a law prohibiting the Ind&q agonl" from fnrther snpplying to thcso hostilo Indiana improTed anis and ammnnition. I doubt neither the propriety iiör ihi nbsolute nejesaity of tho proponed "tranafer, and oily regrot to sfty the proposition has been defeated in the Renftte moro by indircotion thau by opeii o,osU!o'(. . Let me pauae for á ffionrent to state a fact which carries with it ita own oofi&ficiïtaïy, While there are in tho army 26,900 men, 15,000 of them in tho military división of tho Missouri, embracing tho Black Hilla country where the receJitflghtiatd ranseacres occurrod, Gens. Terrj and vtook hae l)oen 1oft imtil latoly to reaüft t?e cbrabWed hontilo Incllans unfler Kittiug Buil wióh fl fo)-co cf leïs ttan SiOUO men. We are now aalted to aJdtó'íhe f.tmy ÍÍ.5Ü0 cavalry, when it mnst be apparent to the fnost casual obseiver tbat snch addition is cntirely umioi:osary if the force was taken from whero it 8 t't no srv'oe whatevor, aud transferred to where it is needêti to tt.'n a-Tcnexa to our arms. T yet hope for the transfer at Ljö net seeI sion. Wo have made roduotioiis, even under the present ineflicient management, of $700,nni) nr tiinroabonta. ' THE OOHSULAIt AND EIPLOJIATIC BILL. Appropriatlone ]5t joftr, il,374,!)85; departmeüt estiiaates for tho yer onding June 30, 1877, $Í;á32 'Í8Ñ ; aniotínt redoiMHeurted by Hovise Comtriittee tfn Appropriatioiis, $922,847.50 ; amount passed tbíi IIocso, 892,747.50; Souate comrnittee recommended, $1,31,0-17.50; Scüato paaeed, $l,341,G47.50 - the law as fiually enacted. The Flouse hold that our diplomatic service was conduetol with unnecessary expense, and that the salaries paid to foreign Ministers were excessivo when contrasted with the salaries pnid to c 1 1 'm-r govenunental oflicers, wbile at tho same timo omcera of the higheat diplomatic rank weí'p aèofaflitéd to OoV3rnmonts where charges d' aff airee", with Rröstlt tcAao&S salaries, would bo equally efficiënt, ilio tfuth is that a!l iíriportítnt raattors betweeu tuis and foreign Govermnenís aró to-day directly negotíated and adjusted tlirougli the ocean tolegraphs by the State Department at Washington, and, thorcfqre, iu mony instauces the position of foreign Minister to Uttlo more thau a cootly sinecure. Under what is knowii as the " frth bilí " the salaries of theso ofticers were increaséd, and that increase in a measuro we have taken off. It must not bo forgotten that our Ministers abroad aro not valnable for any service they render to onr commerco, but that, on the contrary, it is our consular system which is brought into direct contact with the American marine ; and thofofore no wonld llke to see that thorough revisión of the consular eyatem Trhich wiü tjecure its improvomont and groator oflicieney. We claim, beeause tho consular system is not only olí-supporting, but has an excess of receipts f rom tho paymont oilioes, that therefore all the money received should bo expended in the service, is about as jast as to ckim that the Cnstom House and internal revenuo, bocaiíbo oí receipts beyond exponditure, should likowise bo administered with extravagance. We have not socured tho roductions we Hought, and which we believed to be proper, but we havo at least accomplished enough to reward ns for our offort. ■rae i.r.r.isi.ATivK ini,i,. Mr. Kandall tl'.en procceded to givea resume of the Legislativo, Kxocutivp, nnd Judicial Appro])iÍHtion bilí. Tuo apjiropriation in tliat bilí last year amounted to .18,'J02,2.'!G. The ostimatos for this year wcre $20,836,307. The bilí a reported by the Committco on Appropriaüoüs ia $13.009.807 ; aait passod the House it was 12, 1)98, 895 ; as it passed the Senato it was Í16.635 338 ; as it became a Iawitwasifl5,373,960. The great strugglo of tho sosmon had taken place on that bilí. The Heuse had sought to reduce the forcé and compenaation of (ïovernment empioyos, and tho Senate ha with equal tenacity roííitítod such reduction. The result had been aeimprotnine offecting a reduction of S7G5. On the lOth of October ho defended tho position of the Houso on the reduction of the Presidenta salary f rom 450, OOU to L25 000, and he exprossed tho sincere conviction that the peoplo would seo the matter in its trae light. As to tha proposod reduction of the compensation of Senators and members, tho Senate had urged a;;aiust the abolition of the franking privilege, but tho Senate had, since the passage of the bilí, voted to roatoro tho franúing privilege, action which Certainly wonltl not escape criticism. Another valuable result which had been accomplished had been the enactment of a provisión against tho poiitical asiossment of Governmpntemployefc. Hegavetho following recapitulation of the appropriation bilis : THE TOTAL SA VINO. The cstiraatea of tho dopartnienta for the year woro $203,099,025. The bilis aa reported by the Committee on Appropriations amonnted I tó Í1S7.233.135. The bilis as passed the Sonate, $158,260,51)8; the billa aa enacted into law .$147,719.074, aa aeainat appropriations for laat ycar of $177,003,337, bein'g areduotion of $29,i)44;253. Mr. Springer (Den)., 111.) snggeuted tkat the HHving was at the rate of $102,000 for each Jongrcssional district. Mr. Kamlall, in conclusión, saUl that early in the eesaion ho had atated it aa his belief that tlio exnenditures would be redueed bchvcen #$0,000,001) and L40,000,000. Tuia statement of his had been regardcd as au exaggeration, but eveiits had demoustrated it cerrectnesa. He rogrettod to aay that iu tho struggle with the Sonate tho Houao had been coinpelled to yield to tho oxtent of $10,500,000. He hoped and bolievod in auother year the Sonate would ooncür with the House in that regard, and ho aasortsd that with a ühief Magistrate aeting in harmony with tho purpose of the preeent llouao a further reduction could readily be made of .f 10,000.000. 'lheso facts and ligures' apeak for tliemselvea and need no oirtboration. On the rosult whioh they deuaonstiated the majority reetod their I claim of having caruestly and faithfully diaI chargod their duty to tho people. It hal not roduced cxpenditurca as mucu as it had expectod, but the faihiro to do so was not its fanlt. 11e believed that the real, natural, sae aud permanent vay to the reaumption of specio paymcnta was in the reduction of Government üxponditiirca. ilnman foresight, however, could uot fix the oxact lionr or day when it hIiouM take placo, but tho trntk waa sclf-eviJent that if twonty orthirty milliouawas savod, not only would tue means of epeedy resumption be providod, bilt that oonfidence would be CHtablixhcd which ïuust inovitably procedo the desired reeu't. As Mr. Bandall oloaed his spoech ho was warmly applauded on hiaownsidoof tho house.