Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-05-12
speech Of samaeI +. VinIOn, Of Ohio.
House Of RepreseHfatires, February 8, 1913.

House Of Representatives., February s, I848.
On motion Of Mr.. Yinton. the House resoly.
ed itself into committee Of the whole on the
state Of the Onion, Mr.. Bots in the Chair.)
Mr.. Ninton moved thai The committee pro-
coed TO the consideration Of the bill 10 auIho-
rize a loan, not to exceed the sum Of eighteen
millions five hundred thousand dollars.
The motion was agreed To, and the bill hav-
ing been read
Mr.. Vinion moved to strike ont the words
sl3, 100000, and substitute therefor the sum Of
sl6,OOO,OOO.
Mr.. NINTOS said: At the commencement Of
the last session Of Congress, when il was the
duty Of the Execuiye 10 recommend, and Of
Congress TO provide, for the wants Of the pre-
sent fiscal year, the President Of the United
States in his annual message, and the Sccrela-
ry Of the Treasury in his annual reporI, both
stated that, if the war with Mexico should be
continued ill the Ist Of July A. d. l848, a
a loan OF twenty-three millions Of dollars
was all that would be wanted 10 carry the Gov.
ernment forward 10 that date. and leave a sur
/ plus Of four millions in the Treasury. Both
these iuncliOnafies recommended the Loan
II was granted by Congress, aud the money OBJ
lained.
1 But, Notwithstanding this provision for the
/ Government, the Secretary Of The Treasury, in
his annual report to Congress on the state of
the finances, made at the commencement Of
the present session, had informed US that u fur
ther loan ofeighteen and half millions of dol
lars would be required TO meet the expenses OF
the Government for the same year. The bill
now before US was reported for that sum, in pur-
suance 10 this statement Of the Secretary and
The recommendation Of the President in his an-
nuaI message. Shortly after the hill wasrcport.
ed, perhaps on the same day, a letter was ad-
dressed TO the Speaker Of the House by the act
ing Secretary Of the Treasury, giving inlorma-
lion 10 the House Of the fortunate discovery Of
an error in the financial statement presented at
the commencement of the session, which dis
closed the gratifying fact that there were ia the
Treasury, su6lccttO its command. near seven
millions of dollars more than had been stated
in the prior report: in consequence Of which
the House was informed that the loan could be
reduced from eighteen and hafto lwcyemiI-
lions of dollars.
A few days since, however, another letter
was transmitted 10 the House by the same Off
Ger, conveying the unpleasant intelligence that,
when the last letter was addressed 10 the House
it was not known at the Treasury Department
that the Secretary of War had called upon the
/. Committee of Ways and Means for an appro
pralon Of near four millions ofdollars, TO sup
: ply certain Deficiencies in that branch Of tn,
. public service for the current fiscal year, whicl
? would render a loan of sixteen millions necessa
ry TO meet the wants OF the Government Pre-
suming the errors to be all corrected, and III,
omissions supplied which The Treasury desire;
TO provide for, he bad now submitted the mo-
tion TO reduce the loan TO sixteen millions, il
accordance TO the Executive recommendation
lie had made this motion, because the Secrela
ry of the Treasury does not ask for more, auC
not from a belief of his own that this sum vii
suffice to carry the Government 10 the lst o
July, when new fiscal year commences. Oh
the contrary, he feared. and indeed he nigh
say it was his opinion, that instead Of sixteen
from twenty TO twenty-five millions would bt
wanted to carry US safely on to the end of thi
year; and ifIhe war shall continue through th,
next fiscal year, for which the estimates now
lie before us, a further loan will be necessary o
not less than from thrly-iive TO thlrly-eight mil
f lions, even if Congress should refuse TO add tt
The army part of the thirty thousand re
, gulars and volunteers recommended BY the Pre-
sident. lie was aware there was very wild,
{ difference between this sum and twenty aud {
! halfmillions, which the Secretary and the PreSi
| dent Of the United States had told us is all tha
would be needed for the next year-great anC
. oppressive upon the country as even that enor
- bo IL
5 this opinion might appear to be very bold anC
; visionary in him, when put forth in opposition
TO that of the highest officers in the nation, ant
10 proceed from some party bias which ha(
, warped and blinded his better Judgment. Blu
Q he felt that he had some right 10 question thei
accuracy, when twas recollected that last yea
9 both of those iunclionares, at the correspond
S ing period of the year, expressed a strong ant
e undoubting opinion that a loan of twenty-thret
v millions would provide for all the wants of tn
: Government for the now present year, au,
: leave a surplus Of four millions in the Treasu
/ ry on the lsI of July next; and they now in
1 form US that an additional loan of sixteen mil
lions is required to carry US TO the 1st of July
and leave a surplus of only three millions i
} the Treasury at that time, instead Of four
T From which fact ii follows, that at the last ses
e sion, when it was our duty to provide for III
e wants of the present year, instead of providin
b for them now, the Executive, looking to SUI
D plus of four millions al the end of the yeaI
3 should then have recommended loan of fort.
t millions instead oftwenty- fiat the las
: session any member ofthe opposition had ven
tured the opinion that forty millions were want
E ed, he would hardly have escaped the imPuta
ton of desire TO impair the public credit, ant
i in that way "give aid and comfort to Mexico
: It cannot be denied that this great mistake o
' the Executive imposes on Congress the impe
Q rous duty, which, as faithful agents of the peo
y pie, we have no right to pretermit if We would
e when we are now called upon again to opel
wide the purse-slrings Of the nation, to scruti
f nize severely, yet candidly and fairly, the re
}. commentators upon which we are now acting
TO see if there be any reasonable ground for az
DrehenSion of like unfortunate error Fror