Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-01-03
Twenty-Gfth Congress.
SECOND SESSION.

ouA tSsisShS "SfS 80
red.
The bill for the reduction and graduation
Of the price OF the public lands was taken
up, when Mr. Clay moved its postponement
until Monday.
The rest Of the day was principally spent
in Executive business. Adjourned.
In the HoUsE.-The Speaker laid before
the House a communication from the Hon.
John Fairfield, resigning his seat as men,
ber Of that body.
/ On motion, the said communication was
laid on the table, and ordered to be printed
and, on motion Of Mr.. Anderson, the Speaker
was requested 10 notify the Governor OF the
State of Maine that vacancy had occurred
| i'm the epreseptation from said Stnte.
| On motion Of Mr.. Haynes, the House re-
solved itself into Committee Of the Whole on
the state of the Union, MIR. Adams in the
chair for the purpose OF considering and re-
ferring the Presidents Message.
\ Mr.. Haynes then offered a series of reso-
lutions, proposing the reference of various
parts Of the Presidents Message to different
committees.
The resolutions having been read, .
i Mr.. Bell then proceeded to address the
House at length on the principles and doc.
trines set forth in the late annual Message ol
the President of the u. States.
Mr.. Bell continued to speak till near three
o'clock, when the floor was obtained by
Mr.. Prentiss, Of Mississippi, who began o
speech upon the state Of public affairs gene
rally, by going at some length into the sub
jcct of defacations, which he had not con-
cluded when, the usual hour Of adjournment
having arrived, he moved that the Committee
rise. ...
The Committee rose accordingly, and Mr.
Adams reported progress. Adjourned.
In SENATE, Thursday, Dec. 27,-Mr. Clay
Of Ky. presented the petition of sundry cti.
zens of N. York, manufacturers OF starch
praying duty of five cents pound oil im-
ported starch. Referred.
REPLY TO MR.. RIvEs's RESOLUTIONS.
The Vice President presented commit
ncation from the Secretary of the Treasury
in answer to the resolutions Of Mr.. Rives
calling for information respecting the hsca
relations existing between the Government
and The Bank of the U. States.
1t is very volumihous. Mr.. Wright moved
that it be printed.
Mr.. Niles moved that .Gue thousand nddi'
tional copies be ordered to be printed. The
printing was ordered.
A bill rcmlting duties on rail road iron
imported for the use Of rail roads, was pas
scd.
The Senate then went into Executive ses.
sion, and soon aterward adjourned.
/ in the HoUsE,-the report on the Wiscon.
sin contested election case, which was made
the special order for to-day, was postponed
farther ill Thursday next (; and on motion ol
Mr.. Haynes, Of Georgia, the House resolved
itself into committee of the whole, and re-
newed the consideration of the Presidents
message.
| DEFALCATIONs.
| Mr.. Prentiss, Of Mississippi, again took the
floor and spoke at great length on the subject
of the lately discovered defalcations, and on
the general policy of the Administration IN
relation to the collection, keeping and dis
bursting of the public revenue.
He expressed the opinion, that the notice
the President had taken Of Mr.. Swartwout's
defalcation was intended to deceive. The
Administration, like the pursued bear, drop
ped one cub for the purpose Of saving the
rest. He was determined to follow the pro-
life she bear to her den, and, ifpossible crush
the whole brood.
| lie said he would show that the President
has kept in office men whom he has, under
his own signature, pronounced worthy OF i'm
prsonment, and other ignominious punish
ment, and he quoted the recommendation OF
the Executive Of penal measures to punish
and prevent those dofalcations, for which he
had not removed several public officers.
Mr.. PreDtiss then came to the Secretary OF
the Treasury. 1t was unnecessary, he said,
after the handling Mr.. Wise had given this
functionary, to dwell long upon him; but his
sense of duty compelled him to notice some
of his proceedings. He took up the report of
the Secretary, communicating the correspon-
dence between the department and certain
defaultcrs. This, he said, is moral, poiti-
cal and literary curiosity. There was no or
der or simplicity. 1t was like the cauldron
in which the witches Of Macbeth mingled
their hell.broth. But still he had waded
through it, and he now undertook to show
from this correspondence, that in many cases
the most enormous defalcations were known
to the Treasury Department, and yet the
Secretary retained the defaulting incum.
bents in office, and actually reappointed
them.
Mr.. Prentiss admitted, however, that so far
as talking to the defaullers went, the Secre-
tary gave it to them severely. lie gave then,
line upon line-precept upon preccpt-here
u little, and there great deal--but 1t never
went farther than mere talking. He men.
toned u case in which man had been per-
mitled to resign quietly, without prosecution,
with 100000 of the public money in his
pocket. lie read the correspondence be-
tween another person and the Department,
showing that the Secretary knew, all the
time, Of the amount the officer had applied
to his own private uses. The Secretary had
written repeatedly, noticing the defalcation,
and earnestly calling on The incumbent Ia
"poy up," aud at last told him that The Presl.
dent had directed him (the Secretary to in.
form the defaulter, that unless his accounts
were settled he should be dismissed The
incumbent did not comply with the rcquisi.
ton of either President or Secretary and
instead Of being removed, the man receives
letter from Mr. Woodbury., again remon.
stratng in The mildest terms with him fol
Withholding his dcposites Of the public mo.
ney, and hoping that hereafter there would
be no cause for complaint on this head =
The whole correspondence was equally dis.
tlnguished for want Of energy on the part OF
the President and Secretary. They mus,
be lineal descendants Of Job-for patience
equal 10 theirs was never exhibited before.
AT last the man resigned, carrying of two
hundred and nineteen thousand dollars
He was not removed. He left Of his own
accord, though he was threatened severely.
III No n,an oudod NJ 70 cao rond thasp let.