Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-11-03
Total s96,4I2
HENRY A. WISE'S OPINION OF GEN.
CASS.'
Ra64I2

'Mr. Wise is warm supporter Of General
Cass. aG0 the Democratic elector for the 7Ih
Congressional District Of Virginia.
On the l7Ih Of January, 1897, the House Of
Representatives appointed select committee TO
inquire into the condition Of the various Exscu.
tive Departments. In the proceedings OF the
9th day Of the session Of the committee we find
the following:
"Mr. Mann moved that Mr.. Wise, the chair.
man, be sworn, as he wished to PROFOUND 10
him certain questions, before he proceeded to
the examination of the other witnesses, to wit:
Mr.. Bell and Mr.. Parker, now in attendance.
"Mr. Wise was sworn, by reading himself
the oath, and kissing the book.
"Whereupon, Mr.. Mann propounded the fol-
lowing question TO him:
"Firsl question by Mr. Mann TO Mr. Wise:
"Do you, Of your own knowledge, know Of
any acts by either Of the heads Of the Execu.
tive Departments, which is either corrupt or a
violation of their official dutesl"
To which Mr. Wise answered, [among other
things, as follows:
81 believe that LEWIS CASS, Secretary of
War, was engaged in specializing in the public
lands whilst Secretary of War, thar he made ex.
orb tant allowances to favortss, paid one for
services never performed, and this after he had
full knowledge that the lavorite had forged his
official signatures; permitted commissions under
him 10 be ante dated, and has ordered Treasu.
ry warrant TO be paid to the assignee Of dis
bursting officer, who had gambled it away, after
it had been protested by deposte bank, and
was countermanded by theSecretary of,he Trea-
sury; and to have been guilty of several other
acts Of violation Of duty."-Journal Of Com
mittees, pp. IA, Is, Reports Of Committees,
House Of Reps Cd session Gath Congress.
In answer to a second question by Mr.. Mann,
Mr.. Wise testified as follows.
81 believe that wars with the Creek and Sem
mole Indians have been caused by want Of in.
tegrity in Executive officers oflhe Government
and that the defeat of our arms, which has, COW
cred the nation with disgrace in these wars, has
been owing to NEGLECT OR WANT OF A.
BlIITY in the War Department"
81 believe, however, that all the information
upon which | found my belief can be proved
fully as TO the acts Of corruption, and Of viola.
,ion Of duty by the Executive officers of the
Government, if this Committee will do It's duty
} journal Of Commiltee, p. l6. q.
In his own special minority report Mr.. Wise
distinctly AYERS, that the Committee refused Il
do its duty; that it was "created TO smother in,
qury," and that il had TO contend "with an un.
precedented resistance of its powers, by the De.
Ipartments," and "with one of the worst evils OF
the times, that -law with which patronage
rules the silence of The best witnesses. -" Re-
port of Mr. Wise," p. 20; Report No. 1874
vol. 3, House Reports, Cd Session, 24lh Con-
grSss.
GEN. CASS AND THE WILMOT PROVISO'
tits we'll understood that Gen. Cass has re.
Gently declared himself opposed to any restrc
ton Of Slavery in Territories. His letter o
December Gath, 1847, to Mr.. A. o. P. Mich.
olson, of Nashville, Tennessee, holds this Ian
) guage:
"The Wilmot Proviso has been before tht
country for some Time. 1t has been repeatedly
discussed in Congress, and by the public press
| am strongly impressed with the opinion III at
change has been going on in the public mind
upon this subject-lN MY OWN as we'll al
others; ard that doubIs are resolving themselves
into convictions, that the principles it involves
should be kept out of the National Legislature
and left to the people of the Confederacy in the
respective local governments"
"Briefy then, am opposed TO the exercise o
any Jurisdiction by Congress over this matter
and am in favor Of leaving 10 the people of a
ny territory which may hereafter beacquired, thC
right to regulate it for themselves, under the gen
eral principles of the Constitution"
"But there is another important considera
tion, which ought not to be lost sight Of in lht
investigation Of this subject. The question tha
presents itself is not question Of the increase
but of the diffusion of slavery, Whether it:
sphere be stationary or progressive, its amoun
will be the same. The rejection ofths restric
ton will not add one TO the class Of serviIude
nor will its adoption give freedom to a single
being who is now placed therein. The same mum
bers will BE SPREAD OVER GREATEF
TERRITORY, and so far as compression, viii
less abundance Of the necessaries of life, is qr
evil, so farwilI that evil be mitigated by TRANS
PORTING SLAVESTO A NEW COUNTRY
and giving them large space to occupy"
AN OLD FEDERALTST WHO DENIES HIS
ANCESTRY.
When Gen. CASS was Secretary of War
the Washington Globe claimed him as Dem
ocrat of the Jehersonian school. In reply tc
this statement we find the following in Niles
Register of September IS, 1874:
1--WE have long entertained high opinion o
the talents and potriotism of Gov. Cass-thougt
not subscribing to all his opinions--but the fac
is, that while his father, Major CaSS IA galan
officer in the Revolution, and an accomplished
gentleman of The old school, supernended the
recruiting service in Delaware. in 1893, 1900
for what we Democrats called the provision ca
ting army he (the present Gov. Cass,l was th'
preceptor Of the grammar school in Whining
ton, and always appeared with black cockade
in his hat; and so we see it also stated in tht
Delaware Journal as being in the present rec
objection Of many of the citizens of Whining
ton. Sull, his first appearance in public (polit
icaD life may have been as set forth in th'
Globe "-NiIe's Register, vol. Al, p. 1S.
MORETESTIMONYTOTHE STANDPOINT