Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-07-13

vile press, bloated and swollen with
Government patronage. stigmatizes them
as 'reprieved debtors.' Mr. Speaker,
should this hired scrbbler,' Francis p.
Blair, ever venture into that district,
do not believe that the People,
whom he has thus basely slandered,
would consent to defle their hands by
touching him; but they would cast upon
him scornful and whitening look of
honest and Just Indignation, which
would give to his visage more cadave-
rous aspect than it even now has. But
who is this man who thus impudenty
arrays himself against the People .
Why, sir, he is himself 'reprieved
debtor of the very bank he is every day
reviling. Do gentlemen require proof !
The files of this House furnish it. A
paper reportedor filed by one of the COM
mittees ofthis House shows that this same
Francis p. Blair, VIII owas brought here
from Ffankfort.in the state of Kentucky,
owed the Bank Of the United States the
sum of $50, 744 SO. 1t is true that only a
part of this sum was his own debt; never
theless, on his own account, and as secu-
rity for others, he was debtor to that
bank, on the Both day eff November,
lS3O, for the whole amount of the sum
which | have mentioned. Did he pay
it, No, sir. Does he yet owe it! No,
sir. How was he discharged? He
compromised, ifthe terms on which he
was released are justly entitled to be
called compromise. What were those
terms? Why he held clerks fee bill,
amounting to S37 AZ, and note on a
gentleman by the name of Gratz for
$500, say together, S237 AZ, which he
gave up to the bank, and was released
from S2O,74l 3G!-Now sir, 1 think
Francis p. Blair may Justly be called a
'reprieved debtor
Such settlement proves that Blair
was utterly insolvent at the close of the
year 1880. If his insolvency was occa-
stoned by misfortune, he should be pitied
rather than condemned on that account.
OF the circumstances of his failure, |
am ignorant. l refer to his insolvency
for what | esteem a perfectly just pur-
pose in this debate. We find him
f brought to Washington, in 1881, and
employed as the publisher or editor OF
the Globe, which is made the govern.
ment press. We soon see streams OF
patronage flowing in upon him from all
f the executive departments. The extent
and character of this patronage I
have before alluded to. In a brief
space of time we see him living and en-
tertaining extensively, and going all the
rounds of the court society at Washing
ton. If MIR Blair had no connection
with this government patronage, he
might do all this, and no man would be
justified in alluding to or commenting
on it. 1t is high prerogative of every
freeman to do with his own as he pleases.
But, MIR. Speaker, the sudden change in
the fortunes of Mr. Blair, connected as
he is with Executive patronage, his
single leap from insolvency to wealth
lmpel me to inquire if there is not some
thing rotten in Denmark Upon the
{ whole, sir, | think his case most strong
ly illustrates the necessity of passing the
resolution now under consideration, and
if possible, making total separation Of
the newspaper press from the govern
ment.
At all events, if this shall be found
impractlcable, we can at least destroy
the pet system Of exclusive favoritism. by
inviting competition, and giving the
contract TO the lowest bidder as the
reforming report of the gentleman from
New York (Mr Cambreleng) and his
, friends induced the people to believe
, would be done. When the retrench.
, ment resolutions, which produced the
| famous report already mentioned, were
Fl under consideration, the friends of the
3 then administration denied the existence
, OF any abuse, but invited investigation
2 and the resolutions passed almost unani.
| mously. Now, however, when the re.
: formers are in power, and an investiga'
ton is proposed, they admit the existence
, of the evils referred to in the resolution
. but resist the inquiry, because, as they
allege, the abuse cannot be corrected!
4 The gentleman from New Hampshire
: Mr. Cushman) may deem this end i'm
practicable-I do not. l would rather
r follow the example of the gallant Colone
: Miller, (of the gentlemans own State,
2 who, when ordered Oh perilous service
!. on the Niagara frontier, during the wal
: of 1912, did not say it was impractcable
but said, I'll try, SIR to the command
e ing General. lie did try, and he sue
ceeded. The achievement not only
4 rendered essential service at that crisis