Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. It seems to me that the committee must understand how this question stands. I do not know; I have not been able to ascertain from the report which has been read, nor from the statement made by the Gentfrom Massachusetts, [Mr. WASHBURN,) how this money was exH." or what the proof was that this money adbeen expended by the city, or whether a fair and reasonable price was paid for the work, or the work was properly done. This is not the only claim that the city of Washington has of this nature. The committee will recollect that there was an item of $181,000 in one of the appropriation bills for work of this character, which the ComWhole struck out unanimously by the consent of the chairman, of the Committee on apoThis is not a part of that sum, but it is a kindred claim. It appeared upon examination that the only authority for inserting an appropriation of that large amount of money in an appropriation bill was a mere cer tificate of the surveyor of the city of Washington. There was no proof whatever made that the work was done in the manner set out; there was no proof that it was done at a fair and reasonable price. I have seen nothing to sat isfy me that if the Government is liable to pay anything in this case there is any proof of the amount that we ought to pay. Now, it seems to me that if this bill is to pass it ought to pass with an amendment which I will suggest, and which should precede the amendment of the Gentfrom Wisconsin, [Mr. SLoan,) which I think is avery proper one. The amendment, which I would suggest is to the effect that before any money is paid under this bill the proper accounting officers of the Treasury shall make a full examination of all the items, and receive proof that the work was done at fair and reasonable prices. I think this is the least that can be done, if we are going to act upon this matter at all. I think it should undergo some sort of investigation further than it has undergone already a judicial investigation to some extent. Let the whole question be investigated, and let testimony be taken to show, if there is really any liability, what the extent of that liability iS.R.WASHBURN, of Massachusetts. I have no objection to the amendment indicated by the Gentfrom Illinois, [Mr. WASH BURNE] I only desire to say that so far as the ComClaims were concerned they could not go into a personal examination of all these items. But the ComrPubBldg appeared before them, and the question was put to him in regard to. all these items whether they had thus been examined. He replied that they had all been examined; that surveys had been made by the engineer on the part of the Government in order to ascertain if possible whether the amounts charged against the Government were Ero.per; and that all the different items had thus examined. It was upon that information that the committee acted. But I am perfectly willing that the amendment of the Gentfrom Illinois [Mr. WASHBURNE] should be adopted should the House consider it best to do so. I simply desired to state that the testimony upon which the ComClaims acted was to the effect that all those different items had been fully examined.