The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-15
MR. OGI,E'S SPEECH.

AS the Loco Foco Federalists have sought to break
the force of this scratching expose of their chief and pre-
tended Democrat by alleging that the Wings of Con-
gress had impugncd the correctness of MIR. Ogle's
statements, copy the following poser from nine
members Of Congress;
The undersigned Wing members of Congress, have
had their attention called to publication in the Globe
of the 10th July, lS40 under the caption Of "Messrs
Lincoln and Ogle," from which the following extract
is taken:
''He Mr. Lincoln) was friend of Mr. Van Blu
rem but he would do him the justice to say if there
any thing wrong in relation to the furniture of the
White House the President not to blame for it.
On the contrary he Mr. L) knew his great dclicacy
on the subject and would the gentleman that,
whenever the committee had consulted the President
in relation to any additional furniture, he had inva
riably expressed his reluctance to have any thing
pended for that object. He Mr.. } would state,
from his knowledge, that not single article of
furniture supplied during the last three years, had been
supplied at the request Of the President The commit
tee alone were answerabe, and they would the
responsibility"
The undersigned do not undertake to say whether
Mr. L. used the language imputed to him by the Globe
not; but he has permitted its publication to
main ten DAYS without public contradiction, pre-
sumo that he adopts the language ascribed to
him, if he did not originally utter it. For the purpose
therefore, OF placing the matter truly before the cOun
try and the gross misrepresentation of facts
contained in the above extract the undersigned cert
fy that they have carefully examined the vouchers
which have been duly audited and settled by the
Treasury Department for the purchase of furniture
for the Presidents house since the 4th of March,
1887 and that they have compared the said vouchers
with the statements of the same IN the published
speech of Mr. Ogle, and find the said vouchers truly
set forth in the said speech
And they further certify, that it appears from the
said vouchers that more than eighteen thousand dol
lars were expended in furniture for the Presidents
house between the fourth day of March 1887,
and the sixth day of December, 1897, the day
on which the Committee Public Buildings and
Grounds appointed, and of which Mr. Lincoln
was Chairman the former committee on Public Build
ngs and Grounds having ceased to exist on the Sd
day of March, 1887
The undersigned further certify that it appears
from the said vouchers that the said money was ex-
pended by the agents of the President viz. his son.
Abraham Van Buren,, T. L. Smith, and Others on
drawn by order of the President Of the nj
ted States himself
And the undersigned would further state that the
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds have
no control, direction, jurisdiction whatever in the
selection purchase of furniture which the President
may see proper to procure by himself or his agents
when appropriations made for that object by law
J. G. CLARK, N York
JAMES COOPER
CHI F. MITCHELL.
w. SIMONTON,
w. RIDGWAY,
p. G. GOODE
Washington, July 20, 1870
As Chairman of the Committee on the Expenditures
on Public Buildings it becomes my duty to examine
the expenditures on the Presidents house | have
had the vouchers before the committee and having
examined the subject fully at the request Of Mr. Ogle,
that the facts published in his speech
rectly given. ! concur in the foregoing statement Of
Messrs Clark Cooper, and others.
July %, 1910 EDw sTANLY.