Mr. SCHENCK. I renew the amendment, and mainly for this purpose: it has been decided, very correctly Itink, that the amendment is in order. A law of Congress uts us in charge of these streetsand avenues an public places, and I am in favor of the general policy which shall look to enibellishing in some cgree this city when that shall become practicable and consistent with cconom; at least of taking care of it and making it abitable for those who live and who shall come here, and not a disgrace to the U.S. of which it is the capital. As to the character of the amendments which have been offered, what is the character of legislation generally in reference to these appropriations? Your ComAppropriat bring in a bill providing for various items of public expenditure. Whence do they get their information? The head ofaDept who has remitted his dut iiecessariy to the head of a bureau, and the end of a bureau to some clerk, who makes an estimate for a particular thing, and because they are unable to enter into a thorough investigation of every item, the ComAppropriat adopt these estimates, coming from the Executive Depts, and got up by some clerk on the information before him. That may be well enough; it is the settled practice, and it is not easy to escape from it. nt should we accord more pertinence. more weight, more character to an estimate of appropriation in regard to any public expenditure coming from one of the xecutive Depts in that way than we do when the same thing, perfectly within our power, is proposed by the appro)riate committee, which as made a thoroug investiation of the whole subject? I would not go for any exsenses of this kind if they were brought forwar on any side, on the suggestion of any individual, without clearly understanding there was some merit in them. But without it, if we are disposed to follow our committees at all, it seems to me we ought at least to give as much weight to a serious rec the committees of this House to amen an appropriation bill, as to give weight and authority to a mere estimate sent to Congress by one of the Executive Depts and I say, as a general principle of legislation, if I understand it, that is a right mode of proceeding and I am disposed, therefore, to follow this committee when it has acted in that way, and to record my vote to sustain the conclusions to which it has arrived. The chairman of the committee, however, says that this is improper, because, although the thin may be perfectl right, the ComDisCol may bring in its own bill. Now everybody knows that the committees of this house, with the exception of the ComAppropriat, have no opportunity of bringing in appropriation bills and getting them acted upon. There is a privilege granted to the ComAppropriat to make reports at all times, and iave them considered, and the only way in which other committees can get their matters considered and acted upon is to propose them by way of amendment to one of the appropriation bills.