Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-01-04
CONGRESS-.
PUBLIC DEFAULTERS, &C.

Mr.. CAMBRELENG having moved that
the Executive communication respecting
the dafal:aton Of Samuel Swartwout, the
late Collector OF New York, except so
much th.rejf as relates 10 a modification
of the re,cne laws, be referred to selec,
commitl,e-
Mr.. WISE moved that it be referred to q
COMMITTEE Of the Whole on the slate OF
he Unioi.
This cotton taking precedence Of that
of seltst Committee-
Mr.. WISE lose and addressed the House
in support Of it. When Gen. Jackson,
tseld he in his last message to Congress,
left behT d him certificate Of the honesty,
probly. md good demeanor Of all his De,
partner doubted the truth off be
leved IN thai corruption was the order
oi ,ne ~ and 90 charged. Deieycd
then that me officers Of The Departments
were not merely picking and stealing in o
small We. that they were guilty Of petty
larceny cut that they were sweeping of
the PUB treasure by millions, and were
guilty Of yrand larceny on grand scale
| 1t seems Dw that SWartwout, the Collec
tor al the city Of New York point where
Two tUrl. of the entire revenue of the
Union Is collected, had been ell bezzllna
hundred Of thousands at the very hour
when tht message was delivered to US
Notwithstanding the certificate of honest y
/ Ior h o.
against to world. told the country Their
that HONEST Lewis Department was rotten
to the cofi and asked for comm,tee
to probe il. The committee was raised
but the President let this House, the grand
inquest CT he nation, know that his officer.
were Above It's scrutiny, and the door:
were shui in our faces. But now-now
that the horse is s,olen--the organ Of the
Administration in this House propose:
gravey to shut The door, What good viii
it do now If you had le, the committee
go or with is examination in 1886, you
might have saved from half a million to 9
million and quarter of dollars. near
in this one ctse. But this case is but one
out OF tn wand-ay, out Of fifteen hun
dred case Of default. What can be the
obJect OF Using a select committee now
graveil to nguire into the truth Of a fac
which Every body knowsa The leg sub
Treas,ry has departed and you will neve
be abb, unless you put stop to steam
navigation across the Atlantic, to hold any
of then long enough TO investigate the
accounts. What is to be gained? d.
you want to see how the thing was done
and tl0w how it may be done again. D.
: you want 10 institute a rogue's college, Il
teacf ar-.ho rost Of the sub Treasure
: how 10 steal the public money! Is it 70
that You would raise committee?
wou.l rather investigate the accounts @
the pioseot Collector not that have an
grould olallegation specially against hir
IN particular; but if we are TO examine
let Us examine those who are not off,
, Swarwou. is off, and Price after him, an
r NOD knows how many more are 10 follow
Let US pin them down, ! say, while "
nave got them. | can conceive but on
, object IN view in asking for 'hls committee
/, II Is MT 10 ascertain the defa'cation tn
, secretary has ascerlaned that. But Their
Is another question: is TO blame 2
Has TINS happened with the connivance q
; the Secretary Of the Treasury Is tina
; the question for this COMMITTEE! Sir,
have had some little experience in this bu
s'ness Of Investigation; and | ask that
=, you g''e asa committee, it shall not be
,, stocked committee. Let it not be stocke'
!, /. pack. But what time is there for such al
, investigations IL the object is bona fid
investigation it cannot be done this SEES
sion Bat suppose the real object is t
whlte'wSh Levi. The committee is t
> cast all The cd lum on Swartwout, who j
laughnsM you in his sleeve. and laugb'n!
your luqpires to scorn. Why not investl
gate rrce, Why not Gra,lot' VIII
not make the investigation general an
sweepins' II you do, the task, | war