Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-06-02
From the N.tional Inte!li.enecr.


committee OF the whole, upon the bill making
appropriations for furnishing the Presidents
House, and to carry on the Public Buildings.
The question being on that part which appro-
PIRATES twenty-five thousand dollars to furnishing
the PRESIDENTS house,
Mr.. Carson said, am sorry, Mr.. Chairman, to
trouble the committee with solitary remark upon
tins subject, but OF duty impels me to do 90
and from this duty shall not shrink Before
can vote Tor the appropriations for the Presidents
faiace, must know who il Is that will disburse
the money, as well as for what particular kind OF
furniture IL is 10 Se expended.
II will be recolleced, Mr.. Chairman that, at the
last session O: congress, fourteen thousand dollars
Were appropriated Tor this particular purpose This
sum- as appears from the documents before US was
placed, by order OF the President under the control
OF bis son, MIR. John Adams, IT.; and how was it
expended! why, sir, the gentleman from Georgia,
(Nlr. forsYth) has said, that " there are items in
the account rendered which he could have wished
mad been kept in the dark and never brought 10
iISht and he had to regret that they are now placed
on the public records of this house" !, too MIR.
Chairman, regret that there are such records, and
more especially regret that such disposition should
nave been made OF the public money confided 10
the president. again ask how was this money
expended! solicit the indulgence of the com
'nittee' whilst repeat few of the items as fur
nished IN the official report of Mr. John Adams ir
Item :" TO l.. Kervand, FOR billiard table $50 90
70 D. +. Pomroy, FOR billiard balls, &c 90
10 z. Thompson. for chess-men, % 5O''
sc. &c. Is it possible, Mr.. Chairman to believe.
hat IL ever was intended by congress- that the pub
Tic money should be applied 10 the purchase of
gambling tables and gambling furniture, And if
Is right to purchase billiard tables and cbessen
why mol purchase, also, pharo banks nj, ving
cards race horses, and every other ,,ecesSor,,
afueie 10 complete system of .ami,li,s =, ,L@a
president palace, and let it at once be unors,on
oy 'he people that this is most sDIen5;d oo,,
oftHS administration: ''
MT Charman such conduct in the chief ,,a,r;
u"'e .! tn'S nation, Is enough to shock and alarm
.i'e me moral, and the rejecting part ot
~ oU'.'iS' especially when we see SUCH an
administration attempting 10 reyolutionize ,La
cathoiic religion in South America. and n,o,,,,,1
Su'e the THe doctrines Of our Saviour. nv sard;r,,
ministers TO Panama. But Mr.. Cb,ir,,s, ,ta.
are other Items in the account rende,aI It;at 7
DO not July comprehend. ''''>''
he items tor the single article of INV coo,s
g",11hsS 20 atP'0ards Of t0enty- screen tboysopS
aot"IS. " nat part of the furniture, Mr.. Chair
that ~%s ms: not Competing, sir, for discover
'"at article under its proper name.
IT'S most obvious, Mr.. Chairman ,ba. ,b ro.-
'eeh thousand dollars have been expended in ,no.
c''' "0F0ul0Ty manner, and we are no,, c.IIol
uPo" 10 add twenty-five thousand ,nore TO-
nTn
1ne' SH' can never vote for any further sum. nnt
nave an assurance that it will not be expended
LOT .ne purpose OF completing the gambling ar.
engagements OF the palace "
But SIR let j, not be said that CHARGE the n-s.
sident OF the United States with being ramt,a.
would only be understood as saying, tRa, these
are p articles made use offor that purpose.
before, however, the vote is taken uno, ,l;s
SUBJECT let me again ask the attention of tho Co,-
,,.'ee' 10 the letter of MIR. John Adams If. in the
conclusion OF his report. He saws, in ren6sr;n,
,h account 1t may not be i'm proper to remark
.''as .ne expenditures have GHheen made with an
:. , nH" an eye to the strictcst econon,vy Item
n D ~ table, S5O''-item, " chess-men, s2s
~ % LET all has been expended ,cith ON enc 10
, "a sfy7etesf economy Sir, there is no doubt hui
nose articles are considered cheap by that eenIs
man. But If this be economy, / for orc
disposed 10 appropriate any more of the pubIic
money ior such economical purposes. hope this
part oil the bill will be stricken out.