The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-15


"Aristocrsts" Yes sir there starings OF eau
Gus too Of . mtdaigh caucus, whose office u - 70
Introduce resolutions upon slavery which may be ineI
pseted one way st the SOUTH aud another way o. .ns
north; which condemn abolition when 10 comes WIN
ons "vew," bu Justify !. when il has not the views
sioresad; !" resolutions which
"palier with US in double sense
That keep the word Of promise to the ear,
And break il 10 the hope"
resolutions which come in the spirit OF Joab when he
said 10 Auasa. AH thou in health, my brotherl and
stabbed him under the fifth rib resolutions which agree
to Law petitions for the abolition Of slavery the table,
but which yield the question Of reception. see you
are uneasy Mr. Speaker You may save yourself the
trouble Of calling order. have said all intend
to say upon abolition
But s the starlings There are sir, other siarlngs
than hose I have mentioned. | do not intend TO be
offensive 10 my language TO any gentleman but only
10 rrpe the charge that those who cry out "c0rrup.
tim" against this administration are merely repeat
ingwords without meaning, and making charges with
out sufficient evidence. Our Secretary ofthe Treasury
my have his slarngs TOO; and il he has, sir, can
only say with Pope, What mustbe The priest, when
the monkey is a Coda"
As quotation has been made from something
that has been formerly said in the British Parlia-
menr, suppose il is lawful TO quote what has been
said on this floor Offset. Al the last session,
MIR, Speaker, an eloquent gentleman from Pennsyl-
v MIA, Mr.. Biddle) said something about starngs.
You remember it, no doub, Mr. Speaker for few
here have heard that gentleman without wishing to
remember what he said. / intend only 10 apply his
remarks to that race Of politicians who are crying
out abolitionid against all who differ IRON them po-
litically He told us, SIR, that the Startling was
gentle and interesting bird" Rather re-
minded Of filthy parrot hung ou in front of sailor
boarding house. taught by its master to utter excla-
NATIONS at each passer BY, and never Joyous or happy
unless when engaged in screaming out rogue or
sirumpei." So am reminded OF this parrot, when
ever | hear this cry of alb dlonist abolitioniSt,
arisocrat, aristocrat," against all who think for
themselves, and dare 10 differ with this adminstra-
ton.
We are told, sir, that there has been no corrup-
ton 10 The administration. am at loss to conceive
what gentlemen call corruption. ! ask those who
say there has been no corruption il they heard the
speech OF the gentleman from Virginia, (Mr Wse)
the other day, The gentemans presence Restraints
me from speaking of that speech 10 the language of
commentator which II merits ask the Repre-,
senatives from New Ha npshire il any Of them heard
that speech when the House considering The
motion Of the gentleman from New York, TO appoint
committee 10 examine Mr. Swartwouts defaca-
tion BY the way Mr.. Speaker, suspect we have
lieve the party intend to have any examinaion oil
that mat,er1 ask those who say there was no cor
rupriun if ihev heard the remarks Of either the gen.
tleinan from Virginia, (Mr. Wise, or The powerful
speech OF the gentleman from Mississippi, (Mr
Prentiss.)
Few OF the party would listen TO speeches of this
character, sir, know-speeches not merely abound
ing in biting sarcasm and calling invecIive, but well
supported by facts undenied undeniable facts from
public documents There were few who listened TO
the speech OF the gentleman from Virginia for alter
candleght, thought saw SEINE behind your chair
sir, in the dark, gnashing their teeth
| ask the gentleman from New Hampshire, (Mr
Atherlon,) who won for himself last session, the
name OF Advocate General ofthe Secretary Of the
Treasury what he has TO say to all these charges
Once, | remember, gentleman from South Carroll
ma, Mr.. Pickens) who is now considered as an ally
OF the administration, said on this floor, the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury ought to have schoolmaser
md arith and h;e
tryman, Mr. Atherton,l raised himself in my est-
nation by his gallant and patriotic defence Now,
when well-suppored charge is brought, the simple
answer is, There is no corruption"
want 10 call the attention of the House to another
fact. When the gentleman from Virginia had finish
ed, representative from New Hampshire rose in
haste, and thought, to make some defence for the
Secretary Of the Treasury when 10 and behold he
actually asked leave to offer resolution that the
Speaker appoint a committee on enrolled bills!
hope yet 10 hear that gentleman [Mr. Cushman,l de-
TEND the Secretary with his accustomed ability l
nope Tor the sake Of the country, hear some expla-
nation OF Harfiss case, oil Linns case and of Boyd's
case. hope 10 hear ne excuse to justify the Sc
creary IN allowing Swartwout TO be defaulter for
SIX or seven years and keeping concealed or
excuse Tor not discovering the deiacalion But sir,
When return home will take this document in
my hand, and will tell the honest men whom re-
present, that the defenders this administration say
!hai there was no corruption in this SecreaIyS al
lowing, knowingly, partisan Office holders thus TO
use the public funds.
Mr.. sHERROD WILLIAMS said it had been
ih>lhua.ed' u not directly charged by the gentleman
from New Hampshire, [Mr Atberon1 that docu-
mens which had been ordered to be printed at this
session were not comeatabe. j reply, he made
explanation, showing that the delay in furnishing
,ne extra copies OF the documents acco panyng The
Presidents Message was occa>Ioned BY the want of
one ollhe maps which was TO accompany these docu
graver
Mr.. THOMPSON said that one OF The remarks
MARY LAM ne ~
strdt gev IN his err II was this that the present
administration was not responsible because the cases
contained in The report occurred during the past adj
ministralion.
Mr.. THOMAS explained. He said that any attempt
TO mold this administration responsible for The deia-
cations stated in document Ill must be futile since
deialcaons had happened under all adminisra-
tons.
Well, sir, (said Mr. TRoMPsoN,) what is the position
now taken by the gentleman Why tina, because de-
falcatUns have taken place under all Administrations
and IN the nature OF things will take place, therefore
the Administration not be held responsible for contin
ung IN office aud Responding known defau,ers men
who without excuse pallation, had enb, zzled the
public money. Declarations may have taken place IN
DER all Administrations but were the delnquents reap.
pointed to office after knowledge Of their frauds ha,
Is The gravamen OF the charge. 1t is IN this that we
say that pecnlaon not only tolerated bu, encour-
aged. In one Of the the embezzlemcnt was not
denied, but was admitted, and bond given for the
amount, and the officer reapponted. Ii shows sir as
was said by the gentleman from Mississippi that their
morality is the Spartan, by which the offence does not
consist in doing the act, but in doing bunglngly as
to be discovered that virtue which Shakspea ascrbcs
to the Venetian lades-not to leave undone, but to
keep unknown 1t is saying, in no unequvocal Ian
guage embezzle, use and speculate The public mo.
ney as much you choose, provided you keep con-
cealed But it is said that these things took place I'M
der the late Administration; that it the fox that
has broken into the roos but the lion Ay, yes sir,
we are now beyond the reach Of that lions paw.
But, sir all these robbcres of the Treasury sink into