Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-05-09
From the Bee.
AN EXAMPLE WORTHY or mi.
FF4ApgNFnRf
TATTON.

nv EAAMPLE WOkIH1 UF lMI
TATTON.
II ~reloices us to look nj the ttnitsf
States Senate and TO perceive its member.
not ~unfrequently rising above the mousinn
aspirations and iniaerh bly, selfish purposes
Of party, In questions involving the fall
fame OF Statesmen whose character and
services are part and parcel Of the nation.
nj records. Can anything be more honor.
able, high-minded, and in better taste,
than the snbjoined remarks Of Mr.. WHsr.
corr, d loeefoeo, Upon tho resolutions In
regard 10 tho secret Service Fund. A
proposition having been made to with
draw the resolution, Mr.. WBsfGorr object.
ed, because he desired the vote Of the
Senate upon 1t by ayes and noes rs o pree@
edent. Mr.. w. then spoke us follows.
Now, (said Mr.. Wy what IL the reso.
luton under consideration The Senate,
II Ia proposed, shall ask tho President 10
inform II ms 10 how the secret service fund
for u certain period has been spent. The
Senator who offered this resolution, / nm
satisfied, has no idea that any impropriety
hAs btfAItti Hs W us IIHHIlIHtlHEilIE ! Ht1
convinced he believes, us I do not hesitate
to declare that | do, nay, as | deem It my
duty TO say, that the imputations made n.
gainst the late president and the distin.
guished Senator from Massachusetts, in
reference 10 the use ofthis fund improper.
y, whilst the latter was Secretary Of State,
ann SLANpBRnHs or n stbLrGsr AND
MOST PtrftEuL CHARACTER. Sir, (said
Mr.. W | will not, Rs d Senator, by any
vote Of mine, permit any such fugacious
scandal against any high.esecutiye officer
of my country, ofany political party, and
especially against a citizen who stands M
high before the world as does the Senator
asgailed, and Of whose reputation and fame
abroad, Opposed as am TO him In polite.
al opinion on almost every subject Of par
ty contest |, AZ an American, feel proud,
| say, ! will not consent that such gossip
shall be the foundation ola call upon the
President, or any action whatever of this
chamber.
will not dignity such unworthy accusa-
ttous by any notice Of them whatever. But
this IL not the chief reason for my desire
that this resolution may be voted down by
the Senate, 10 stand n q precedent. He
said he especially desired that President
Polk, alid all future Presidents, may be rs.
snred That MS to the disbursement of THE
fund, the Executive acts upon his W res.
possibility, and Is not to be called to nm
account otherwise the act of Congress
would he n dirty trap. Sir, it IL a pretty
business If we cannot repose sufficient con.
fdenee In our Chief Magistrate-one who
II elevated to the highest station In The gift
Of the people Of these United States by
their free suffrages Ito ontrttst him with
the expenditure of the p1ltry stun of fifty
thottsan dollars n year for his court Y In
this mode. Mr.. w. said he felt humbled,
that he WINS impclled by what he coneeiv-
to he his duty to make these observa.
tons. He regarded the fair fame of our
distinguished public men as the property
of the country; we had received IL rich her.
from those who preceded uB, and any
man who %tnIustly and ca,tselessly ~assails
the reputation Of such Americans, IL no
true friend of the people or their %instita.
lions.
Mr.. w. eaid that he held It to be inn
that the executive branch Of the
COVE Fnment should be satisfied that full con.
idence Is and will be reposed in It as 10
he fidelity with which this fund may be
.lisbursed, ms TO the discretion which will
exercised, and that IT win be protected
BY Congress and by the people from
5eandalotls imputations so easily made in
regard to It: md that 1t may mol be deferred
from lis jndtcious aud patriotic use by ana
apprehension Of popular suspicion improp-
9rLy eFetted, or popular ciamor gotten up
for other than patriotic objects.
The distinction which the resolution
makes between the disclosure of foreign.
'rs' names and the names of the citizens
employed as agents, Mr.. w. said he
as untenable. All should be
protected from exposure, or else we may
not procure the information they disclose.
'r obtain the services they rendered. But
lie was opposed to the resolution on the
general grounds he had stated. 1t was
scarcely necessary, he said, for him TO re-
mark that he could safely vouch that no
knowledge was had by the distinguished
ind worthy f%unctionary at the head of the
State Department, or by the faithful off,
'er next to him, Of any disclosure of docu.
nents in their care to justify the call pro-
'osed. He was assured Of this from their
Ugh character. He hoped the resolution
would be rejected.