The question to fill the blank with $178,000 was then put and carried—ayes 47, noes 42, and the bill ordered for a third reading to-morrow.
Friday, March 3.
Call for Statements.
Mr. Gallatin said, he wished to propose to the House three resolutions, calling for statements relative to the War Department, which he wished to be laid before the House at the next session. They had heard it said upon that floor, by gentlemen who were considered to be well acquainted with the subject, that many expenses had taken place in that Department which ought to have been checked. Conceiving a check of this kind to be necessary, and knowing the expense of the Military Department was increasing from year to year, beyond what the increase in the number of troops would warrant, it was proper to lay the foundation of an inquiry into the subject. Indeed, having just passed a pretty severe law relative to the Receivers of Public Money, and understanding that the Secretary of the Treasury had a long list of delinquents, he was desirous of taking some steps in the business. From these considerations, he offered the following resolutions for acceptance:
"Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before the House of Representatives, within the first week of January next, abstracts of the accounts of all paymasters, quartermasters, contractors, agents for the purchase of supplies, and generally of all the Receivers of Public Moneys, paid from the Treasury from the 1st of January, 1791, to the 1st of January, 1797, on account of the Military Establishment, so as to exhibit a detailed statement of the whole amount of moneys thus expended to that period; and whether any of the accounts be not finally settled; and shall lay before the House an estimate of moneys not accounted for.
"Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay, at the same time, before the House of Representatives similar abstracts of the accounts of all the Receivers of Public Money expended for the building of the frigates.
"Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to lay before the House of Representatives, within the last week of January in each year, a statement of money expended for the Military Establishment during the next preceding year, distinguishing the sums expended under each head, for which specific appropriations have been made, and an estimate of the probable unsettled demands in relation to each of those heads."
The resolutions were severally agreed to.