Liberty advocate., 1839-03-14
cpEFCH OF MIR. PRENTlSS,
On the DetalcatiOns Of The Government
Friday. December 90, 1888.

Friday, December 20, 1883
rno House being in Committee of the Who'll
l'o ,ho I,0 Presidents message, MR.. PREM
%PSS 4PSs t t(ofMssissippi) spoke as follows;
n, Chairman: | had intended, upon for
1u', nooos;on. TO have expressed my views up
nl'i IN somc Of the topics embraced IN the Presi
on soi", N eco moro nepnoially tho oub bjoUt U
dGnfs ,Gp recent dealcations. am, however, so un
G'rtnnote as to be viewed by the official eye o
his House through an inverted telescope, ant
:, ;s NOT often that can obtain the floor. Will
nncb pleasure, therefore, | avail myself of tht
onnortunity at present afforded me. That por
,nn Of the message to which shall principally
mrn nv attention, to wit, the deialcatons o
,be public officers, has been already ably con
sJeredby my friend from Virginia, (Mr. Wise,
as we'll as by the distinguished member from
Tennessee, (Mr. Belly But it is a subject
which cannot be too often or too thoroughly
discussed. Its examination will, | am conf
dent. eyscerate more Of the principles upon
which this Government has for some years
bpen administered, and furnish us more valua.
bic lessons for future guidance, than any other
matter that can occupy our deliberations.
am sorry to observe a rapidly increasing hostil.
iy upon this floor to the discussion of great no
ltical principles. One would suppose, in lis
ening to some gentlemen, that Congress was
constituted, likea county court, for the trial OF
petty individual claims, instead of being the
great political tribunal of the nation, whose
province and duty it is, not only to notice all
important events in the action of the Govern
ment, but to investigate the causes from which
they have resulted.
Deialcatios of the most alarming character,
and for an immense amount, carried on and con-
ccaled, for a series Of years, by the collector OF
theprncipal commercial city ofthe Union, have
been recently developed. The President has
seen fit to call our particular attention to this
case and to make, in connection Herewith, dl'
yers suggestions as to the best mode OF preven'
ting similar occurrences hereafter.
at seems proper (says the PreSident that, by
an early enactment, similar to that OF Other
countries, the application Of public money, by
an officer of the Government, to private uses
should be made a felony, and risited acith Serer
and igaominiOuS punishment"
He further recommends that committee o
Congress be appointed to watch The officers VIII
have the custody of the public moneys, AM
that they should "report to the Executive sue
delacatons as wero found to exist, with vleN
n to prompt removal from office, unless the dc
fault was satisfactorily. accounted for"
The Secretary of the Treasury has also CIV
en- US report upon this same subject, in whlc
he expresses his astonishment that suoh an oc
acurrence should have happened without hi
knowledge; exhibits, like the President, mos
holy horror at the enormity of the offence; an
recommends the appointment of an additions
tribe otoflicers to watch over those already l
power, as the best mode of avoiding smlIa
mlShapS in future.
10 listen to the well assumed astonlshmer
OF the President and Secretary at the discover
OF Swartwout's populations, one would readll
suppose that detacation, under the present aC
mnlstratlon, like parricide, among the ancient
had heretofore been a crime unknown, and COZ
Y Sequently unprovided for by justice. Hearke
to the philosophical musings of the Presidel
on this point:
"Ihe Government, it must be admitted, ha
oeen IRON its commencement comparative
fortunate in this respect. But the appointir
power cannot always be well advised in its S
lectlons, and the experience of every countl
has shown that public officers are not at
Ilmes proof against temptation"
Wonderful sagacity! Unparalleled discov
ry! Who will now deny the title of 'Emagiciar
to the man who has developed the astoundr
TACT ''that public officers are not at all tim
proof against temptation!"
The embezzlements of Swartwout have ca
Sed this truth to flash upon the sagacious mil
ol the Chief Magistrate, and with philanthropy
eagerness he recommends that we put stop
thls new sort ofwickedness by making it a pc
llentiary offence.
Mr. Chairman, if should tell you that .
'hls is sheer hypocrisy--gross and miserab
pfelence-a tub thrown out to amuse the pop
lar whaie, and divert his attention from Il
ihlseraDie ana leaky canoe which bears the io
tunes OF this Administration: if / should t.
you that, during the last five or six years,
hundred cases of delalcation have occurre
more IN outrageous in principle, more proiliga
IlGharacter, than the one we are recomme
Geu , 10 investigate; that the President has co
,;I unueu delaulters in office, knowing OF the
;,ol"'lons OF duty, knowing of their approprl
~ " " 'he public moneys to private uses; tn
aho secretary Of the Treasury has, during th
s,. Shole period, habitually connived at these d
,SclSceitlons, and extended over them the mant
~ ms MS protection; if should tell you that the
aelalca'lons o'n constitute portion of the "spo
0yS'e@ that system which has been to Il
administration what his flowing locks were
n,Iunlson--the ,ou secret Of its strength; if Shot
"'l you all this, should tell you no more tn