The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-06-25
NUMBER 80.

And another bill IN when the people arc
charged for griudi0g Mr.. Van Burens Ia
ble's knives, and for two knife blades, the
sum of54 80 The people are also charc-
ed eight hundred and fifty nine dollars, for
the services Of horse, cart, and gardener,
to aid IN raising Mr.. Van Burens yegeta-
bles
The White House, with the exception
of the East Room was handsomely furnish.
ed while Mr.. Adams was President Of tho
United States. Gen. Jackson spent S4j,-
600 for furniture during the eight years
that he occupied the VI bite House, and MIR.
Van Buren, during the first year Of his ad-
mnistralion expended .Ol the same purpose
upwards Of $780, 0J.
Mr.. Ogle said he was aware that Mr..
Van Buren, was great advocate OF GOLD
aud he supposed that eating with gold
haires and .Joris gave L.A " ha0he.Ing'
that way
Mr.. Lincoln repeatedly interrupted MI.
Ogle, in the course Of his REMARKS, and in.
formed him that tie report of bis speech
which was published ia the Globe, waa
taken by reporter and published without
his knowledge or consent he never saw it,
until II appeared 10 prIHt, and had 40 op.
porunity to revise Il ard he WISHED il uu-
derstood that i, contained very many mac.
curacres, some Of which be had pointed gu.
10 the gentleman from Peuasj I'auia. The
report, he repeated, vas q pcrYcIslun of
his language, and contained expressions
which he did not use. he dlsayowed the
spirit Of ii, entirely.
Mr.. Ogc said he was glad to hear the
gentleman make this explanation. lie did
not believe that any man could stand up be-
fore his constituents and Justify the foolish
extravaganza Of the President. He did not
believe that any man could justify him in his
aping Of foreign courts-ln the purchasing
OF French furniture, Of gold plate, Of artificial
flowers, British coaches, and other things Of
that sort. lie did not believe any man could
justify him 10 charging his common house.
hold expenses to the people, while he was
receiving the largest salary paid TO any pub.
lie officer in the nation. President Wash
ington, be said, lived in a plain house, in q
plain manner-and he paid for bis own rent,
and his food, and family expenses. And
there was 10 law to justify Mr.. Van Buren,
IN making such charges against the people,
as he had read from the reports. No other
President ever did such thing. live per.
mitted these charges in one instance, there
would be no end to ihem-no limit, what.
ever, but the limit Of ayarice. Instead Of
salary Of S2j, 1000, the salary of the Presi-
( dent might be increased, By his own will to
100000. He considered this a nonstrous
abuse ofpower, and one that ought to be i'm
medlately checked.
Well, then, here you have a specimen Of
the facts, figures, and arguments, presented
by Mr.. Ogle, to sustain the famous Gold
Spoon story. The spirit of this story is
the charge Of extravaganza, and mean
abuse OF power for pecunlary Advantage
Mr.. Ogie has talked three days on this sub
Jet, and will soon present 10 the public the
entire mass Of facts which he has collected,
with the recepted bills and the certified doc.
uments 10 sustain his charges. have en-
y gathered few items from the speech
which ne delivered last evening-and this
was scarcely third Of the whole. Then
how does The cold Spoon story stand now
Is not Mr.. Van Buren, a vain man ln---
Read again the extract given above from
one Of my former letters, and see if il be not
literally true. declare again, that Mr..
Van Buren, has filled the White House with
extravagaut French turniture-tkat he is
an arstocrat IN feeling and in Practice
that his public table is garnished with
pyramid ottoregn lewelry, aud other expen-
sive and improper ornaments-that on ex.
iraordinary occasions he uses u service OF
gold pIatc-that he rides in an English
coach, constructed inlmitation of those used
by the nobility of Great Bntain-and that
while living 10 style of princely magnih-
ceuce, he meanly charges his common fam.
iLy expenses towels, and gardening
to the people of the United States. Here is
a gold spoon story somewhat enlarged-and
the more you investigate 1t, the worse it will
appear.
Il is 20 DO regretted that man Of Gov.
Lincoln's good s1ase shosld have lent him.
self, for an instant, TO justify such monstrous
a fagrant abuse Of
power-aud such gross violation of every
principle of the democratic creed. But as
/ understand his explanation, he has not
done,so, He declared, most explicitly, that
the report>of his remarks IN the Globe was
a perverson or, his Naguage. He did not
deny the charges about the French furniture,
the gold spoons, &c. He did not pretend
to know the character of the furniture, and
the table ornaments. lie did not deny the
truth and authenticity Of the Items exhibit
ed by Mr.. Oglc. lie only said that MIR.
Ogle labored under a misapPrehenslon with
regard to the language that he had used, and
also with regard to one particular item of
$500, which Mr.. Ogle supposed was applied
to repairs upon the interior of the White
House, when il was, in fact, applied to the
exterior.
If the Locofocos will read this new edi-
ton of the Gold Spoon story carefully, and
ponder upon it well, will give them some