Mr. CONKLING. Mr. Chairman, nothing can be clearer to my mind than the principles by which the committee should be governed upon all questions like this. The most obvious considerations considerations destined to force themselves most painfully upon everybody who shall live in this country or a few years to come compel us to vote against any of money unless agpropriation it is absolutely in dispensable. In order to be indispensable, the appropriation should be necessa to the actual progress of the operations of the government, or else it should be the only mode of preventing a result certain to lead in the end to a loss eater than the amount of money aslred is principle, it seems to me, is very clear. The difficulty is in its application; and I, for one, regret exceedingly that about a matter apparently so simple as this we cannot have such a statement of facts as will enable eve member of the committee to illustrate by is vote the principle which I have announced. If it be true that this purchase is necessary to carry on the operations of this navyyard, so be it; there is no answer to it, and no question what we should do. If, on the other hand, it be true, as the Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. Sunn 1N6] believes, that although in a certain sense the operations there might continue without this appropriation, nevertheless the expenses incidental to carrying it on, without the purchase of this island, would shortly lead to the expenditure of a sum greater than the amount as ed, so be it; in that case also the principle I have announced would compel us to vote for this appropriation. EBut, Mr. Chairman, there seems to be more an a doubt whether either of these propositions is true. At least, the Gentfrom Iowa, [Mr. Ksssosfigl who is a member of the committee, and has ad the benefit of its investigation, has failed entirely to be convinced that eitherof these propositionscan truly be affirmed, and for one, I am free to say, and am glad to have an early opportunity to say, that wherever them is a doubt, a fair doubt, abont an appropriation, I propose to give the Government the benefit of at doubt. I say that, at this time, at all events, the presumption is against an up to riation, especially an appropriation in a bil of this sort fora purpose not a ready fixed by law. It comes here with the presumption against it; and before it can have my vote the case must be made so clear that there can be no doubt of its falling within the principle by which I wish to be governed. Now, as I have remarked, there is a great doubt about the necessity of this appropriation, and therefore I r one am constraine to vote against it and shall set my face firmly against every doubtful proposition believing, as I do, that nothing in the way o resonsibility rests upon every member of this I House so unmistakably and so gravely as to insist continuall upon retrenchment and economy in every branch of the public service.