Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-02-13
Twenty-fifth ComgreSs---9d sess
,oCC17U 0E NR WRIGHT- Of NEW YORK,

Il
SPEECH OF MR.. WRlGHr,uf New YORK,
IN SENATE-WEuxEspAY, Jan. 81, 1875
Ioon e bill "to impose additional duties as dcpos.tortes
upon certain public ccers, TO appoint uens
raj of Public Money, aad to regulate me sate
transfer and disbursement Of Tie public moneys ct The
U. Suites
Mr. WRIGHT said he regretted that 1t would De ne.
cessary for him TO impose more severe TAX upon te
time and patience of the Senate than he had ever oe'oe
been compelled to impose since he had been honoled
With seat in the body. He had hoped therefore, That
he should have been able reach the subject at an ear
lier hour in the mornings but as 1t was ne "ouo en-
deavor to conclude with the sitting the gay.
He said he entered upon the debate win the Pahlu'
consciousness of his inability to do justice TO the posi-
ton he held reference to the measure upon Inc aoe
The discussion of it involve questions OF Inc hSh'
est Importance in politics. OF inc mos. pefraug
est in finance and he thought, of equa magnitude ~
the morals Of Government These questions were 70 De
discussed deberated upon, and decided oy 'he SENATE
and upon him had fallen the duty oil opening such oe
bate before that high tribunal
Cond he cali TO his aid talents experience, learning,
powers of argument, and Perspcuy OF language such
as were possessed aud at the command of many OF e
distinguished Senators whom he knew ne must meet III
opposition 10 the bill, he should feel gratifying conn
dence that he could contend successfully and could tr
umphantly refute every Objection AS II was he was
consoed by the reflection that he should be i"'"ea ~
the debate by other Senators rqiaily ah!r end equally
DISTINGUISHED and who wuu only have occasion to ask
of him that he should not nlH'r cause "Ech must 'est
its defence with them. He wonld most eh'erGiy pro-
mise them that lie would not Intentionally throw "bsa'
ces in their way-anh he would enIrat The Seia'e 10
;udue of the bill from its provisions, which he consider
ed sound and saluary and not IRON The weaknesses hey
would fail 10 discover in his attempt to support them
Justice TO himself required another preliminary re-
mark But few mouths had passed since they were
engaged there in the discussion Of this same measure or
rather perhaps he should say OF measure precisely
similar in its great Leading features 10 that discussion
he had taken par and if he should be found upon tins
occasion repealng iLrns and ng 9uInsnts which he
b,d hon al need
sought in the identity Of the subjects, und not IN dis
position on his part, trouble the Senate nos with re-
marks TO which they had cncr doae him the honor to
listen.
He said the bill was based upon two great leading
principles and that all its provisions, detailed and nu
merous as they were, became ssary, IN the Juog
ment Of the committee, 10 carry 'h"se principles sue
cessfuy into practice. These principles wcrc-
First practical and tona tiGc separation between
the public treasure the money Of the People, and the
business of individuals aud interpretations and especial
ly between this money and the business oil banking
Second gradual change .: the currency 10 De re-
ceived in payment oil the public dues li" that auh"r;Z
ed to be received by the resolution OF Congress Of oG
TO the legal currency Of the United States.
The material details of The bil applicable TO each Of
these Objects would be his duty TO notice. and as The
task mus, be tedious and uDnerrsling I" him, and much
more 80 10 The Senate he would a5rJge II as much as
Justice TO the measure would permit
As applicable TO the first object The bill commenced
with the establishment of Offices aud vaults at desgn"t
ed points Tor the safe keeping o. the pu!c money The
FIRST section defined and established The treasury OF the
United States and placed under the care and charge
of the Treasurer Of the United States; md singular
il had Appeared him. aud he thought 1t would APP
pear to mos, of the constituents OF every Senator, 'h's
the first attempt, S" tar rs ms researches laa eha
bled him to discover, establish by law National
Treasury Should this bill pass, and this section should
be retained he was cnrdent would be The first act vi
the Congress of the United States which had given
name, but ga local habltat"n to inns most import
ant institution. As the object Of the bill is to place The
funds of the Government hereafter under tue con'r"
of the public Treasury, and not q" private banking IN.
sttutions il SEEMED to the committee peculiarly proper
Ihat its first enactment should be TO define and establish
that Treasury.
The second section constituted the mint at Philadel
pha and the branch mint at New Orleans also places fer
the deposi,e and safe keeping of The public nancy ca"
Iected al those places, transferred TO them by the d.
rec,on of the Secretary Of the Treasury The lr'asn
rrrs of the minis respectively assigned to the charge
and custody of the money there deposited
The third section directed the preparation of suitable
offices and vaults in the custom houses erecting IN
New York and Boston, for the depnse and safe keeping
of the public money those points and Tor the use OF
officers TO have the custody Of the public moneys; and
the fourth section provided for the erection OF two nde
penden Offices and vaults for the same purpose; the one
to be located Charleston, in the State OF South Earo
linz and the other at ST. Louis, in the State OF Missouri
II would not require my remark from HIM to satisfy
the mind Of every Senator of the proprey ct selecting
the seat of Government the place of location for Tie
National Treasury that the points ne had named up
on the Atlantic coast, as well as New Orleans, we're
places where important portions OF the public revenue
were collected, and from which so great snare oil lne
nube disbursements now in fact, made, or could
be made with increased convenience 10 The Treasury
and to the public creditors, 10 render them al! proper
places for the location Of Offices for the sale Keeping OF
the public money, in any such othces were To be
provided at the public expense owned by the Govern
ment and kept in the charge of its officers Another
reason also existed and which was conclusive with
the committee us to the selection of Washington Phi
!adelohn New Orleans, New York and Boston. Pub.
lie buildings of hreproof character we're already
erected or being erected, at the public expense
and for the public USE all Of those places, in which
sufficient roons Offices and vaults, for the purpose con.
templaed could be secured without any material addl-
ton to the expense incurred, and to be incurred upon
the buildings II also his duty TO inform the Senuie
.hot since The bill reported the committee had learn
ed that the Government now owned cos'onlh"use at
Charleston and that the information possessed at the
Treasury Department authorized the belief that suitable
rooms for Offices could be had in that buildIng thus rem
derng necessary construct vault only, instead OF
m indepen office the bill contemplated, at that
place He had prepared an amendment 10 the bill, TO
make it conform this state of facts, which he would
send 10 the Chair before he resumed his seat
As to the selection Of St. Louis, some diversity ct
opinion might exist; but the committee had Rxed upon
that place because, from all information they had been
able collect they believed II 10 be the point from
which the principal part OF heavy disbursements
MON the Westera frontier were made. They were IN
formed that very large proportion of The money PAID
and 10 be paid annually, TO the Indians West OF the
Mississippi and the principal part of the disburse mens
a the ysrous military posts upon the Western frontier
were received by the various dsbursng officers at this
town; and thet therefore, large accumuat'ons Of public
money were rendered necessary al this point TO meet
fhese payments This seemed to them to require an Of
Zee for safe keeping, and officer or agent OF The 10
ernment of Kind there; and the place "as select
= more perhaps in consequence oil the heavy d'sonse
made from than the amount o! collections al it,
oents inflammation was that the money collected at