The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-09
SPEECH OF MR.. PROFFIT,
OF INDIANA,
Delivered IN the House Of Representatives on me ioa"
March, on the Loan Bill
(coNcLUDED.)
OF INDIANA

ditures of the last administration nc WIN niu' ~
reference to speech made py me, anu NV Sa dovs
me the honor to read in this House some rev DAYS
nc thai in that speech prominently set forth those
Expenditures. | think they have been harped on long
enough and often enough, and shall therefore now
SOW nothing about them. But to those who say that
the friends of the Administration have become luke
warm in their investigation, l would point to my
course during this and the extra session OF Con-
gress.
During the extra session the ex-Secretary Of War
(NIr. Belly sent a message informing us that most
gross and scandalous frauds had been perpetrated IN
the Indian Department, and that large sums oil mo-
ney had thus been embezzed. After waiting some
six eight weeks for the Secretary to give US the
names of the persons who, as he said, had abused
their trusts introduced resolution calling upon
him for the names of the denquents and the amounts
thus purloined sc. The resolution was voted down,
sir, by Wing votes; yes sir, by those very men VINO
now, upon this floor, tell US that we have LOST our
taste for Investigations And to tins DAY we na1e
never been able to ascertain to whom the Secretary
of War alluded, or what amount the Government,
according to his account, had lost. And the grave
charge thus made against those connected with The
Indian affairs of the Government remains to this day
unexplained.
Having ascertained that officers Of the customs still
contrved to hold large of money in their hands,
under the head of fines, penalties, and foreitures,
notwithstanding the law Of Sd March, l94l, intro
duced resolution of inquiry on the subject deter
mined as always have been, TO hold the officers Of
this Administration to strict accountability. This
solution was objected 10 by Wings and they now ac-
cuse me of supineness.
offered resolution calling for information the
subject of moneys paid district attorneys another
on the subject of the vast expenditures for the New
York custom-house; and many other resolutions, all
having for their object strict investigation into the
expenditures of this Administration. All were OBJ
jeced to by the Wing party. But sir, this is in per-
feet unison with their general course. They one mo-
ment accuse the friends of the Administration Of be-
ing faction contemplate for number; and the next
moment they of being sufficiently powerful
to arrest the action Of this House They say that we
are servile followers of the President, and in the
next breath accuse us of opposing his measures.
They tauntingly exclaim that we not worth their
notice, and then, by way of proving their assertions,
they spend days and weeks in abusing us. They OPP
pose all efforts to aid the Administration in fer
reung out abuses and then insist that officers of the
Government are improperly protected by the Admin
istraton and its friends Such are the inconsistent
cies that will always mark factious opposition.
They refuse to do any thing themselves, and yet will
not permit Others to effect any good They seem de-
termined that all the members of the House shall be
Unfortunately involved in the censure justly due
only to themse. ves
Sir, if the gentleman from North Carolina really
thinks so lightly the friends of the Administration
why should he travel very far of his way to at
tack us Z Not one Of us had uttered word which
should have incurred his ire In truth not one of the
friends of the Administration had opened his lips
cept the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. WsE,) and
he had said but few words and yet the gentleman
must at the "corporas gHard," as a party
small hardly to be worthy OF a name. Well
sir small party, but permit me to tell the gen.
tleman that we are, compared with his faction like
silver shilling among dozen cents-smal, indeed
but worth more than the whole of them.
But, sir, before this session closes will show gem
tlemen whether have lost my former fondness for
investigation will show them whether the officers
Of this Administration screened by the friends of
the Administration on this floor. will open your
Cua fnm.h nr IN tha limit of
your light house system, and your revenuecuter sys
tenn, &c; and soemny VOW that while hold seat
upon this floor will expose any and every delinquen
cy that may by dint Of industry detect, matter
who appointed him or to what political party he may
belong. They who have received Office from this Ad
ministration shall be most closely and rigdly held
to responsibility, as far lies in my power; and in
utering this determination, but speak the senti-
ments of every friend of the Administration in this
House.
One word more sir, the subject of the extra SEES
sion, to which should have alluded at ALL had
not other gentlemen thought fit to do Its results
and the unhappy state of things which have arisen
from it were all predicted by the &C ntleman from vir
gnia Mr.. WIsE) Irecollect that he made speech
few days before the close of the last session of Con
gress, in which he first advanced the consequences
which would result from an extra session He gave
1t as his opinion that 1t would be better await
preston of public sentiment on the subject of bank
tariff, distribution, &c. and that in the then excited
state of the political world much hasty and imperfect
legislation might be anticipated differed with him.
thought his fears ILL founded and expressed to him
and others my regret that he should thus anticipate
evil Experience has proved that he had more fore
sight than myself He had studied the character of
Wing politicians more closely than had His fears
have been than realized predictions
than mplished-and now acknowledge that he is
really Wise and no Prophet
The gentleman from North Carolina has boastngly
informed US that there no fragments in the Wing
party-the only fragment that ne knows offs the
corporaPs guard" What necessity could exist, sir,
for this unprovoked at u.s. who had not uttered
word relative to party politics But, since the
genteman's vision is very obtuse, and his know
ledge of the situation OF parties SO very limited,
think it my duty to enlighten him the subject
No fragments, sir! Why where is your majority in
Maine? Some thousands of a Whg minority now
greet you there 7 How stands New York She
who, in 1899, arrested the triumphant march of the
democratic battaons, and who, in lS40 gave to the
Wing thousands of majority Her Legisa-
ture now is nearly democratic unit and thousands
Of the popular voice against you What cheer is
there for you in Pennsylvania A majority for
Harrison in 1910; now tens ofthousands Of a majo-
riy for democracy No fragments, eh Is the sky
still bright in Maryland2 Alas! her Wing majority
Of thousands longer exists; she gives her vote
against you How is Georgia She who, by her
majory of thou sands for Harrison, astonished the
natlon now gives her thousands against The Wing
cause. And even the favorle of your party VIII
this foor--he who was considered inv chile, is beat
en- for Governor |, sir admired that man He fell
victim to his own sent acquescence in your many
weak acts of legislation. Let the gentleman from
NORTH Carolina look around him, and he will see three
members this fl or from that State, newly re-n-
stated in their seats by democratic victories Where
is your twenty-six thousand in Ohio majority
now against you. Where stands Mississippi p
Where Michigan No fragments sir! Why, in
this later Stale, am informed that there is but one
Wits left in one branch OF the Legislature Not
enough 10 make motion and 10 second il No, sui.
fciently strong to demand the yeas and yeas | am
told SIR that the democratic party, not Knowing what
to do with that one man. talked OF making him pre-
siding officer, well assured that he would be perfectly
impartial.
Here Mr.. Howard, of Michigan, rose and with