1094 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
during his lifetime and has provided means for feeding them during the 
ages, bringing a kind of food that is cheap to their doors. There is hardly 
a stream of any importance in America that is not now stocked with 
fish, and you find it on the tables of the poor and the rich everywhere. 
He has provided a great industry, more important than any other man 
has done in the United States, and by his sacrifice, according to the 
testimony here. I repeat, he gave up his own house to it, gave up 
everything, and left his family poor. ' 
I think the poor will sympathize with them and will be willing to 
reward any man who will do a tenth part of this. The masses of the 
people, I say, would vote ten times this amount to any man who will 
confer a tenth of this benefit on them. And Iam glad that the peo- 
ple do watch what is being done here. I want them to watch this act. 
I want the people to know that Congress has been just in this respect 
and has appreciated the great blessing that has been conferred upon 
them by the efforts and the genius of this man. 
Mr. Cau. I do not propose to detain the Senate, but I am not 
content to give my vote on this amendment without one or two 
statements. 
The Senator from Arkansas [Mr. Berry] said that the Senator from 
Florida had stated that we had the power to make a donation of any 
amount that we pleased. 1 did make that remark to the Senator from 
Tennessee [Mr. Harris]. I did not, however, say that we could right- 
fully exercise the power to make a gift without some object, some 
sound public policy, to sustain it. , 
I apprehend there is not a Senator on this floor who does not 
acknowledge that Congress has the power. Whether it is rightfully 
exercised or not is another question. But who is to prevent? If the 
two Houses of Congress make the appropriation the money must be 
paid. Is not that power, I ask the Senator from Arkansas, whether | 
it is rightfully exercised or not, if the Constitution of the United 
States has not referred it to the sovereign judgment of Senators who 
represent the States, and the people’s Representatives, not for one 
Congress, but for every recurring Congress, to decide when and how 
and for what purpose the money in the Treasury shall be appropriated ? 
To Congress alone, with the President, is committed the power and 
duty of deciding whether or not an appropriation of money is within 
the limitations of the Constitution. 
Now, I say that this Government can make no appropriation of 
money which is not a gift or grant. It does-not operate by contract. 
“Who ever heard of the Government saying you shall or shall not do 
this unless you agree to it? Why, look at your Constitution here. 
Congress shall have power to do this, Congress shall have power to do 
the other—not by consent. What is power? Power is mandatory. 
It commands; and when Congress says ‘‘Be it enacted that so much 
