Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1839-03-09
PUBLIC DEFALCATIONS.
SPEECH OF Mr.. DUNCAN OF OHIO
TcoycIupr

rust mat nave shown that tie three ct ul-
| csl dciacahoa chiefly relied on 10 prove corruption
on the part Of the Administration, have uoihiue in
them 10 warrant such charge | think. by the ia
bic which have exhibited, have shown concu-
svely, frs that less money has been lost by dcalca-
tons of any and every kind, during the Admins
tr9lions o. General Jackson. and OF Mr. Van Blu
rem, so far as i has progressed in proportion 10 the
amnunt OF money collected and lisbursed than I'M
der any administration which preceded them.
| think have shown that ten times as much money
! has beel lost 10 the Government by BANKS mcr-
Giants and the credit system has been lost by all
| the collectors, receivers and dj~burses (the Swat
won't case excepted that the Government has ever
employed: and if | have not shown thai the Gov
eminent Isl continue 20 ltse wlls i, IS connected
| with tins swindirg and gambling system, Il mean
the Fedora! Bank polcy) It is because il must be
so well understood that it is unnecessary.
! Sir, every effort is now being made to saddle up
oil this Administration the dedication of SWart-
woui, for party elect bat 10 cannot bee done.
SWartwout had his appointment under another Ad-
mnlStraun. The greater part OF his itaulS were
committed before lhlS Administration cane into eX-
istnce; and those that were committed after, were
effected in consequence Of a policy which was a.
dopted before this AdminiSralion-a policy which
made it almost Impossible for the Treasury Depart
ment either to prevent them, or detect them after
they were committed until Swartwout had fed
and the policy in this case was the Bank policy, aud
the connection of the Government with it.
Sir, i ever candor is proper and becoming in any
suaton-lf II constitutes human virtue, and
ought 10 be associated with any transaction Of hu-
man life, it ought to be with the duties of eCi>a-
ton. An honest and an unsuSpeciidg community
ought 10 be represented IN an honest and unsuspl-
cionS manner The people have a deeper interest, #
| possible, m having their honesty and morality fairly
represented than even their political or civil rights
| How degrading IS II 10 the character OF the repre-
sentative IN any capacity, and more especially in
| that Of on American Congressman, 10 play the part
| OF pet,ogger, or seyenth-rac county court law
| yer-degradIDg himself aud the digniad station he
occupies by practising little trcbery, for mean, SCI
| fish party purposes.
Sir speak with reference to attempts made too
frequently on this floor 20 bring the Administration
into diScredlt by prolnngaling and maguyug ey-
cry trilng error supposed To exist in the manage
ment OF the Government, and euppreSSing every yr-
Tue and every quality Of the Administration, cnli-
Ting II 10 the confidence of the people think
once before. on this floor, remarked that il is base
and criminal 10 withhold the truth, when il may b,
due to reputation as TO promulge that which is false
| for The purposes OF delraction or SANDER Can any
candid man fail to perceive, on win any Just man Gail
| To depiecate, the practice which has been pursued
IN this debate of picking Out particular cases and re-
ports, or passages from them, and putting them to-
! geher, 50 as to produce an impression as 10 facts
and as 10 the conduct OF pubic officers, totally differ
en from that which results from far and entire
view. My colleague Mr.. Bondl deliberately ac-
cnSos the President and the Secretary OF the Trea-
| sury, together with the Solicitor, Comptroller ana
FIRST Auditor Of a combined aud studied effort to
deceive the people relative to the existing pr. visions
that authorize or direct the periodical inspection Of
! the books and accounts of public officers; and me
winds up by deliberate assertion that the ducu-
ments sent 10 the House are, on this point untrue
Not content with thus making use of a palpabe
pervcrson Of the reports oI the Solicitor ana Comp
troIer to found this charge Of lseh0od against the
President and the officers Of the Treasury Depart.
ment, he takes occasion, by the same means, 10
magnify his own sagacily and industry, porades be-
lore this House, as something wonderfully novel,
one OF the best known sections of the general col
lection ACT OF 1893. Perhaps the very law which is
| more frequently referred TO- aud is more familiar
than any other 10 the statute book, and quotes, as
discovery due 10 his own remarkable acuteness the
very portion Of that law under which the public
officers, whom he accuses Of being ignorant Of its
! provisions were at the time VIGOROUSLY acting.
| The Secretary Of the Treasury had directed the
Solicitor and Comptroller, after ascertaning the
| facts OF Swartwout's delacation, TO suggest such
changes in the existing laws as they might deem adj
| Visa6le. II IS their report from which my colleague
makes his selections. Those officers are not uspec-
tors Of The custom house proceedings and books, as
directed by lac and that an express provision re-
quiring tins to be done from time to time by com
peten officer, from the Treasury Department, is an
obvious aud important measure Of precauton and
! safety.
Tins Suggestion my colleague consirucs lntoa
"combiled and studied eGort" to create a false i'm
preston as TO the existing laws, and says that these
documents are so lar from truth, that he * able 10
read an express clause from the statute hook which
has for more than forty years provided Dr the very
inspection : that Is now recommended as q grave
and sautary remedy And how does he do this
| How does ne fulfil his boasied promise How are
the President and the officers OF the Treasury con-
victed Of alsehood, or gross ignorance How IS
the searching sacty Ui the member himself es-
tabshed Why, lorsooh all tbs promised pros
traon Of the President, Seereta y, Solicitor Comp
troller, Auditor, and the whole Government, which
thunders SO loudly in the index and fis self gIori-
hcatl0n OF my colleague, and tie astounding proof
Of his ability to perform these searching opera
tions," 10 use his avorte phrase) turns out 10 be
nothing more tlan reading to this House a well
known section Of the old collection law, which pro-
vide, that collectors and Other officers shall keep true
accounts, submit them TO inspection when required,
and forfeit 81 coo in every case where they refuse
so to do. Does this prove what my colleague wish
es US to believe it does Does ii prove that regu-
lar Inspections Of the books and proceedings Of tile
custom-house by competent officer of Tie Tfea-
sury Department, are now directed BY law! As
well might you say that the penalty Imposed upon
smuggler made ii unnecessary 10 direct by law
the appointment Of a single inspector iide-waiier
that there need OF marsha Or officer Of pc
lice, because the statute declares that connterfit-
or or thief shall be put ID the penitenary. The
provision IN question was well known, but il il an
inadequate provision. Did any one doubt or deny
that the Secretary Of the Treasury might send
person to any custom-house, specially to examine
its proceedings Is there a word in The report Of
The Secretary, or 10 any Of those documents that
expresses such doubt Were not the Solicitor
and Comptroller so sent under this very provision,
10 this very instance Yet my colleague attempts
to create Ibis impression, 40 impression The very re-