Mr. KASSON. Since 1846 the enlargement of the operations of the Treasury Dept has rendered it necessary from time to time to increase the number of clerks, and the provision for their compensation has been continued from year to year in the form now proposed in this bill. I will read a portion of the 13th section of the sub Treasury act, showing how this matter started in the early days of the sub Treasury: “That said officersrespectively, whoseduty it is made by this act to receive, keep, and disburse the public moneys as the fiscal agents of the Government, may be allowed any necessary additional expense for clerks, fire proof chests or vaults, &c., or any other necessaryexpensesof safe keeping, transferring, and disbursing said moneys; all such expensesof every character to be 1st expressly authorized by the SecyTreasury, whose directions upon all the above subjects by way of regulation and otherwise so far as authorized by law are to be strictly followed by all the said officers, ” And it was provided that the number of clerks should not exceed those named at that time, nor their pay at that time exceed $800 each. Since that time the enlargement of the operations of the Dept has rendered necessary a very large increase in the number of clerks, as everybody knows, and the language in which the appropriations have been made has been continued in this way. The limitation imposed by Congress upon the Secretary is found in the amount appropriated, namely, $60,000, which is necessary for the payment of the existing force at the existing rates. This is the same amount which was appropriated last year. I will only add that we cannot, without further facts than we now have before us, specify the number of clerks or the rates at which they shall be paid, classifying them properly. I should be very glad to do this if it were possible; and I trust that by the time another bill shall be introduced we may have from the SecyTreasury a statement of the number of clerks employed and their respective compensation, so that we may impose a limitation in accordance with the existing condition of facts. We have not, however, at pres: ent such a knowledge of the facts as would enable us safely to undertake any legislation of that kind.