The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-04-03

tuc IaCe ~ soWeWHet uucqWht, rs tne Nj
giclaa' Is an experienced engineer, and
guides his locomotive with all The science
tact, and talent of a master mind. While
ON the other hand, his opponents in ihp
race, for want of proper skill, will rua of
the track, or cause their boilers TO collapse
before. they arrive at the end Of the course
THE LAST oFTHE HUMBUGS.
The most magnificent humbug that ba,
bcen lately generated, was that Of The grand
Swar,wout, investigating Committee--th
p,int production Of the Wings and Conser.
vatives of Tire last Congress. Il went uT
hike rocket, in a blaze, and came down
like stick, in darkuess 1t was The on,
idea Of the session, to blow up which, a,
boys blow up soap bubbles, the whole encr.
gies the majority of the House were d.
rscied; and they fondly expected ,ha, the
country would be vastly amused-yea, even
Hekied, by the exhibition. But the whole
play was so miserably managed, that it has
turned out u complete failure, and rs is Of
ten the case ia feats Of jagglery. no one
pockets any thing bu, The performers.
Those pure minded patriots, Wise Of ViS
pipia,. Smith Of Mninc, and Curtis Of New
York, "set the ball in motion; and such
was the horrer they exhibited at':he wnsie
Of the peoples money by certain office hol-
iers. that little less cosld have been expec-
ted Of them than they would have gone 10
New York on foot, 10 make the necessary
nvestigations, in order by tina, mode nf
travelling they might save something to the
public service. 90 t''
Well, nficr spending most Of the session
in telling what great nccumula,ions Of ro-
LiTIcAL CAPITAL the inves,i CATION would
produce, the renowned Don Of Virginia, and
his squire Of Maine, and their followers,
salIird forth to sny the hydra Of corruption
Arrived IN New York, six of the Colnn,ittce
sought oul the biggest hotel in the city. ms
their head quarters--thus belierng all tieir
professions of economy, and disappointing
ihose who expected the N 10 live on fourpen-
ny cuts IN cellars, and sleep ip garrcts.
Sixteen days and half they lived very
ag'eeably at the I" Astor House." on the
drink any thing stranger than cold water,
does aot appear; but it does appear that
they did not ask the government To pay any
thing for wines or other liquors." Their
presence in the city was quite m affair.
Even the Astor House il-cIf, seemed To
swell its dimensions as If conscious that il
contained The grand Investigating Commit
tee. And whenever Don Wise and his
squire Smith appeared in public, with Ned
Curtis fallowing after, ms u sort of Iackey,
or funkey, as Mpnsic " aunch. would call
him, the liilc bped candy-pedlers, and the
npple-womon would fall back, and in n sub
dhed tone exclaim =" See, there goes the
grand Investigating Committee" |
1.-The ssiigaiion commenced. Swart-
wout's clerks swcrc positively, that, to their |
knowledge, his peeulniions c"m ,ncuced as
far back;ss 1891, when the United States
Bsnk was the financial agen, Of the governs
fnent. That testimony, however, did no,
suit their purposes, SO when they came to
make up their report, they altered the FACTS,
and made II say, as plain as a report could
speak, that Swanwouts defalca,ions did
not Commence until after the failure If the
banks in May 1887 and then, as they
would have the country believe, il was be-
cause the g"ycrnment would not let the poor
innocent fellow have his own way in the
matter, aud go on using broken banks ms
the proper ssents ofihe Treasury. Having
leaped over the facts to such n conclusion,
without which their rrport would not be a.
railabte CAPITAL, aud not being quite ready
I" quit such comfortable quarter, as The As
tor House, where they were, regarded, by
themselves at least, ms lions ion exhibition,
they concluded to over-step the authority Of
their commission, and nuke little exam
iuaiion Of the present Collectors d.ings.
They however found that no political copi-
tai csuli be made out Of such an invesiiga-
ton, aud accordingly they broke it off in
the middle and posted back to Washington !;
where, on their arrival. these dear lovers al
economy, and denouncers Of extravaganza,
had the modesty to present to the Commit.
tee of Accounts the following bill for their
services: .... ........... ......
House Of Represcntatires.
To Select Committee on Defalcations Dr.
Cs.h. paid Astor IIuuse for I6 I-2 day,
bosrd Of six menhers, viz: Messrs. Ilar.
Ian Wise, Smith, Curtis, Hopkins, Dnw,
son, aud Mr.. Fendall, their clerk (win-i
aud liquors no, included,) S400 IL
Fstrs charge for rooms, lights,
furi. &c. SlI0 0(
Paid Messenger 6 "A
Mrssrs. Owens, Foster, and Wagener's ~.
bill AZ Amrricnu lloiel .9 2l00(
Mdeagc, 500 miles each for nine men- !
bers 80 $500 Ot
Same for clerk 200 o.
- %.IA t.l.
. S2,726 81
4 The Committee on Accounts protested n
eainst aiiowing q bill that enabled The Com
m,'tsc I" make such 6ne speculation OIL
of the mat,et; especially rs the members o
thu. grand Investigating Committee rer'
II. L.. Il