Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-02-15
up, in this House, if Mr.. Tazewell had been Sec


Of the Secretary of State have spoken and
will speak as believe he merits. lie Is pow
er constitutonalIy connected with the execu-
tive; but now. like the parasite plant under smell
ter Of the oak has creps. and c'asPed' anu woaha
itself around the trunk, spre above splre, anui IL
overtops the Hottest branch of the magnificent
tree. The leaves of the ivy will soon conceal
those of the oak and, unless the ins'dlous plant
be removed, render it sapless trunk.
The gentleman recommends us to charity.
Christian charity Where does he learn, that
the delinuuencies of Rulers are to be visited only
in charitys While the Messenger of divine char
ity wept over the coming ruin of his nation, did
he not severely rebuke those Rulers, that gene
ration of vipers, singing and poisoning that ma
ton, and fastening on that destruction.
Sir, we are charitable. The people have look
ed on in charity. Charity has done her utmost.
Her "mantle has covered multitude of slns;"
but the brood has multiplied and increased IN
size, and outgrown the covering
1t is humiIitating. but must reply to the gen
tIeman from New-York. For myself. would
let him pass. 1t is kind Of Domitian amuse-
ment, this killing flies with a bodkin. Gladly
would say, with the commiseratlOn OF Uncle
Toby, to the little buzzing Inconvenience, (when
have him in my hand &c, poor insect go;
the world is surely wide enough for thee and me- :"
have some apology for giving some attention
to the speech of the gentleman from Newly ork.
The place, however it may be filled, does give
a kind of character to what is said or done in it.
No matter how utterly inconsiderabe, or even
contemplate person may be, whenever con-
stitutonal portion of the people has placed him at
one of these desks, replying to what he may have
said though it may not be very creditable,
be excusabe, in any Member of this House.
The Romans were won't to place ,pooden image
in their gardens, as the special protector OF the
place; and Horace has related to us the soiloquy
of one of these Roman deities, wherein he gives
some account of his own apotheosls: 81 mas, y
said the Priapus, 81 useless log. unfiithe cape-
ter took me in hand; bit he has worked me up
into godr' The people of New-York can sure
" turn out as good work as the Roman carpen-
ter.
We are by this learned and hon. gentleman
reproacheG for want of magnauimity; and are
told that no objection, for any such cause, was
made by him and his party to any appropriation
The true difference between his and our efforts
will be found in this: we labor to Saue money
from illegal and useless appropriaton;he labored
to abuse those who had, in pursuance OF legal
and useful appropriation, honestly paid it away.
What were the doings ofths magnanimous gen.
tleman in committee of which he was remark
able member? Here is the record-book of that
committee. have selected, as an ordinary sam
pie of this gentleman's labors Of retrenchment,
four cases, and will trouble the House with few
quotations, and few remarks upon them.
On the 25th April, 1928, the Committee bein e
in session.
"The Chairman then stated to the Committee
that he felt his duty to mention that citizen now
a resident of this District, had inquired of him
whether, in any Of the accounts of the contingent
expenses of the Government, the United States
were debited with the sum of five thousand five
hundred dollars, paid to the late Daniel P. Cook,
late Representative in Congress, from the State
of Illinois, for certain diplomatic services, upon
which Mr.. Cook was supposed to have been sent
abroad during the last summer"
1.-The Chairman stated that he did not feel at
liberty to communicate the name OF his informant
but in regard to the purport of the communica-
ton he felt no such reserve, and it was for the
Committee to make such order on the statement
as they might deem proper
cit was, on motion of MIR. Cambreleng,
Resolved, That the Committee consider the
communication"
Sir, this Committee, under this resolution,
sent for witnesses; honorable members of both
houses anu the fOSttndsltT-oeHcIdi Wtit Cdiltu
before them. Why not call for the man himself,
for Daniel P. Cook, against whom this anonymous
information had been made? He was dead
The man at whom the gentleman from New York
magnanmously aimed his arrow. slept quietly in
the green bosom of his own beloved Illinois. The
voice of the nameless informer. embodied by the
resolution of the gentleman, though it might pol
lutte every threshold, and violate the harmony of
every house in the nation, could not reach the
sanctuary, Or interrupt the repOse of the tomb
Permit me to speak word concerning Daniel P.
Cook; because every man who hears me did not
know him as many of us did who sat in this
House with him. He was man whom the gen.
tie man from NewYork would probably not call a
genius; but his mind of that cast & capacity in
the transaction of human affairs, to which every
man would wish to commit the management of
his own. His sense was that of the every day in
tercourse of men; and would pass, like the most
precious. or most useful metals, wherever such
commodity could be in request. A man, in
whatever may be required of manhood; child
in all that sngeness of heart and purity of pur-
pose. which render childhood so amiable. With
those wbo knew him well. he had so fixed him