Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-05-17
SPEECH OF MIR. PRENTISS,
ON THE GOVERNMENT DEFALCATIoNs.
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 1888.


FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 1888.
The House being in committee of the
Whole upon the Presidents Message, Mr..
PRENTrss of Mississippi, spoke as follows A;
Mn, CHAIRMAN: II had intended, upon
n former occasion, to have expressed my
views upon some of the topics embraced IN
the Presidents Message, more especially
the subject of the recent dcfa'cat,ons.
am, however, so unfortunate as TO be
viewed bv the official eye OF this House
through an inverted telescope. and It is not
often that ! can obtain the floor. WIN
mnch pleasure, therefore, | avail myself oi
the opportunity at present Afforded mo.
That portion of .he Message to when !
shall principally turn my attention, 10 VII,
the defalcations Of the public officers, has
been already nblv considered by my irIend
from Virginia, iMr. Wise as well as by
the distinguished member from Tennessee
Mr. Belly But it is subject when can
not be too often or too thoroughly discussed
It's examination will. am confident. evls-
cerare more Of the principles upon wh'cn
this Government has for some years Oeeh
administered. and furnish US more vaIuaoie
lessons for future guidance, than any otheT
matter that can occupy our DELIBERATIONS
am sorry to observe rapidly increasing
hostility upon this floor to the discussion OF
great political principles. One would sup
pose. in listening to some gentlemen, 'na'
Congress was constituted, like county
court. Tor the tria of petty indivdnal claims
>T hi, h,r
of the nation, whose province aHd duty II
is, not onIv TO notice all important events
in he action of the Government, bat &c
investigate the causes from which they
have resulted.
Defalca,ons of the most alarming char
acter, and for an immense amount, carried
90 and concealed, for n series OF years by
the collector Of the principal commetcia
city Of the Union, have been recently de-
veloped. The President has seen TT TO
call our particular attention to this case
and to make, in connection herewith. divers
suggestions as to the best mode of pre-
venting similar occurrences hereafter.
cit seems proper (says the president
that by an early enactment similar TO ina
of other countries. the application OF pno
lie money, BY an officer ofthe Government
to private uses, should he made Il felony
and ris;ied wiih Severe and ignomlnou
punishment"
He further recommends that committee
Of Congress be appointed to watch M
officers who have the custody Of the pubII
moneys, and that they should "report u
The Executive such defa lCntiOns us %et'
found to exist, with view to promp
removal from Office, unless the default wa
satisfactorily accounted for"
The Secretary of the Treasury has ais
given us a report upon this same subject
in which he expresses his as'onlshmen
that such an occurrence should have zap
pened without his knowledge; exhibits
like the President, most holy horror a
the enormitv of the offences and recon-
merds the appointment of an addj iona
tribe Of officers to watch over those alread
in power. as he best mode Of avoiGn
similar mishops in future.
TO listen to the well assumed as'onisll
ment the President and Secretary at tn
discovery Of Swartwouts populations, on
would readily suppose that defa'caior
under the presen, Administration, like pal
been crime unknown, and consequent
Unprovidcd for by justice. Hearken to tn
philosophical musings Of the President o
this point:
THE Governments it must be admitted
has been from its commencement comparl
lively fortunate in this respect. But III
appointing power cannot always be we
advised in its selections, and the experient
OF every country has shown that publ
officers are not at all times proof again
tempt ation.'
Wonderful sagac'y! Unparalleled di
covery! Who will now DENY the title
'magcan" TO the man who has develop
the astounding fact "that public office
are not al all times proof against tempt
ton ?"
The entertainments of Swartwout ha
caused this truth to fash upon the sag
cious mind Of The Chief Magistrate. a
with philanthropic eagerness he reco'
meDds that we put stop 10 this new 81
of wckcdDess by making it penitentl0
offence.
Mr.. Chairman, If ] should tell You Il
all this is sheer ypocrisy-gross and m
erable pre,ence n tub brown out to amt
the popular whale, and divert his artenll
from the miserable and leaky canoe VIII
hears the fortunes of this Admnla'ratio
if should tell you that, during the !
five or six years, hundred cases of def
cation have occurred, more outrageous
princple, more prof gate in characl
than the one we are recommended to
yesipa,e: that the President has conlln'
deiaulters in office, knowing of their VIC
tions of duty, knowing of their appropI
ton of the public moneys to private us
that the Secretary of the Treasury /
during that whole period, habltualy col
we'd at these defalcatons, and ex'en
over them the mantle of his protection
I should tell you that these de'alca''
constitute portion OF the "spoiis syst
that system which has been to this
minis,ration what bis flowing locks "
10 Samson-the secret of its strength
I should tell you all this, should tell
n, more than conscienlloUsly believe
more than | shall attempt to prove De
This House and the country. These o.
cations shall trace to their origin, and
stop TO inquire so much into their anou
as into the causes which have led to 10