Mr. FESSENDEN. I have no belief that that is true. It is necessary if you make the appropriation and the appropriation is unuestionably necessary that the Secretary should have some discretion about it. This is not like the provision that was inserted in the appropriation bill last year. That appropri ated $160,000, the balance remaining in his hands for temporary clerks and to make extra compensation to clerks and other officers. It appropriated about 200,000 dollars in the whole. All that is struck out at this session. This item is confined simply to the appointment of temporary clerks, which he must have, which he has now and must continue to have in greater or less numbers. This amendment was reported by the ComAppropriat, which certainly was not disposed to allow the Secretary too much power or discretion, in the original bill in the HoRep; but a good deal of inquiry took place and considerable disturbance was made about it, and it was struck out rather by the consent of the chairman with a." suppose, that it should be taken up in the senate. It is unquestionably necessary that this sum should be appropriated for the purpose of employing temporary clerks. The business of the Dept has required it for years, and will continue to require it. The sum is a small one. If the Secretary has the power to otemporary clerks he will want to em clerks of different grades unquestionably, e will need some men whom he cannot get for $1, 200, the lowest salary. The amendment has no reference to the regular clerks in the Dept, but to the temporary clerks who are employed. As to this story about the Secretary's advancing men according to his political and pool preferences and all that, I do not believe a word of it. such complaints exist always. It is always the case where there are so many men employed that those who are not advanced think they are superior to others who are advanced. We cannot always see ourselves as others see us; and that applies to the Depts as well as to other places. Mistakes may have been made. Men may have been advanced where better men might have been found. That depends in a very great degree upon the heads of the bureaus and the heads of the divisions. They know who the men are, and they make the recommendations. I do not believe myself that the Secretary has made any appointments of that description unless on the recommendation of those who were at the heads of bureaus and the heads of divisions, and they are almost universally men that you could not complain of on account of their politics; there may be a few exceptions. But the power must exist. The idea of having a SecyTreasury and allowing him no discretion at all in his own office with regard to these things is a perfect absurdity. must trust him unless ou mean to abolish the office or abolish the individual. It must be done as long as there is a SecyTreasury. For myself, I have no idea that there is anything in this story more than in the complaints that come always from disappointed men who think their claims are superior to those of others, and that their capacity is superior to that of others. It is always the case everywhere. All cannot have the places, and those who do not get them are disappointed.