The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-06-28

which I hare rslenedi The Secretary,
moreover. knew that, by Law Of The FL.
IRA session. these merchants were permit
led. on certain conditions. 20 withhold
payment for The periods and upon the
conditions therein provided. So much
Tor The merchants. And then comes the
former purchasers Of public lands.
Why, sir, am asionished. Who 10 il
thar cEes the government The 6rsI dollar
40 I" former purchaser Of public lsnds,"
The Secretary ought 10 know. ss every
body knows. that The former purchasers
Of public lands, made under the credit
system, have long since either relinquish-
ed the purchase and obtained scrip there
for. or forfeited the land 10 the govern.
ment. ] appeal 10 every Western man
now before me 10 say whelher or not
an right I" You know. ipoiniing 10 Mr..
Hsmer Of 0hio.) you know. sir. that
your Secretary either knows nothing
about this matter, or is wilfully praciis-
ing deception upon this House and this
naiioa. ~ s. .....-
am sensible, Mr.. Chairman, that this
may be considered somewhat Of dlgres-
sion from The main question. but have
been forced into this debate al this late
hour. against my will; and il you are rem
dered The least unhappy, in consequence
Of some OF the exposures which have
been made. you must take The " respon-
sibility" on yourselves. have moi vet
done either with The Secretary or his de-
faullers, or with the chairman Of the COM
miltee Of ways and means.
The Secretary gave Us al the extra ses-
sion. as reason for Withholding from the
states the fourth inslslment. (which was
passed BY party voie.) that The money
was " chiefly in the custody Of banks no,
paying SPECIE" Sir. he might, with
more proprieiy, have said j, was "chief-
ly" in the hands Of the office-holders,
and not in The banks. And, sir, IL these
defaul,ing office-holders had then been
compelled 10 disgorge the millions Of the
peoples money in their hands, the me-
cessiiy Of withholding The fourth install
ment would not have existed. and the
pressing necessity Cor Treasury notes
greatly diminished. And, sir. while am
on this subject, | demand to know where
these six millions AMI upwards Of the peo-
pies money have gone! If the House
will ate up . resolution, which submit.
ted long since. calling for information on
this subject, | am persuaded we will know
all abou,it. But. sir, where is the money!
At The time The deposite law passed,
the fourth instslment was in the rressu-
ry, or reported To be there. I. is not in
the banks, because | have shown you
there are only four millions there; il is
no, in the Treasury. because the Secre-
iary says he has not got money enough.
even in Treasury notes, TO last him two
days. II is therefore clear that the Sc
crelsry has taken the funds which by law
were ordered to be deposited With the
states. and appropriated the same TO 9th
er purposes; or he knew, or should have
known, that very large amount thereof.
and for aught know, more, was in the
hands Of his own deiaulling ofiice-hold-
ers-snd that information, although ex-
pressly called for. has been evaded aud
withheld from the peoples representa-
tives.
Mr.. Chairman, do not make these
charges without having the evidence be-
fore me 10 sustain them. Sir, The cores
pondence touching the delalcsiions Of
land office receivers. has al las. hcea laid
on our tables. / wish that every man
in this nation had one. The special
agent Of the Treasury, Mr.. Garesche,
appointed to examine into the condition
Of these Offices, reported to the Secretary
Of the Treasury, on the l4ih day Of June,
that the land Office receiver at Columbus,
in Mississippi, was a defaulter to the Go.
vernment in the sum of S55.965 81, and
gives as reason for this defalcation. that
he had been sled away from his duty by
the example Of his predecessor. and tina,
" another receiver would probably fnilow
in the footsteps Of The ,wo;" and there
upon recommends his being retained in
preference TO another appointment! and,
Tor aught | know, he was retained.
do YOU remember. Mr.. Chairman.
that when a late Administrations came
into power, iniheir landable zeal 10 ferret
gu, public pIunderers. they found one
poor Auditor who was defauller for some
few hundred dollars. and tlla. forthwith
his goods and cha.tels were seized and
sold and his body imprisoned. hunted
down like a felon, with denuncia,ions
from high places! Let him rn, in.
prison. for he has not only used the
money Of my people, but has dared to
interfere with the freedom of elections"
But now. sir. when public defauiser is
detected for large amount. he is recon-
mended to the mercy OF the Secretary,
and the question is not now asked, is he
honest and capable. but is he Of our party!
Nor, sir. is this all connected wi.hihese
public defaulters. III you will examine