Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-03-28
SPEECH OF Mr.. PRENTISS,
On the Detalcations Of The Government.
Friday, December 20, 1888. .
lConcluded.]

ICOHctUGeu.l
Now. how dare the President and Secretar,
"a cav that defalcation deserves to be punishe,
with the pententiary, when they did not con
sider il deserving even OF removal from ofic,
IN the case Of Linn. who was allowed to resign
and retirc..ocrtv ~ for s..
.Cnmen4ecretary says he was not bound L
m,e these defalcations; that it was impossi
hle for him to scent them out. After reading
tbe foregoing letters and extracts-"clegani
extracts" they may be called am inclined tc
think Mr. Secretary Woodbury. has taken his
cue in this matter from the following fable
which, if my friend from Virginia mr. WISE,
will do me the favor to read, he will afford mo-
ment's relief both to the House and myself
Here Mr.. Wise read, with much humor, from
paper handed him by Mr.. p
sand how did it happen, Pat, that Misther
Van Buren, always kept in with the oud gin
era, as he did? ......s
aWhy, Pm thinking, Murphy, il was because
he always had such a bad could, jistr'
sand what had his having a could to do with
the matter at all, at all?"
"Why, did we never hear, Murphy, my boy,
Ofthe fox that had could1 Then III tell We.
Once there was lion that wanted to know how
polite all the bastes were. So he made great
smell in his den with birthstone, or something
ese--I don't mind what jist--but it smelt E.
nough to knock you down entirely; and then he
called in the bear, and says he, Good morning,
Mr.. Bear, and what dye think of the smell
here this morning?' and says the bear, says
he, 'Why, it smells bad whats that you
sayr says the lion; take that says he, Eating
aim up altogetherD 'take that, and see lift will
tache we politeness, we unmannery son OF q
cubn Now, when the bear was ate up, the lion
called in the monkey, and asked him the same
question precisely. Now the monkey seeing
the bear that the lion had swallowed lying dead
in the corner, says he, 'May il peuse yer ma
jesty,' (says he,) sits jist the most delightful
smell ever smelt in my life, at all, at al.s~E
SO 1t u.s. said the lion, (patting him on the
head, easy like, so as to bate the breath clane
out Of his body,) $50 it is,' (said he,) 'and now
you'll not tell another lie soon, I'm thinking
Nov, when the lion had kilt the bear and
the monkey, he called in the for to him, and,
says he, Cooking very savage, and ready to
ate him up, he should make the Taste for patc
al allD Good morning, For,' says he, 'how
does my parlor smell to-dayr And says the
COX, (wipiag his nose with the brush Of his tail,
and pulling down his eye-lid with his paw, as
much as to say, Dye see any green there: my
honeya) Faith says he, may i. please yer
Majesty, I've uery bad could this morning,
~aadit's me that can't smell at all, at all! -
theneA laughed; and tould the fox he'wdSall
very clever basic, and that he might tread in his
footsteps if he could strdddle wide enough, and
hat IL a. ind or
he would ate them up as he had done the bear"
Mr.. p resumed. The Secretary, though in
other respects he resembles much larger and
less cumming animal, yet in this matter, has
certainly taken lesson from the fox. "He'S
hal rery bad COULD" and couldn't smell al
all, at aH." No, sir; the stencil Of corruption,
which has been so long steaming up from tins
department, has not, il seems, yet offended his
olfactories. Besides all this, his friends excuse
himb saying that the Government will, prob
ably,.not ultimately lose any thing by these de-
falcatians; that the money will be recovered
back, either from the defaulters or their sure
ties.
Sir, ifa thief is detected, and compelled to
disgorge the subject Of his larceny, does it re-
lieve the rogue and his accomplish from guilt
deesitextingush the crime? Upon the answer
70 this question depends the validity Of the Sec.
retary's excuse.
Iti also urged in his favor, that defalcatons
have occurred under other administrations
that the public money has been stolen before
This plea feel compelled TO allow TO i11'.Nle
extent. ABrave men lived before AZ
nOn, and great rogues before Levi Woodbury.
In justice to the Secretary, cannot deny that
his pets are not the first thieves on record; and
! give him Joy Of the able defence which his
friends have extracted from this remarkable
circumstance.
And now. Mr.. Chairman, what do you think
oi this Secretary Of the treasury OF his en1c
toary talent9 of his capacity and fitnes1ls
me station he occupies? He resembles much
oo,h an manner and morality, that worthy ole
iagy who lived at "The Mug" in Bulwer'
"rfPu Clifford" aid reoiced in the name o
mrs. Margery Lo bkins, more Familiarity call
cd PEGGY Lob
ns correspondent ace with his subalterns can
n Nv. iail Of calling your recollection the OK
d"s,'e admonitionss Of honest "Peggy" 10 "Lee
,oa nus moralized not Levi, but the kind-heal
81, Mlad thy kitty chism, child, and reverenc
Ss aee' Never teal specially when any on
~ 90 me 'oay. B, modest, Paul, and stick
'''' salvation in life. Read your bible an