The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-02-16

thai estimate ons-haT! Only three hundred thou
sand dollars, therefore, We're appropriated. And what
has been the consequence Why, just what was
known must happen. Gen Jesup says there are
outstanding claims TO consider sbe amount, arising
out OF the volunteer and militia service which have
been recognised by the Executive and Tor the prompt
payment OF which funds are required = and he urges
unfortunately that for this object and for
wee an immediate application be made to Congress for
at least four hundred thousand dollars. have
letter from highly respectable gentleman the spot
OF near IT. TO his friend in this House, in which the
amount OF arrearages due TO volunteers and milin,
&c Is stated at not less than 1900 600 So then Mr.
chairman, we have here demands for volunteer and
militia service IN Florida, due and past due running
up 70 hundreds OF thousands OF dollars recognised 5y
NE President and yet not paid And why not paid I
oh, 81 coufe because there was appropriation
and how can money be paid be the Treasury never
SO iuil, without an appropriation Well and why
was there not an appropriation Why that was
cutdown-cut down by positire order and con, 1and-
when II was just as we'll known as is now that the
money would be required and wanted In short. Won
this goyernment--putting forth boastiu claim that
you had met every demand promptly-you declined
and refused at the proper time make an appropria
ton TO meet debts and demands which, at that very
time, you meant TO contract and create and this you
didithin you must be content To bear this impeac-
ment--this you did deliberately, intending to cover
yourselves behind the legal Of no appropria-
uoD, from the approach and repToaches Of your own
delayed, suffering and abused creditors. You employ
citizen soldiers in the field for months together you
promise 10 pay them and provide for their subsistence
and comfort you suffer large arIearages to accumulate
against you, you recognise the debt but when pay
ment Is demanded, your answer is" no appropria-
hon. The true and only honest answer would be-
no money That Is the secret why you do not pay 1t
is announcement at least for you, and you want the
next Administration to pay it. No appropriation
Common honesty required you to make ii at the last
session. But it was omitted then--then the debt was
only In prospect; now however, il is reality, and
why is the appropriation not now to be made Look
to the estimates of your Secretary-do you find any
such item there as this2 No, no; after the debt has
become due long since after it has been recognised
by the President" and after the earnest appeal made
by the Quartermaster Gencral-after all your old ex-
cuse stands good. You have made no appropriation
and you propose to make none at least it not in the
estimates of the Secretary-of that Secretary who
teaches the President to make proclamation all the
world that this is Government which promptly meets
all demands upon IT,
Well again sir Before this Government nuts
forth its claim TO much credit for honorable dealing
with its creditors, il TO il would have been
prudent at least to have taken that there were
very fragrant cases to be alleged against it of neglect
and refusal to redeem its faith soemnly pledged BY
treaty with the Cherokees ratified in 1896 the Uni
ted States agreed that such Cherokee warriors were
engaged the side of the United States in the last
war with Great Britain and the Southern tribes Of
Indians, and who were wounded in the service, should
be entitled to pensions. The Secretary of War in his
the notice of the President ey are very desti-
tue says the Secretary, "and the good faith of the
Government is pledged in their favor" Here de-
mands, them due for four years, under solemn treaty
stipulation, and during all that period, they have not
only not been met but there has been no effort and
no disposition to meet them No appropriation has
been asked of Congress 10 asked, nor would
those in Congress who might be disposed to have the
faith Of the Government kept have been permitted by
the Administration at any time, suppose to pass
act in fulfIment Of this treaty. These miserable
Cherokee warriors, who fought for you and shed their
blood in your quar- wounded and disabled, have
ceived your promise of ptance wherewith to render
the fragment of their broken life comfortabesor endu-
rabe and for years you delay and refuse pay you
have promised. You you, do this, who make II your
loud boast that all demands you promptly met.
Mr.. Chairman, there other illustrations behind
Of the proper manner in which this Administration
has met all demands upon it, Take the case of those
works of public improvement our harbors and rivers,
and the Cumberland road heretofore carried on, but
abandoned midway in the operations upon them du-
ring the last two years. The engineers tell Of
rsarages these works, not as large perhaps they
numerous-demands outstanding against them;
some OF which must have been long outstanding, and
not therefore promptly met and many of which would
not have been met at all at least under this Admins
tration if the engineers had not, during the last
mer, sold of public property connected with these
works, expressly to raise the means for this object
Col Albert tells us that sales absolutely neces
sary, in many cases in order to raise funds to qudate
small demands against the works" have great
doubts whether all demands against these works have
yet been iquidated and, if they have the contempt
bic and tardy mode which il has been done aptly il
Illustrates the IDEAS which persons to enter
tain Of what is to be faithfsl and prompt in the dis
charge of honest debts.
And then Mr.. Chairman how has il been with
the operations Of the past year on the barracks and
Notifications of the country One or two cases
suppose, may serve as an example for all stinted
appropriation was made for these works last year
tod nv IN nrIe
pcaon Of these moneys was postponed by the Presl-
dent, so that to Gen. Jesups language "theoper
TONS have been limited with few exceptions topay-
ing outstanding claims, &c This, one would sup
pose would have cfectuay arrested the progress OF
these works under any other Government such would
have been the effect But such thing here
lowing to demand for employment, says Col. Tot
ten, most worthy gentleman and able officer morti-
fled and stung, am sure, high-minded and homo
rabe man, by such condition of hugs--"Owing to
demand for employment on the part of laborers, me
chanics and contractors, we have been enabled TO do
something" &c. In other words, to tell the story
plainly myself and relieve Col Totten, the case is
this The Government is engaged in constructing
Notifications, which are large and expensive works.
and carried on by yearly appropriations. 1t has in
its employ these works superintendent and con-
tractors and mechanics and laborers most of whom,
at least many Of whom, make their arrangements, do
nestle and otherwise, with reference TO permanent
employment on these works, from the commencement
the completion of Them running of course, through
number Of years They know that these works
undertaken by Governments wealthy old gentleman,
who generally does what he says he will do. Such
These contractors mechanics, and aborcrs are on the
ground promptly with the return of every working
season invited by the Government, and taught to ex
pect nothing else than to go on with their work as
usual and TO be paid for il of course Then comes
the Government 10y its agent and their bitter dis
appointment, announces that funds are low, and
prompt payment for labor is not to be expected 10
work or siarve--ihis is the condition of labor all over
the world. What shall these men dot Their bust
ness i here and they have no employment elsewhere,
and might not now be able TO find any Well this
creates. to be sure "a demand for empoyment'--a
pressing demand The Government, too, is as urgent
A.. .bn work done as ihcv are ! do IL and the