Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-09-29

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ALSO, that he report. so far as now ms.
certalned, the amount of specie received
by the Government since the LIST Gay of
OF May last; the sources from whence de.
rived, and the amount from each the
regulations under which the same, or any
part thereof, has been disbursed the pcr.
sons TO whom paid, and the sums 10 each
the amount now on hand, and where depos
ited also, whether. since the date above,
he public dues, or any portion thereof, have
been received in protested drafts. or any
funds other than those prescribed by the
JOINT resolution Of April 80, l336"
Mr.. Biddie said that, although he could
not oppose the amendment LAID upon the
table Of the House on Thursday by the
honorable gentleman from Virginia, it had
disturbed the simplicity which he desired
his proposition TO wear. He wanted
plain answer TO plain question. The
Secretary ought to be able to state in
few words, his principle of discrimination
without the delay which would attend the
preparation tables, &c. On that answer
Mr.. BIS. own course with regard to pay
would turn. He would not accept sny
thing as boon which the Secretary might
give or withhold at pleasure. He would
not dare to carry home to his generous and
confdng, but high spirited and INTEL gent
constituents, bags Of specie thus acquired
He knew what those constituents had suf
Tered; he knew what was before them and
their families during the next dreadful,
dreadful winter. How, then, could he
have the heart to enter their workshops
and their manufactures TO tell them exul
'lngly that Congress could not contrive 10
do any thing for their relief, bu, that he
bad, through the kindness of an Executive
oHcer, managed to fill his own pockets
and that he was soon going back to reap
another golden harvest.
Mr.. Han,er, of Ohio, observed that it
was not usual to enter into debate on
mere resolution of inquiry; but, as some
remarks had been made by the gentleman
from Pennsylvania, (Mr. BrppLE,) which
seemed to require slight notice, no should
trouble the House with a few words in
reply. He should take leave TO say that.
If the House adopted the resolution, the
Secretary of the Treasury would very
promptly reply to the inquiries it proposed
10 him, by saying whether the circular let,
ter published IN his name was authentic,
and 1t It was, what were his reasons for
addressing such letter to tho members of
Congress. But it did seem TO him tina, it
would have been no more than fair and
| candid in the gentleman if he had waited
tor the response of the Secretary before
he had undertaken to condemn him. The
gentleman. said Mr.. H., seems 10 take it
for granted that this is gratur,y, boon.
offered by the Secretary on his own 70.
spons'bII''y, and intended to induce the
members of Congress to perpc,uate the
existing stat" Of things in relation to the
currency. So far aIn from concurrlnr
with him. tina, have a better opinion of
The members Of this House than to believe
for one moment that the poor paltry per
centage which they might get through a
broker for the specie paid to them would
influence the course of any gentleman on
this floor. II could suppose that nv con-
s'ltuen,s believed 50 Of me, | would resign
my seat before the sun goes down. have
not, however, tho slightest objection to
the passage Of the resolution.
Mr. McKay said he would vote for the
resolution, but the gentleman had uccom>
panied 1t with some remarks, which Mr.
n. wished explained before they went to
the country. The gentleman had said
that this offer Of specie payment to mem.
oers was mere gratuitv on the part of The
Secretary, and intended to influence the
House in lis course Of legislation. But if
the gentleman had taken the trouble to
look into the law, he would have discover.
cd that the Secretary, in this step, was
smrly dschargng his Official duty. TMr.
M'h. here quoted the law Of 1886
TINS was the law now binding on oil the
Secretaries, aud It forbade he offer of any
thing but specie, or lis equivalent. Now.
members of Congress were out one class
OF the Pnb'lc creditors. Suppose the Sec
rotary should offer them their pay in bank
notes, IT those notes were convertible at
pleasure into specie, it would be according
to law, but not otherwise. The gentle
man had told the House that the States
were paid the debts due TO them in paper
at large discount. The gentleman was
mistaken. No State was under obligation
to receive its dues in any paper that was
not at par. And as to all the other classes
Of public creditors, the soldiers, and wild |
ows and orphans, of which the gentleman
had spoken so pathciica|ly. were they obi.
ged to accept any thing eIse' The law
applied equally to them. Mr., Mex. said
he understood that in New York the very
merchants who had thrown every possible
obstacle in the way Of Government, and
whose bonds had been extended, went for.
ward with their debenture certificates,
drew tho specie, and then turned round
and revlled the Government as bankrupt.
At New Orleans, it was the same: and
there the merchants had re.exporled their
goods to Havana. or some other neighbor-
ing port, with view Immediately to re.
import them and get tho benefit of the
credit allowed by law