Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-06-23

AMI LEI Us haze peep behind the curtain? WHY
MI give US the names Of the thousands OF little
slo-irsas irers th1t hang in clusters around the
public CRIB, feasiing AMI E,ttcniny AMI revcliinp
on the peoples ,ney! Did he fcae that the
long black list Of defAuItng leechcs might darken
tor season the halo Of glory that recently SUI
rounded the ''illustrOus predecessor, and obscure
the yet gloomier paths Of the .succcssor!" O,
was he fearful that, by telling the whole TRUTH the
people might see how nearly this modern de,noc-
racy and public p!undcr and the 'spoils Of victo-
~" are convertible terms!
Mr.. Chairman. desire distinctly TO be under
stood; and here in my place, before the assembled
representatives of tho people, charge the fact
be, and challenge any gentlcman friendly to the
administration to deny, if he dare, and if he does,
will prove the charge from the record. that your
land Office receivers, in and ont Of Office have in
thcir hands the enormous of one million nine
hundred AM! fifty thousand dollars; that your de-
fanltiag castom-house officers not in Office,
but who have been fully SUBJECTED and given wav
tor fresh set, have in their hands the round sum
of one million four hundred and twenty-sevcn
thousand four hundred and ten dollars; making in
all, three million three hundred and seventv-seven
thousand four hundred and ten dollars. Nor, sir,
does this sum include the two thousand and more
OF dcfauliing postmasters; nor are the custom
house receivers now in office, who defauitcrs
I" the Government, and other receivers and dis
bursers Of the public revenue, embraced in this
innate; because the Scc-ctary Of the Treasury,
tor reasons best known to himself, has declined
10 give US the information. And, sir, that the
committee and this nation, may fully understand
the sube1tuges and shutting evasious Of the Sec
rotary OF The Treasury. in endeavoring to conceal
from Us the true condition Of those in office, and
the amount Of their dcfalcation, beg to refer the
committee to the resolution which passed the
House, on the motion Of the honorable gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Garland,) and which together
of he I hall
read IN support Of the charge, and for the edifi-
cation Of the committee. Here is the resolution
"kosoved, That the Secretary Of the Treasury
communicate to this House, as early in the next
session as practicable, the names of all receivers
repositories of the public money!
who are in default to the Government; the amount
81 such default; the length of time due; the secu
rity given, ifany; and how much has been, or will
likely be, lost; together with copy Of all
pondcncc upon the subject, from the first day Of
january 1884, TO this tune
This resolution was adopted at the extra session.
and It not only required the Secretary of the
Treasury TO send Us the names Of call receivers,
collectors, or repositories Of public money, who
are IN default" but to send above all the cor
respondence IN relation to the subject. | repeat,
SIR, the Secretary was ordered to inform Us s.who
arc IN default" The resolution was general, full
and comprehensive; requiring tho names Of all
who are in default" those in Office as we'll as
hose out Of Office. And sir, Instead Of complying
with the plain and simple meaning Of this reso-
luton. apparent upon its face, and which could
nave been understood by any schoolboy in my dis
riot OF ten years al age, he has sent us, for our
list Of pubic dcfauters, who were
not in Office on the 18th Of o. :aber, 1897! Not
'nc word, not one name, one lettc-. with ref 4.
orcnco TO thIse dcfaulters who are in Office And
IN order the moro effcctually to divert our .tten-
ton from tho true object Of the inquiry, and say
something which he supposed would satisfy my
friend from Virginia, (Mr. Garland,
who was curious to .know the tr1e coodiaion Of
these biPed sub-treasurers, no gives US in his re-
port the following most extraordinary reasons
lie says:
"But il will be seen that they do not include anv
cases connected with the Post office Department,
rs its concerns have usually been kept separate,
and are supposed not to be embraced in the per
view Of the resolution. For similar reasons, the
cascs OF disbursng officers, attached to the army
and navy, or to other departments, and tho cases
OF individuals, such as merchants and former pur-
chasers Of public lands, arc not included, though
tho Indebtedness Of many Of them may be very
great.''
What, Mr. Chairman, does the Secretary
mean, when he speaks Of the cases Of sindividu-
ais 'such as merchants,' and 'former purchasers
OF public landsV These not the sindiv iduals'
embraced in the resolution. Why, sir, this is a
downright insult I" the understanding of the
House. Does the Secretary suppose arc so
ants who defaulters the gov eminent, rs
collectors. receivers, disburscrs Of public rev.
enucsr No such thing. They owe the govern
mcnt, it is true, for duties goods imported but
does 1t therefore follow that they are dcfauiters
within the spirit or intention Of the resolution to
withhold payment for the periods and upon the
conditions therein provided. So much for the
merchants. And then comes tho former pwr-
chasers Of public lands.' Why, sir, am as
tOnished Who is it that owes the government
the first dollar as former purchaser Of public
lands?' The Secretary ought to know, as every
body knows, that the formcr purchaser Of public
lands, made under the credit system, have long
since either relinquished the purchase and Oh
tanned scrip therefor, or forfeited the land to
the government appeal to every western man
now before me, to say whether or not am right.
You know, (pointing to Mr.. Hamer, Of Ohio,)
you know, sir. that Your Secretary either knows
nothing about this matter, is willfully prac-
Using deception upon this House, and his ma
ton.
lam sensible, Mr.. Chairman, that this NAV
t'e considered somewhat a depression from the
main questions but have been forced into this
debate, ut this late hour, against my will and If
YOU arc rendered the least unhappy in conse-
quence of some Of the exposures which have
been made, YOU must take the responsibility
on yourselves | have not done with the Score
,ary and his defaultcrs, with the chairman Of