The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-12
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history will pronounce still deeper condemnation u
will pronounce that the leaders Of that party (withoul
having formally conspired against the institutions % me
country have proclaimed principles which have resuea
10 practices perIlops public liberty, because M
sdious, than hostility against il openly waged' ~.
Mr. PRENTISS said he as well pleased ~ ~. ~
gentleman who had JUST taken his seat at witnessing -
sensation in certain parts OF this House ~ essy
haul Of truth from the great deep OF IBIS
secrets. The great oyster bed had mol oes crab
would bring above wafer larger and fstter oyse's -
any which had yet been opened fes' 'hs'e ~ ~ !,
6ne fish below which had not yet been hooked uP =
speared He was for trying oil Ways 70 ge' - "eans
lines. nets spears. haTponns; any means eh MIGHT
he was for irving SO that BY some means me ns
| he made to sppesr above water He was h9pty I" ~.
ceise from some symptoms Of computation on W
side that the party was not as yet 'oesPei'V $3.50.
cd !" they not judcally hardened 'el. ha,,sr
little nucleus Of moral principle, AROUND ~,
feelings might yet cluster, so as 10 iease I -;
they might still be snstched brands rom 'ng
He had begun TO think that the SKIN Of 'n,s III -
ton was like that OF the rhnoceros, lhsehs'o'e - 81 ~
tacks and proof against the keenes asfl o's ~ ~
began 10 have better hope The uooe '''sn. cum
nish and warn aud entreat, but u was 10 vain lhe
Gobe could not stop this debate on corruption II
would 90 on the nation would hear IT, Gentemen dd
not Ike this word corruption; but II he thought their
ears were not caous, he would buy starring anu ha,s
il taught 10 cry nothing but corruption. ne Wouu
nd
he would halIoo corruption! corruption corruption
He would not according the sdvice OF the gentleman
from New York over the way, (Mr Cainbreleng have
the anatomical dssectlons conhned 10 oead snpJtcs
no there were plenty OF living ones whose iupos-
humes needed The knife. He trusted these documents
would be published he wanted them for two purposes
first for lessons Of morality, aud then as models Of
the Kings English His friend had said tLey would
cut like a two-edged sword; ay, like mree-edged
one. .t
Mr.. ATHERToN said he would reply to the gentle
man from Mississippi as had once been replied m The
House Of Commons 10 a similar threat about buying
starting There need OF buying starting 10 cry
corruption, because there already plenty OF gentle
men among the opposition who continually crying
corruption without knowing any more oil what they
saving than a starting would.
Mr.. THOMAS expressed a reluctance to proong this
desuioy debate and yet he consent TO do so, or
TO vote without having the upon which his vote
would he founded presented to the public. No one who
had participated in the discussion had stated the consi-
deraons by which he governed. .
The question before the House was complex. thad
double aspect The resolution originally presented
called for the publication Of certain documents The
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Garand) had moved an
amendment to this resolution requiring the Secretary Of
the Treasury to communicate further information con-
eerning the defaults Of public officers This amend.
ment has been accepted by the mover Of the original re-
solution, and thus two questions not necessarily con-
nected. blended in one proposition. vote Tor or
against this proposition could not be satisfactorily given
Many members, like himself, may be willing to call up
the Secretary for rhe information, and, neverthe-
less be hostile to the passage Of that part OF his resou
ton authorizing the publication Of 90 900 copies OF GER
tain public documents. To relieve4s from this embar
EASEMENT the gentleman from New York (Mr. Loomls)
has proposed to strike OF this amended resolution all
that part that relates to the publication Of the docu
ments, and for this proposed amendment Mr.. T. was
prepared to vote. ~. #..
He neal IN fha hrai Ineu padf IN ba
made and would give his reasons touching each docu
ment separately. This would be done, regardless Of
denunclation defamation from any quarter Of the
House. There is shrewdness and ssgacty in the
Try sufficient distinguish bold assertion and harsh in
vective from argument. and proof Instead Of attempt
to show that the public interest required that this publ
cation should be made, nearly the whole time Of one
class Of speakers had been consumed in what looked
very much like effort deter the friends Of the ad
Illustration from voting for the amendment moved by
the gentleman from New York. The Republican party
and the friends of the Independence Of the National
Treasury Of the hanks OF the States it is said dare not
publish these documents, because they serve TO Illus
rate the allacy Of the principles upon which the pro-
posed separation of the Government and the banks
indicated. This declaration has been made, and as
often answered and yet it is reiterated here BY what
kind of reasoning do gentlemen form ard cherish this
most extraordinary opinion Who are the public de-.
fauers, list Of whose is furnished in document
No. Ill And when was the public money with which
they entrusted embezzled The documents show
these depredaons upon the public treasure commenced
Immediately after the Government was organized, and
have continued under every administration which has
been in power The public defaulters not then
hned to any class Of politicians And the fact that
public money has been msapped by those who had it
in charge under the late and present administrations
cannot, in itself be fairly adduced in support Of the
charge that Inc Executive branch of the Government is
corrupt, that has failed exercise due diligence in
the execution of the laws The truth is that the
Of this great pablc evil be traced TO unwise egIsla
ton The laws intended to guard the public money
defective The legislative branch Of the Government is
justly censuabe for the loss of large share Of the
ney which has been puroined. The National Treasury
never has been properly organized and until Congress
becomes sensible Of this and undertakes cooly aud de-
hberatey to amend the existing laws instead OF dealing
daily IN wholesale dcnunclaons OF those who have TO
administer them, the public money be preserved
from The pundercrs by any vigilance that Secretary Of
the Treasury can exercise. ..* .... ...,.
Monsrous this attempt to throw upon the party in
power the whole odum of these detacatous, commenc
ing with and extending through the entire existence Of
the Government must be considered by all fair and i'm
partial men, it is exceeded in enoImty by the pretence
that the friends of independent treasury have cause
to fear publication Of the documents illustrating those
frauds. Who sir are the public defaultersl To what
class OF public officers do they bclongl Some Of them
have been employed to collect your from lands,
and other sources and others have been APP
pointed to pay cut and extend the public money in pur-
Of appropriations made by law Does any party
in this country propose to dispense with the agency of
either class Of these public functlonaries! Has any
member upon this floor yet made such proposition
Let gentlemen come out and declare that must have
no individual agents responsible to the people Of the
United States to receive dIsburse the public money
Let them say that the cashiers of the State banks shall
exercise these functions Of the Treasury Depart
ment Let them bring in bill to authorize the drec-
tors OF certain State bass to appoint individual agents
to collect and disbnrsc the public money instead Of de-
volvng that power upon the Chief Magistrate of the
American people, and they then, with proprie-
y claim to be the fro ectors of system not be in-
jurously effected by the disclosures contained in the
I'M they Ia hl.sh .ad