Mr. HOWE. The order is simply this, as near as I remember it: they are directed not to prosecute the work unless they will do so, content to take their pay when the Government can pay them, or when the Government has money to expend upon works of art. It is very manifest that, let them do the work when they would, or let any contractor do the work when he would, he can only get his pay when the Government has the money to pay him. Every man does work for the Government on that condition; and any man does work for everybody else on that condition. He cannot get his pay until the debtor has the money to pay him. I do not think the SecyWar ad any authority to interfere with this contract. I do not think he ought to have interfered with the execution of it. I do not think he did interfere except iu that way. I think, in spite of all the SecyWar said, the contractors were still at liberty to go on and complete the work, and their obligation would have been just as good upon the Government as if the Secretary of l or had said nothing. But, supposing that to be a violation of the contract, the Senate ought to consider what. was the state of the contract at that time. Something more than half the work had been done, and that the cheapest part of the work, because it was the lowest part of the dome. The contract, then, was violated when half of the work, and that the chea est part, was done. What was the damn e to the contractor? He got paid for doing techeapest work at. the same rate which the contract provided for paying for the whole. Clear] ', then, there was no damage if he had stoppe then, if he had not prosecuted the work any further. But it seems a year subsequent to that he was requested to go on and complete the contract, and he concluded to go on under the contract. I cannot help regarding that as a new bargain to complete the contract on the terms stipulated in the original bargain. There is no doubt that prices had enhanced in the market. It was more expensive to get labor and yet materials in 1862 than it was in 1861. An considering the fact that the Secretary did make this request to suspend work in 1861, I should not think it hard to ask the Government to pay what the work actually cost in 1862 more than it cost in 1861; but it was clearly in the power of the contractors to finish the work in 1802, and I think the most they can claim is the difference between the cost of labor and materials in 1802 and the cost of labor and materials in 1861. Instead of that the report gives them the additional price in 1862 for what wbrk was done in 1802, the additional cost of work and labor in 1863for what was done in that year, and a still higher price for what was done in 1864, leaving them to run the jobthrough 3 years when prices were constantly going up; whereas the petition itself states that they could have completed it in one year, that they could have completed it in the year 1861. If they could have completed it in 1861, I think they could have completed it in 1862 and if we are to make them compensation for the advance in prices between those 2 years it is all we ought to do. I do not think the Senate is much interested in it, and therefore I will not spend any further time l1)0“ it.