Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-05-25
SPEECH
SPEEIH
ND pREyTIss OF MISSISSIPPI.

SPEECH
OF MIR. PRESTIss OF MISSISSIPPI
The House being in Committee of the
wbola uDon the Presidents Message
Mr.. PsEvrrss spoke as follows:
NE. CHAIRMAN: | had intended, upor
former occasion, to have expressed
nv views upon some of the topics EN-
braced in the Presidents message, NOR,
ssDeciaIly the subject of the recent de
aIcations, | am, however, so unfortu
nate as to be viewed by the official eye
of this House through an inverted tele
scope, and it is not often that | can OBJ
,ain the floor. With much pleasure
therefore, avail myself of the opportu
nily at present afforded me. That por
ion of the message TO which | shall
principally turn my attention, to wit
me defalcations of the public officers
las been already ably considered by
ny honorable friend from Virginia
Or. WIsE.l as we'll as by the distin
grished member from Tennessee, (Mr
BEIL) But it is subject which canno
De too often or too thoroughly discussed
| It's examination will, | am confident
sEiscerate more of the principles upor
Ehich this Government has for some
Years been administered, and furnish
Is more valuable lessons for future gui-
dance, than any other matter that can
occupy our deliberations. | am sorry to
observe a rapidly increasing hostility
Upon this floor to the discussion of great
political principles. One would sup
pose, in listening to some gentlemen,
that Congress was constituted, like a
county court, for the trial Of petty indi-
Iyldual claims, instead of being the great
political tribunal of the nation, whose
|proFAnce and duty it is, not only to no.
pee all impor liant events in the action OF
he Government, but to investigate the
causes from which they have resulted.
DELEGATIONS of the most alarming
character, and for an immense amount,
carried on and concealed, for series oil
years, by the collector of the principal
numerical city of the Union, have been
Hoently developed. The President has
sen fit to call our particular attention
sIhis case, and to make, in connexion
herewith, divers suggestions as to the
lest mode of preventing similar occur
FENCES hereafter.
at seems proper, (says the President
that by an early enactment, similar to
tat Of other countries, the application
ot public money, by an officer of the
Government, to private uses, should be
made a felony, and visited Nth severe and
'gHomiHous punishment"
he further recommends that a COM
nlitee fCongress be appointed to watch
the officers who have the custody of the
public moneys, and that they should gre
port TO the Executive such defalcaiions
as were found to exist, with view to a
prompt removal from office, unless the
default was satisfactorily accounted for"
Inc Secretary Of the Treasury has
also gwen US report upon this same
SUBJECT, IN which he expresses his as
constituent that such an occurrence
should have happened without his knowl-
cage; exhibits, like the President, most
-
no'y horror at the enormlty of the Of
lence; and recommends the appoint
u'eni OF an additional tribe of officers
y Na'ch over those already in power, as
.ae BEST mode of avoiding similar mis-
haps in future.
Ioi'sten to the well-assumed astonish-
|fent OF the President and Secretary at
lie discovery of Swartwout's pecula-
1,oas' one would readily suppose that
|eslacat'on, under tho present admins
u4uon, like parricide among the an
EEaen'S, had he retofore been a crime un-
owl, and consequently unprovided for
i, jusuce- Hearken to the philosophi-
POINT: ~ oA '''S
L. ae government, it must be admit
-, mas been from its commencement
r., y alapsely fortunate in this respect.
y ali appo'nting power cannot always
-" ad'ised In It's selections, and the
~, ,ep n OF every country has shown
PUBIC otficers are not at all times
70, against tempta,ion.r
kxc,, sagacity. Unparalleled
~ Who will now deny the I'll
magician to the man who has
.'Spea the astounding fact 'that pub
o'hcers are not at all times proof
ss,nst temptation?n
Inc entertainments of Swartwout
caused this truth to flash upon the
Ia s:.s mind Of the Chief Magistrate,
Eomr I'm phllanthropic eagerness he re-
a. s''ends that we put stop to this new
q wlckedness, by making it peni-
Chairman, If | should tell you
H. al 'his is sheer hypocrisy--gross
g., miserable pretence-a tub thrown
!" smuse the popular whale, and d.
h. a's attention from the miserable
ieaky canoe which bears the for.
81 this administration; if should