WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1853
394
forward with the whole amount, and tacks on some .three or four hundred dollars· extra. Do you think the Secretary of the Interior did not know this when he made this report? I think he did. But he continues: "In no case, however, was anything claimed by Mr. Kennedy except for his individual personal expenses, which was stated to have been for the entire trip, :$1,469.75." That is the whole amount. What would be his proportion of that, is the question which arises. The Secretary does not touch this. But he continues: "It is proper to remark, in conclusion, that the leading facts above detailed were presented to Congress at the commencement of its present session, in my .annual report which accompanied the message of the President, as will be seen from the following extract therefrom : " 'Being desirous that this great national work should be rendered as perfect as possible in all respects, by the advice of the Census Board, I authorized Mr. Joseph C. G. Kennedy, the Superintendent of the Census, to visit Europe during the past summer for the purpose of examining the systems of statistics of most of the enlightened nations of the world.' " Then, after going on to describe the great importance of this investigation, the Secretary adds: "Mr. Kennedy was directed to inqufre into the measures which had been adopted by the most enlightened 1 nations of Europe for the development of their agricultural resources, and the agencies employed by them respectively for that purpose. "Upon all these points the report, which accompanies this communication, will afford much valuable information." It is a short report, but no doubt contains much in little. "The whole expense incurred by him in the performance of these important duties did not exceed $1,500, being no more than his actual personal expenses/' And this is given under the hanrl of "Alexander H. H. Stuart"; Alexander being the first name. When we look to Mr. Kennedy's statement of his expenses, we find the first item to be one for his traveling expenses from Washington to Liverpool, $171.50. Now, Mr. Collins says that in his steamers, Mr. Kennedy did not pay one cent for passage. Mr. Kennedy certifies that he did pay; Mr. Collins avers that he did not, and Mr. Whittlesey does not think he did. [Laughter.]
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