Mr. VANWINKLE. This amendmentand the preceding one were brought to the notice of the committee after they had agreed to report this bill, and a majority of the committee as sented to them and ordered them to be reported with the bill. I was one of those so assenting. As there was no discussion, or not much discussion of the matter in committee, I cannot repeat the views of the other members of the committee who are here to speak for themselves. But since I gave my assent to this amendment I have reflected somewhat on the subject, and, while I cannot say I have come to a different conclusion, I think there are some doubts as to the propriety of this change. Previous to the act of 1802 relating to pensions. these agents were clerks appointed by the ComrPension. Ilic act of 1862 provided for the appointment of special agents where frauds were suspected upon the pension laws to go and examine into them; and as the SecyInterior states in his letter, and as I have been assured by the ComrPension, it was found not to work well. These special agents having no familiarity with the business of the office, with the papers, or anything else connected with it, were not able to discurge the duties as efficiently as those who were better acquainted with the office, or to make as intelligent a report as the service of the office required. Accordingly, at the instance of the Pension Bureau, I believe a section was added in the law of 1864, placing the thing back where it had stood previously, without any law, and authorizin the comrPension to detail cler s in his Dept to go and in spect the various pension offices if he should think there was occasion for it. The SecyInterior in his letter asks that this be changed, and that the appointment or designation of those clerks for this nrpose may be given to him instead of the ComrPensions, and ifI recollect rightly, he places it on the ground that being the head of the Dept he ought to have that power and it ought not to be exercised by one of his subordinates. The doubt that has arisen in in mind arises from the peculiar construction of the Interior Dept. In the Treasury, postoffice, and other Depts, all the actions of the various bureaus are convergin to one point as it were; but in the In terior Deptit seems to be different. The Pension office, the Patent office, the Land Office, and perhaps others, seem to be almost separate and ) independent offices. It appears to me that in those cases where the head of the bureau is charged with the administration, as it were, of the whole law in relation to a given subject, such as pensions, patents, or and s, where there is a peculiar responsibility devolving upon him, particularly in relation to the detection of frauds, he should have the power of appointment. Withoutsaying that I have fully come to the conclusion that this change should not be made, thatis the present. tendency of my mind, and I should like to hear the views of those who are more experienced, or at any rate that the subject should receive the consideration of the Senate before the amendment is adopted.