The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-26
SPEECH or MR. PRENrIss.
OF MlssIssipPI.

sTEECH DE MIR. PRENTISs,
OF MISSISSIPPI,
On The defalcaions of the Observation-Disclosures
In The House OF Representatives December d
1888.
The House being in Committee Of the Whole n,o
the Presidents Message, Mr.. PREsrIss spoke as nj
lows: ~
Mn. CHAIRMAN: had intended, upon former oce,
slon to have expressed my views upon some OF The n
PICS embraced In the Presidents message more e,pe
elay the subject Of the recent deaIcaiions am. ho,
ever so unfortunate to be viewed by the official ey
OF this House through inverted telescope, and
mol often that can obtain the floor. With much plea
sure therefore, avail myself Of the opportunity al pre
sent afforded me- That portion Of the message 10 wbie
shall principally turn my attention, to wit, the defalca
lions Of the public officers has been already ably consi
dercd by my honorable friend from Virginia, (Mr Wise
as well as by the distinguished member from Tenncs
see, Mr. Belly But IL is subject which cannot b,
100 often or too thoroughly discussed. dissemination
WILL am confident, evscerate more Of the principles
upon which this Government has, fer some years, beer
administered, and furnish valuable lessons 70
future guidance, than any other matter that can occur,
our deliberations. ] am sorry to observe rapidly in.
cfeasng hostility upon this floor 10 the discussion O
great political principles One would suppose 10 lis
s @ang 70 some gentlemen. that Congress was const
,u'ed, like county court, for the trial Of petty rdiy
claims, instead of being the great political trbu-
nal OF the nation, whose province and duty il is moi
only 10 notice all important in the action OF the
Government bu, to investigate the causes from which
they have resulted
Oscillations Of the most alarming characte, .na G.,
an immense amount, carried on aud concealed. for 1
series OF years. BY the collector of the principal COM
mercia city OF the Union have been recently
The President has seen fit to call our particular alten
ton 70 this case, and TO make in connexion Herewith
divers suggestions to the best mode Of preventing
simihr occurrences hereafter.
:. II proper (says the President that BY an
early enactment, similar TO that OF other countries the
application Of public money, by officer ofthe Govern
mes TO private uses, should be made eiony and ri-
saSa Dith seoere and ignonsinious pnnishmenf"
he further recommends that committee OF Con-
gDss DO appointed to watch the officers who have the
custody Of the public moneys and that they should
port to the Executive such defacaons as were found
70 exist, with view to prompt removal from Office
unless the default was satisfactorily accounted for"
The Secretary Of the Treasury has also given us a
report upon this same subject which he his
asonishment that such should have hap
pencd without his knowledge exhibits like the Presi-
dent most holy horror at the enomty OF the offence
ana recommends the appointment of additional tribe
OF officers to watch over those already in power as the
best mode OF avoiding similar mishaps in future.
To listen to the well assumed astonishrnent OF the
President and Secretary the discovery Of Swartwous
peculaons, one would readily suppose that defalcation
under the present administration like parricde among
the ancients had heretofore been crime unknown.
and consequently unproyided for by justice. Hearken
to the philosophical musings Of the President on this
point
"The Government it must be admitted has been
from its commencement comparatively fortunate in this
respect But the appointing power cannot always be
well advised in its selections and the experience Of eve
ry country has shown that public officers not at all
times proof against temptation"
Wonderful sagacity Unparalleled discovery Who
will now deny the title Of magician to the man
who has developed the astounding fact that public
officers not at all times proof against temptation Z"
The entertainments Of Swartwout have caused this
truth to flash upon the sagacious mind of the Chief Ma
gistrate and with phanlhropic eagemess he recon-
mends that put stop to this sort OF wickedness
by making it a pententiay offence.
Mr. Chairman IL should tell you that all this is sheer
hypocrisy and miserable pretence--a tub thrown
out to the popular whale and divert his attention
from the miserable and eaky canoe which bears the for
tunes Of this administration il should tell you that
during the last five or SIX years. hundred Of de-
iacaon have occurred, more outrageous in principle,
profgae in character than the one we are recon-
mended to investigate; that the President has continued
defauers in Office knowing OF their violations Of duty
knowing Of their appropriation OF the public MONEYS to
private that the Secretary OF the Treasury has du
during that PERIOD connved at these defacatons and
4
should tell you that these defalcations constitute por
ton Of the spoiis systemtha system which has been
to this administration what his flowing locks to
Samson-the secret OF its strength If should tell
you all this, should tell you no than conscen-
tiousy believe; no more than shall attempt to prove
before this House and the country These defalcations
shall trace to their origin, and not stop TO INQUIRE so
much into their amounts, into the causes which have
led to them 1t is not the question, Where is the mo-
ney but Where is the guilt that wish to nyesti-
gate The recent developments to which our attention
is invited are but some Of the bubbles that every
day breaking upon the surface of the still and manng
pool shall not stop to measure their relative size or
color but will, unpleasant the task may be, dredge
for the corrupt which lies at the bottom. These
cases are but the windalls from that tree Of Sodom
executive patronage Heretofore the Of
the people have, in vain, urged examination into the
character Of its fruit but it has been guarded with
more vigilance than tho golden apples Of the Hes
perides. Now, our attention is solicited to it by the
President. is he in earnest! Let him but give
chance to shake this tree, and he will find his rotten
pppns falling from every limb and branch
But attention is called, particularly to the Of
Swartwout The administration has delivered him over
to tender mercies they have dropped him, the
bear when holly pursued, drops Of her cubs, for
the purpose of dstracng the attention Of the hunter
and so escaping with the rest Of her young l. for one,
shall not be thus diverted from my purpose, but win fol-
low the dam to her den and there if possible crush at
once the whole brood,
Swartwout has been found out This is the unpar-
donable sin with the present party in power. Their
morality is the Spartan morality not the e but the
discovery, constitutes the crime Sir, if every Office
holders mantle thrown aside, how many think you,
would be found without stolen fox fastened to the
girdei
Mr.. Chairman, / have confidence that the Presi.
dent has recommended this investigation in good faith
that his partsans here intend to permit it, They
dare do it, They not yet sufficiently maddened
scopon-ke to dart the sting into their desperate
brain. No, sir, it is mere rusc Regardless Of the
maxim that "there is honor among thieves the rest Of
the oficeholders very willing to tura States evil
dence against Swartwout to gain immunity for them
selves, and favor with the commonwealth. Let the adj
minstraton give fair committee, favorable to in
vestgaton not packed by the Speaker throw open to
US the doors Of your departments-th whited Sc
pochres, within whose secret vaults corruption has so