Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1838-09-29
SPEECH OF MR.. DUNCAN, OF ONO.

bo attended to.
SPEECH OF MR.. DUNCAN, or Ono.
In til, House Of Representatives, July I, 1883
0,t The bill making appropriations for Harbors aat
in reply 10 The speech Of Mr.. Bond Of Ohio.
(Contmmd)
VIA, On outcry is kept up, Mr.. Chairman h the
Bank advocates, upon the false allegation tAat tic
Administration is seeking, by tie Independent Iya.
sury plan, 10 get the public money INTO their ro>
session for sinister purposes Those who are stfug
Cling to &c, he public money Tor private uses, ara
ciamorng 10 the skies against thuse who wish il
kept by sworn and bonded officers, subject Az hea-
w penalties, for public purposes only! Let Us
see what was tie practice OF these men when IN
power
When Mr. Southland was Secretary Of the Navy,
he converted the public cannes and cannon shot IN
10 money TO the amount Of $4,000. and had the
money placed to his own credit ia the Branch Bank
IN this city! But, sir, will give you particulars.
General Mason, WHO has a foundry near George
town, was applied to by some Of the South Amer
lcan authorities for a quantity of cannon; bat he
had none on hand, or not enough 10 meet the order
So TO enable him 10 make good speculation, Ar.
Southland sent HIM quantity OF the pubHc cannon
and shot, and, as a security hr tue retlFn OF new
guns in their place, required HIM to deposc SD
900 as already stated 1t was, believe, about
eighteen months before General Mason completed
the deliveries TO replace the cannon, aud in the
time the money remained at Mr. Southard's credit,
unless he used it, as it was in has power TO do. II
he did not use it, the bank did, by discountng on il
as deposte.
Now should like TO know what lar there was for
such Transaction | should like to know what
law authorized Mr., Southland to lend the public pro-
,,s., N~I roeeye money into has Oisn pocket, (ior
that is the amount of t) as security for its restor
anon' II is in palpabIe violation of all law and all
pr0prety. Bat did the bank advocate ever whisper
word Of cehsure against this illegal conduct OF one
Of their great champions Not lisp, sir All Is
right because Bank man did ii, The public pro-
perty or money may be lent out md used by banks
and their peculiar tiiegds with perfect mpunliy;
and 10 put stop To 1t is humdug and CRIME
But have the gentlemen found 4 case BIKE this, IN
which any member Of the present Administration
his put twenty-five Thousand dollars ot the pub
&c money or property into hs pocket tor twelve
month No, sir, nothing Ike it. Ii they could,
We should begin to hear, aud justly, too, Of I'M
parchment by this House. Yes, sir any public 9TH
Ger who shall commit such an outrage, ought 10 he
instantly Hpeached.
The corruptions and abuses OF the Clay-bank
Administration were manifold and garnt
The same Secretary Of the Navy, aided the
Fourth Auditor in iraudulcnty drawing thousands
from the Treasury and afterwards attempted To
screen him from punishment BY withholding Impor-
t1nt facts when sworn before grand jury and pc
1T jury 10 ;cI the truth, the whole truth, and no.
thing but the truth"
lie directed the Fourth Auditor to settle claim
Of Messrs Allen and Leonard of New York, which
was originally bout 50 SEQ, as stated by themselves
but had been increased by additional charges, from
tune TO time, until it was swollen to upwards OF
$4,000, aud, under the direction so given upwards
Of Sll,00s, were allowed $4,000 Of which were
forthwith lent TO the same Fourth Auditor, and ne
rr paid!
lie violated the positive laws Of the land in null
tt1dss OF cases, by causing moneys 10 be expended
hr one purpose, when they were appropriated for
another.
lie made to Congress estimates for the service Of
me Navy Department which were false, and, year
Alter year, spent for contingencies, nine 10 ninety
thousand dollars more than was appropriated, IN
violation Of the law, and concealing the fact from
Congress-
he made use Of Il lavonte clerk in the Fourth Au-
o''of office at salary Of Sl400. as special a
se9' 70 MAKE certain payments, and by commissions
1oa double salary, in violation of law, increased
us compensation 10 upwards OF 81 900 a year for
series Of years
Sut The most obnoxious case remains TO be mott
ced. The Navy Agent al Boston had made adYan-
ces on account Of the Government during Tie last
war with Great Britain. upon which he claimed IN
Acrest. Tia, clam, aIpou%.'nG t9 9ro19 o. OF
''aeFetbens,was allowed by SMITH lh''npso''oecLe'
'aFy at the Navy, in 1919, and passed to tn a9-s
Sredlt. The agent vent out OF Office in 1896 ara !
early IN 1928 he made od an account for certain |
alleged omissions in his former accounts, going back
70 1912, upon which he charged interest. This |
cam was submitted to Mr. Southland, who wrote |
nus on the voucher with his own hand, viz
Let him be allowed interest upon the aggregate
advance Of $500 y, in conformity with the de-
cslon by Mr. Secretary Thompson on the former
sih March, 1873. s. L. s"
Accordingly interest was calculated on the votlch-
tefup to the time Of settlement in 1919 This shows
snat Mr. Southland knew the interest account had |
been srtted.
Soon afterwards, the late Navy Agent trumped |
new interest account upon his war advances
I.rnViousy unfounded and false in every particular
ms new claim was submitted to Mr. Southland, |
WHO wrote letter TO the Fourth Auditor, as follows
NAVY DEPARrMESr, May 2I.IS25
o~ Having examined the claims Of Amos Bin
iaee Navy Agent al Boston, as far as the pres
v..c o. business during session Of Congress VIII
f,.;mu' see no reason to doubt the justice Of
r.. o. hs part for losses on Treasury nhtes, &c.
zee ~ liberty 20 authorize the allowance Of
S,t the items, except for interest actually paid
y '''' ~h'eh yoa icia be pleased TO settie