Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-02-14
IN SENATE FEBRUARY 9.

After the readlng oil MI Cdilouh> lePoit oh
Executive patronage, Mr.. Poindexter made a
most able and eloquent speech in reference to
the Administration. He was followed, in re-
ply, by Mr.. King of Georgia.
Mr.. Benton (who, in his anxiety 10 gain the
floor, had risen several times before MIR. King
had sat DOWN said, he was dissenting mem
Der Of the committee; and he would show how,
and why he dissented from the Report It's OBJ
iect is TO shew the great increase which had
taken place in the expenditures; and IN this
respect he cordially concurred with the laoors
ofthe Chairman OF the committee, as 10 the ma
tional utility of bringing before the country, Pc
riodically, view Of the extent OF ofncerS EN-.
ployed, in order TO see II any thihS hao occurreu
which might be retrenched.
While. however ne concurred with the Report,
in believing that the expenditure had increased,
within period Of or years, beyond the
proportion in which il ought to have done
while he agreed with it, in the necessity OF re-
ducing TO the lowest possible point the number
ofnersons employed he regretted that it did
. moi come within the scope of the report to show
how il happened that this increase IN the eXpen-
6itures had taken place in so short period oil
time; for, without saying who was or was not 10
blame the Report ought at least to have point
ed out to the American people what realiy was
the root and the source OF the evil.
When they shall read what is truly stated,
that tie expenditure is increased; that the num-
Der of persons vino feed out OF the puoiic CITY
is increased, il is due TO them to be informed
from what sources all this has arisen; that they
nav know where to lay the reforming hand. he
regretted moreover that it did not come within
the scope of the Report to point out the source
of the evil because if it had done this, with that
precision which such document ought 10 nave
had, it would have placed before the country as
il were an open map, by which more correct
view might have been had OF the whole supJect
in question.
What, he would ask were the principle OBJ
;ects of expenditure in 1884? Was it not well
known to have been the system oil INTERNAL I'M
movements? This it was which had swollen
the expenditure in that year, this system II was
which had taken up $4,000 in surveys, and
other similar operations Congress made it
animportant part of its business to direct the
construction of sea walls, TO cause roads to be
made. and other objects which had brought eX-
ira thousands into employment under the gene
raj government.
What was another object and source OF pub
lie expenditure? Was not the pension act
very considerable one, which had OF sudden
called into existence an army CT $4,000 warri-
ur,a ,uoh on army Washington never saw or
heard of when fighting the battles OF his coun-
try but which, as soon as pensions were 10 De
distributed, started up into sudden existence,
like the earth born men of the Theoian Cad
mus. He did not mean to say that all those VINO
obtained pensions were absolutely OF this cha
racter, but certainly most OF them were
In 1882 and 1888 millions were absorbed In
this expenditure, and II the report were sulereo
TO 90 forth in silence on this SUBJECT TINS eXpen
dit1re would be made to appear as protusion
into which this administration had fallen. 1.-THE
report had touched the SIS, 000 II It had shown
the origin and source OF this expenditure, then
il would have operated like the touch OF ma
gic wand then the people would have seen what
was the real cause of the profusion; then they
fhn n "
pense, and by what means it happened that
more than hundred thousand were now re-
cciyine feed from out OF the public CRIB; then
the people would learn who they were to whom
they ought to turn their eyes tor responsibility,
whom they were to whom they ought to look
for retrenchurent They would discover that il
was Congress, to whom they ought to look, and
then to Congress they would look.
Another source of increased expenditure Is
the removal of the Indians; but here, (said MIR,
By acuuit Congress of all blame; this great
act constitutes the pride and immortal glory oil
the President; he, by the irmness and boldness
of his policy, has lifted up this heavy incubus
from off the southern States. Let the Senator
from Mississippi (Mr. Poindexter)know to whom
the prosperity of his State is due, how it is that
she will send ten representatives TO Congress,
where before she only sent one Let himknowthat
il is because the Indians who occupied, AS were
a garden of paradise in that State have been
removed by the wisdom and policy of the Presl-
dent. Let him (Mr Poindexter) claim for the
President the honor and glory of that measure
Let him learn by this in what terms to speak oil
the President. Let him know how this President
found Mississippi sending only one representa-
tive, and he only, he, he, he, alone (said Mr.
b. removed the incumbrance that pressed hea-
Wy upon it, and lifted up the weight by the re-
moval of which il now assumes stand OF equal
dignity and importance with its sister States
Mr. B. went on to say, that 70 same President
were the southern States indebted for much of
their prosperity; and as far as the public money
had been expended in the removal OF Indian
tribes, he claimed for the present administra-
ton the glory and honor of bringing the States
into responsibility. For the last four or five
wears the administration had brought forward
the policy ofpaying the Indian tribes the full val
ne of their lands; and, while the vengeance of
heaven had been invoked upon the President,
our statue book would show that he had come
forward with the policy of paying the Indians
every farthing that their land was worth
There was another expenditure for which he
did not claim the credit. 1t was known that