The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-01-15

use Of their deprecated paper Let Us examine this
shallow deception. II during the that this de-
preciaied paper used what else could be done
There millions Of specie the country and
annual appropriations oil my millions. Specie
clearly out OF the question. Treasury notes the
only alternative and they tried and the result was,
that they discount much below bank notes. and
Ills in the limited amounts issued, from the fact that
bank notes were used But II bank notes had been
ected, and Treasury notes issued they would have iSl.
len TO tho worthessness OF continental money AZ
II was, they greatly below paper money. Yes
sir we have lost nearly twice much by snbrea
surer as we have lost all from banks from the onnds-
lion OF the Government What does this comparison
showt Ii shows, as clear IS the light, the superior
safety Of banks No man here viii dare rlso IN his
place and attempt TO prove that rom cor
porations is not safe condition than Indebtedness
from individuals We have tried both We have
found The one class dishonest tempted by small
sums 10 hefaud the Public. and led pecnlste at
last 10 the amount OF millions, Aud what 10 the rem
eJy! Why sir, 10 make them the Repositories of our
entire revenue. That is the logic. Were these ogl-
clans acting in their own private affairs, am apt to
think they would draw sounder conclusions
Take this Of Swauwout. in carving the pub
lie funds from the custom house TO the bank he EN-
bezzled more than Million the panacea is TO give him
millions on millions to keep permanently Small sums
not safe whilst merely IN iraRsiM from the Gus
tom house to the bank but urged To trust mil
lions TO them permanently; and Why Because OF the
additional cobweb securities Of this bill IL is, in my
judgment, most unsafe mode of keeping the public
money, and fesrfuly demoralzing in It's tendency II
adopted. expungng is the order Of the day. would
be well expung from the Lords Prayer that admra-
| BILE passage, g Lead US not INTO temptation
Mr. Il. said be took no pleasure in thus early being
i forced into discussion Of This question Bul the
gentleman from Maryland had introduced II, and he
could not permit his remarks to pass unanswered
] Mr. I. was aware OF the m ny considerations mat
demanded that he should measure his language upon
this subject The State which he in part represent
held different opinions from himself, and he ana mol
| hesitate now TO say, when improper motives can
scarcely be attributed 10 him, that there is no com
munly upon earth for whose enlightened patriotism
| he had profound respect. This is no new opin-
ion il had grown ilh his growth and strengthened
with his strength: II was more than an opinion; II
was sentiment, passion and he would add, IN all
sincerity, that never the State (he spoke OF the
Sate not of Individually actuated by more sincere
conviction, or more disnterested patriotism, in any
OF those periods which have heretofore gloriously
marked her high career. II he had any doubs on
the question, he would long since have surrendered
his opinions TO those Of the State. But believing and,
indeed, knowing, as he did, he never could support,
and never should cease to oppose, with alt his poor
powers, SO disastrous measure. He greatly doubted
whether the people of this country ever would prac-
tically elect another President; whether have not
taken the step fatal TO all other republics of the Pre-
sdent nominating his successor. Adopt this system,
and he saw lille hope OF resistance to any future ad
ministralion.
Mr. w. COST JOHNSON here made further
explanations in relation The delays in the delivery
OF certain documents ordered 10 be printed, in
quence oil map not being completed.
lie then went on to admit that the revenue must
be collected by agents, and that these agents would
always be more or less liable 10 corruption. He
maintained, however that the Sub-treasury scheme
would be no remedy for the evil. Yet he thought
remedy was practicable and If no other member did,
he now gave notice that when the Sub-lreasury bill
came up, he should move an amendment providing
n he M If he MIA in uSa in
in regard to the collection OF the revenue. The col
lecorS never touched dollar Of the money collect
ed; the merchant deposited the amount OF his duties
in bank and gave bank certificate 10 the collector
the money was drawn out not by the collector, but
by the Treasurer of the United States This plan
would 60 far to obviate the difficulty, and render
such cases as that of Swarlwout impossible. Mr..
opposed to the whole plan OF securities and this
mode Of collection would render them unnecessary.
1t would concentrate responsibility, and fix the pub
lie eye on single man. He complimened the elo-
quence of his colleague, Mr.. Thomas agreed with
him that corruption ever had, and would exist
under all Governments, but objected to the Sub-trea
sury scheme going 10 radiae and disseminate that
corruption in all directions through the country. lf
the receiver could be placed in some safe, where he
could be locked up, then Mr.. j would trust him with
the personal custody of million and half Of dol
lars, as in Swartwours case but not otherwise
Mr.. THOMAS rose 10 say few words TO the
gentleman from Virginia, Mr.. Wisel and make
BRET reply to one part of the remarks of the gentle
man from South Carolina, Mr.. Thompson.
The gentleman from Virginia has taken an extra
ordinary advantage of an admission made in pri-
vate conversation. He had said to the gentleman
from Virginia that he, Mr.. T. had not read the whole
document No. 297, Possessed Of this fact, in this
way, the gentleman from Virginia had put the ques-
tion, in the course OF hiss speech, has the gentleman
read the document proposed 10 be printed 2" He
knew what answer would be given, Tor he had pre-
viously been privately told that the whole ofhe do
| cument had not been peruSed. This circumstance
The gentleman has commented on for effect, and
charges me with ignorance of material facts Such
proceeding cannot but be considered very unfair.
When the gentleman reflects, he will feel that he has
done himself and me gross injustice. can, " hout
difficulty, lay foundation for returning this Ian
guage to the gentleman. Has he read the report of
The Secretary OF War, with its accompanying docu-
menS? Has he read report from the same source,
recommending system OF defence for the Northern
| frontier, with its tabular statements throughout?
Has the gentleman read one-fourih of the volumi-
nous document hold in my hand We know he
has not Then he IS ignorant OF all these important
papers, and has voted notwithstanding his ignorance
Tor or against this publication. In SO doing he has
acted as ninety nine hundredths Of the House have
done. II is not 10 be presumed that any one of us
read all the documents published to enable to vote
Tor or against their publication. Before we act
hnally upon the subjects 10 which they relate, we
read all or such pars Of them as are required 10 be
prepared to vote Understandings. This is what
| have done, and shall do in the present case And
repeat, the gentleman has acted very unfairly in at
tempting to produce an Impression any where that
lhe statement made 0yne 10 him in the first instance,
in private conversation, worthy of being
brought out in the debate 10 be commented on.
But as the gentleman seems 10 challenge COM
pari>on Of the degree of information which we re-
sspectively possess l will run the parallel little
further. Gave sho',n that he is as ignorant as am
borrowing his phraseolegy-of facts. ! now pro-
pose TO convict him Of an ignorance of more inn
portart character. Unless he has better reasons to
assign for his declaration that the Secretary of the
Treasury ought TO be impeached than any urged
al
and law, by which the conduct OF that officer should
be tried. Ihe nInnf he has aldnced ia b.,