Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-23

lars accordingly almost wholly expanded IN
articles of daily household utility. In the course
of the session. motion was made for a committee
Co inquire into the cNpedcncy. nj that time, OF nm
ishing and furnishing the public buildings AS lar
as the Presidents House WAS concerned, this mo-
ton had especial reference TO the large Eastern
Room, which had never been furnished. This mo- !
ton, take leave 10 say, was made without any
knowledge agency on the part OF the occupant OF
that House, or any of his family Tho Committee,
thus raised went to the Preside n House TO satisfy
themselves, by actual inspection. of its situation. .
in respect TO furniture. Though one Of the Com
mittee, was myself prevented by Illness from at
tending TO that duty. They found, Of course, the
large room empty, with the exception of few
chair frames, without Seats and in every part OF
the House want Of furniture, required, not for
elegance and luxury, but for comfort. They
then directed two artisans TO examine the preini-
ses and estimate the expense Of furnishing them.
Tor the large room, two estimates were given
In, one amounting Co twenty thousand dollars,
and the other TO sixteen thousand dollars; while
the only estimate for the residue OF the House
ten thousand dcars. The Committee re-
ported a gross sum of twenty five thousand dol
lars, 10 furnish The EastcrO Room, TO supply the
deficiency OF furniture in other parts of the
House, and 10 make slight repairs. In this
estimate, neither the President oil the y. States,
nor any member OF the family, had directly or in
reciiy, the least agency. The gentleman, there
fore. is wholly mistaken, in saying that the Ad-
ministration asked foS this now appropriation.
When the bill was before the House, the gen
tcnan from North Carolina, {! think) moved to
strike out-t the of $4,000 dollars. No friend
of the Administration said word in favor Of re-
tanning it. On the contrary, gentleman from
Ohio Mr.. Beechcrl made motion TO reduce 1t TO
FIVE thousand dollars gentleman from Georgia,
now its Governor, MIR. Forsyth opposed the mo
ton Of the gentleman from North Carolina, on the
ground that though it was mistaken policy, lin
which 1 entirely concur with hm) TO provide the
President lodging at the public expense, yet,
having done so, it ought to be decently furnished.
Another gentleman also in opposition, Mr. Cam
brelengl expressed the same sentiment, and the
appropriation was retained.
Notwithstanding the mode in which it took
place, mighty clamor against the President
arose throughout the country The estimates of
the upholsterers were diifused through the Cppo-
ston press. The hard, suspicious, French names
cffurnitue employed by these artisans, were found
significant Of corruption; and it was declared to be
the affair OF tie President and his political friends
Sir, no man is above public opinion; and 10 mat
fer is SO small that IL may not furnish sufficient
iulcrum for moving the greatest masses. The
odium excited by this small matter intense
and yielding to it, did, at the next session of Con-
greS, move to reduce the appropriation from
25,00U dollars for not a cent had been drawn
from the Treasury TO 5000 dollars sum ade-
1uate To pay for what had already been bought or
contracted for The friends of the administration in
the House were blamed for yielding to that
clamor: but, whoever will revert TO the IA
NOUS letter in the Richmond Enquirer-a
gross fabrication from beginning 20 end, but art
fully calculated for effect-and take this in con-
nexion with the outrageous clamor which per-
yaded the country on the same subject, will ad
nit that took the proper course
There is another matter in this connection, TO
which feel bound to advert, as the gentleman
from North Carolina has never especially referred
to me on the subject. In engaging In their du-
ty, in reference to the furnishing of the public
buildings, the Committee thought, while so large
an additional appropriation was proposed, that 1t
would be satisfactory 10 the House to know in
what way the former usual appropriation had been
avfut iad VhaUf sfpH fha Priv ITO
Secretary of the President (who, they understood,
had been employed in experimenting the furnish
ing of the house) to give them a statement Of
what had been bought. This ne accordingly did.
And, among the items continued in the inventory,
were billiard table, costing $780, some of the APP
puFtenanccs to it, and a set OF chessmen. Now,
Sir, il may have been remarkable obtuseness Of
moral sentiment, on the part Of the Committee,
but it 50 happened, that no alarm taken by
them at these dangerous iticles. The inventory
was reported to the House, with the other papers
accompanying the bill. Forthwith, | have al
ready said, portentous cutlery arose. The mat
FER was taken up with all the energy of the press
the President was denounced the corrupter of
the youth of the country; the articles themselves
were declared to be parts of a splendid gambling
eSabli shment the Administration was represented
as a set (not merely politically but morally of
desperadoes and debauches, and the Presidents
House as the of their orgies Columns OF
this ioathsome cant filled the newspapers. In due
time, the gentleman from North Carolina called
the attention of the House TO the subject. L do
not say he did it IN offensive terms for really do
not recoilect what he said about It. His com
ment had however, the effect OF giving sanction
to what had been said already elsewhere.
Now Sir, what was the President TO do? Mel
Their he, nor any one else, have just said, is
above public opinion: he is, the contrary, more
powerfully subjected TO it than any other person,
for the reason that his station gives greater mpor
TANGO TO his actions. The account was not yet
settled at the Treasury. The statement submitted
to The Committee nothing but the account Of
the Presidents Private Secretary, Gan officer
not known to the Government with the fund.-
IL waa necessary to settle an account with the
Treasury. In doing so, ii was necessary for the
President to charge either the public himself
with every article in the statement already rem
dcred. II was necessary that he should either
allow or disaliow the particular items in question.
He chose the latter. lie had right so TO do; he
was right in doing so. Ifthe opponents to the
Administration chose (ns they did, TO make great
matter out of this small one, it the duty of the
President to lis friends, to take from their oppo-
ncnts this ground Of attack. He did so; and paid
for the obnoxious articles himself. The public
dill not pay for them.
But shall be told that there still remains A.
rainst the President the high charge of having
these articles however paid for) in his possession
The opinion which may be formed Of the immo |
Tity Of this act, will vary according to associa-
fions. ! myself have been bred up in the bosom
Of viriuous community; one in which, II is sup
rosed something Of the strickness OF the Pilgrim
Fathers may yet be traced in the morals OF their
DIES .endants. 1 think may say that, with them, |
10 horror is felt this subject Among my friends,
neighbors and constituents there are several who,
deeming this relaxation not merely innocent, but
a healthful exercise, when the weather does NOT
permit exercise abroad, have the means Of en- |
ia. fheir drra