The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-09-25

Such, Mr. Chairman, are the sums-wheiher Law
ish or not, shall not stop to consder-whlch, rom
time to time, have been voted by congress; and
these are the receivers to whom the member re-
freshmen, who for accepting the accommodation
provided by law for the office which they sustain
ed, are charged with "robbing the treasury and
fleeing the people" These are they, Of whom 1t
is said ''thc receiver is as bad as the thief" The
elder Adams, the dauntess asserter of American
freedom; Jefferson, the co-patrot of Adams, the
draughtsman of the Declaration of Independence,
the great apostle Of liberty, the very chieio demo-
Gratis; Madison, the champion Of the constitution,
the patrio, statesman and sage Monroe, the soldier
of the revolution, the brave defender ofthe repub-
lie in the first war, the inAeXible and uncompro-
missing advocate of national honor, rights and inter-
ests in the last--those are they who received the
appropriations, and to whom the adage is applied,
Names dcu,hless in fame, immortal in the history
oflher county, renown! My veneraled colleague,
too, the learned civilian, the accomplished diplo
matisl the ncorrupiible magistrate, he who on this
floor is the most fearless and faithful of the servants
of the people, together with the hero of New Or
leans, "the greatest and the best" and the more
humble 'iollower in the footsteps" they also, are
within the oboquy of the same reproach,
And who is the thief? The congress of the U.
States the representatives of the people in succcs
sion, through series of more than forty years.
These are the men, who by making the approprla-
tions in the sentiment Of the member from Penn
syvania, (AIr. Ogle,) plundered the treasury and
robbed their constituents Is there any individual
within the sound of my voice whose cheek does not
burn with indignation at the bare recital Of the
charge Where were the scepless sentinels Of
the peoples rights, the dragon guardians of the
public chests, when these spoilers robbed it of its
trcasnrei Was no arm raised for its protection
Search the journals of either house of congress, and
neither voice nor vote is found against one of those
appropriations If hey deserve the character now
attempted to he given lhcm how happens it, that
in forty years there has been no resistance in their
passage? How happens it, indeed, that in the last
congress of which this PENNSYLVANIA, gilmore than
Spartan virtue was a member, no opposition was
offered to grants precisely similar to those contain
ed in the present bill? They passed without OBJ
lection then.
[Nr, Ogc, No; member near me says he OBJ
jeccd,l
Mr., Lincoln. Who is the man; hear of no
dlssencnt. II any had the ririue at that time to
think it wrong, he had not the courage to make it
known. Where is the recorded vote at call even
for division upon the question Sin the truth is,
consideration of them, and subsequently they have
been of course and usual.
1.-THE people will no longer approve them, con-
grcss must refer back by legislation, to their occa-
sion; dispose of the White Ilouse;' send the fur
nilurr TO auction; and leave the President to pro-
vide for himself his place of residence and means
of accommodation. When this shall appear to be
the judgment of the people, shall be found among
the last to withstand their will
There is another topic upon which the member
has harped loud and long.lhc style and fashion Of
The articles which have been purchased under the
appropriations. In my impcriecily reported
remarks, to which the gentlemen so freely re-
irrs for text to his folio anno'aiions, with the
reading of which, for hours, he HIS occupied the
time Of this committee, not single article was par
ticu!arly specified or justified by me. Wherefore,
then, does he attempt TO make me responsible for
such ms he has chosen To Designate and for the en-
'ray0gance Of which, upon the fidelity of his de-
SHrlplOn only, he asks II sentence of condemnation!
did say, however, generally, | have already To-
day repeated, md NOW rcllcrate, that to casual
observer the furniture appears neither too rich nor
too abundant for the size md nrgniic-ncc Vi the
mansion, nor 10 good for the first representative of
fcer Of free and sovereign people. But of this
make no matter Of personal controversy with the
Oclllnpr hnhh'Sfnnn MN now ." cay 'hh' hu mas
never been ut the house How well, then, il may
comport with becoming modesy, or sense of JUS
tlcc even, TO dcnOunce unseen, that which prudent
and honorable men have sanctioned, | leave for
Others TO consider. lie condemns the articles as
the exhibition of dris;ocrac pride and splendor.-
Well, sir, defend not the purchase of these arli-
clcs but take my position behind the character Of
those by whose authority they were procured.
insist that whatever fault has been committed, i,
with those who furnished the means of such en-
rav0gance, if extravaganza there bc-wth the rep
rcsenintlves Of the people, who again and again
under every administration, with full knowledge
OF the manner in which the money would be ex-
pended, have voted the appropriations without re
s'rlcton or qualification. ! have shown that what
ever reproach attaches to the procurement and ust
of such furniture has been incurred by the head Of
each successive administration. u, indeed, the
fashion of the house be display Of splendor, stern
and sound republicans have been BETRAYED into thi,
foolish error
Thomas Jefferson was once accounted plain
unpreiending democrat, and passed in his day ol
an transformations chief magistrate, and vet we hay,
seen that thu sum of & ,co0 was expended foi
furniture during the period Of his Presidency; aud
this, too, in addition TO The Sll 900 prevousl,
granted TO his immediate predecessor The purt,
and republican simplicity of Mr. Madson's life and
manners have never TO this time been questioned
yet to the $'i3,0 600 before appropriated S2s ,OOC
more were added to the royal pngennrv in the eight
years of his administration. Colonel Monroe, too
was he van-gorous aristocrat' He has the
credit in history at least fhaying resisted to blood
in the revolutionary conflict n government of roya
pride and arrogance, and, by life devoted to hi.
country, contributed as largely as any other 10 the