Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. President, I was a member of the committee which reported this bill, and we considered it well. I think it is just and proper to intrust this matter to the SecyTreasury. I believe the discretion was properly confided to him.a ear ago to do what he was then authorize to do, and I believe it is necessary now. Least of all did I expect that objection would be made to the proosition on political grounds. The polities of the Secretary would not make any difference in the vote which I should give on such a subject, because I think it is necessary that we should intrnst the SecyTreasury and all the Secretaries at the head of the various Executive Depts with the power that is necessary to enable them to discharge the duties confided to them by the positions which they hold. A great deal must depend necessarily upon the organization of the Depts, an the proper and priate positions which the various clerksapporlod, and the business to which the devote themselves. I recollect that when went into the Treasury Dept the whole Mexican war debt remained unsettled, and there was an immense amount of unsettled accounts in the Dept. The suggestion was made, and in some instances it was allowed'by Congress, to have additional clerks employed. I soon found, however, that the business of the Dept was delayed by clerks who knew nothing of the proper business, and that experts were needed. There was a band of clerks consisting of from ten to 12 who were sent from Depart‘ment to Dept to bring up the arrear ages, and these were the ablest and best clerks that could be selected in the Depts, and with their aid the nrrearages were brought up and soon brought up. When any Dept of the Government is in arrear in the settlement of its accounts the head of the Dept must see to it that they are brought up, and he must use the means that are within his power. Any man at the head of a Dept will soon learn that there are certain men who have become experts, who are industrious, faithful, and diligent in the discharge of their business, while there are others who never can be improved, and never are improved as long as they stay there. I think this provision is necessary for the Treasur Dept; and at no time since the beginning of the Government has that Dept had more need of an efficient body of clerks than it has now. The foreign trade of the country is just commencing anew after the war under a system of duties that must necessarily be high. The questions arising under internal duties, which are very extensive and require a great many assessors and collectors and vi 'lant officers, are thrown upon the Treasury Tdept. All. the accounts for money coming into the Treasury and money paid out are settled at the Treasury Dept according to the system established by Alexander Hamilton, and no Secretary since his day has attempted materially to change the system. All moneys cominginto the Treasury are paid in the Treasury upon warrant, and all moneys paid out are paid upon warrant; and it is necessary for the SecyTreesury to have an able and efficient and sufficient corps of clerks to discharge the duties. The Government never can understand and know that these officers are faithful unless they have a Secretary over them in whom they can confide and trust with such confidence as is proposed by this amendment. I understand that they have been organizing for years past an Internalrevenue Bureau, extensive in officers, extensive in new it: al questions and new regulations. Our condition is such that of course it was impossible.to have experts in that busi iiess and the only way was to train them up, and they must obtain knowledge and become experienced in that branch by intercourse with the other branches of the Treasury Depart meat. I am sorry for the distrust that is manifested and expressed in relation to the SecyTreasury. [ knew him in the State of Indiana, where he had the reputation ofbeing an honest man, and [have never heard anything to the contrary. I believe he is discharging his duties to the best of his skill and ability, and I think it is the interest of the nation now that he should have not only the confidence of the President, but the confidence of Congress and the confidence of the country. I can hardly be said to belong to the government partly, though I have always been a Union man, and raised my voice and made what efforts I could to preserve the unity of the country. But if I were otherwise, and if I came here to fill a place, I would not cripple the Government in any of its Depts by depriving it of the ability and the capacity to make a fair and honest administration of that Dept. I think we can fairly trust this matter to the SecyTreasury. I think the majority should have confidence in him. I wish they had larger confidence and more trust in the South tian they seem to have. I have not quarreled with them because they differed with me. I would not cripple the Government in any of its Depts or any of its operations so as thereby to bring it into disgrace. I think it very singular if we should refuse its authority because the Secretary may have made a political speech which is distasteful to us. I think it very likely that I should not have made such a speech, one which, it is said, called congress in question; but I will not for that rea Ison cripple him in the management of his Dept. I think it is unfortunate for the country that Congress has differed with the President; but still it is the Government of the U.S.; it is the Administration of the Union party who have suppressed this rebellion, and who look to the conciliation and restoration of those States; and I hope and trust we shall not let a little distrust ot the SecyTreasury induce us to cripple a most important dept of Government. liy, sir, the NewYork brokers and dealers can furnish arguments proand conin relation to the sale of this go] that it would take Congress to sit and decide the right and jus tice of it as long as we have been settling about admitting the southern States, and we should come, I suppose, to about just as satisfactory a conclusion among onrselves that we have now in relation to the SecyTreasury. I trust that on reflection the Senate will see the necessity of passing this amendment and utting the SecyTreasuryin a condition to discharge his duties faithfully, honestly, and successfully.