Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-02-26
DEBATE
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WEDNESDAY,, FEBHuAnr l6.

| to authorize loan Of SIS, SOC, 600
Mr. MoREHEAD. of Kentucky, addressed the committee
lie did not desire Intend be said, bring into this de-
bate any political partisan feelings further than might re-
suit from frank expression Of his views upon the bill under
consideration. And he would that every member on this
floor could elevate himself above The atmosphere Of mere party
and unite In that line Of financial policy demanded bv ibe
1 best interests Of the nation.
He felt and acknowledged the full force Of the duty upon
Congress to provide supplies to meet all the obligations i'm
posed upon the Government and he ready and willing
vote these supplies In reasonable and proper mode
knew that such had been the general feeling Of the Commit
tee Of Ways and Means which he had the honor Of being
an humble member and Of some surprise and
he confessed Of some regret witness the systematic attempts
which had been made to produce false Impression upon the
country, that the delay of this and kindred bills combined
with the restriction Of the rate Of interest per cent had
been the result Of actous opposition the part Of mso
rty of the committee to this Administration brief auson
to the Of this delay might not ON the present occasion
be deemed inappropriate
Al the commencement Of the present session. report was
laid upon members tables of the estimates Of the Secretary
the Treasury embracing what might be expected to be all
the appropriations demanded by the Government for the en-
suing fiscal year. as well for the deficiencies which would
In the appropriations made last year for fiscal
year They We're told in the report of the Secretary the
Ireasuryhe letter only being before Them without the ac
companying iabeshat there would be at the end of The
present fiscal year Of expenditures beyond means
in the Treasury creating deficit to the amount ia round
numbers OF fitet millions Of dollars which loan
was asked OF sheen millions five hundred thousand Connec
ted with this additional supply means deficiencies in the ap
preparations Of the last year for this had TO be made The
raising the MEANS and the appropriation of them, the
subjects to which the attention of the committee was first
called They had necessarily to investigate the amount of
the expenditures in order to conclusion to the
amount OF the loan that indispensable for the present
fiscal year. The subjects blended themselves scessarly The
amount OF the depending upon what might be asceraed
to be that of the other The committee felt it was due no,
merely to the position which they occupied but the coun
try that hee should he calm and thorough investigation
into the large deficit which it estimated would exist at
the end OF the present fiscal year. Before undertaking this
task, the committee was informed that draft expected
from Mexico Of $780, 000 and it was necessary bill
should be passed making additional appropriation for the
subsistence of the army before could be paid Without
investigation, and without the before them Of making
that investigation rather than the Government dsonored
by having its drafts Protested the committee reported bill
making appropriation not Of $780, 000 but of 600 OO0
TO all drafts that might from that source while
necessarily engaged in the investigation Of the remaining
amount of the reported deficit That bill has passed into
law-passed almost as reported.
In the investigation then undertaken in examining the es
tmates was found that there deficiency the quar-
department. under general and comprehensive
head of O00 without any specifications whatever of
the items constituting it. There diversity of opnion
whatever among the members Of the committee as 10 the ne
cessy OF calling upon the proper department for the items
constituting this large In call from the COM
mttee, letter received among other papers, from the
uaItermaste General dated 18th of January s4S which
he states that until the OF the officers of the de-
pament for the present well the last fiscal year be all
presented for settlement statement dea which seems
the committee expects, would be impossible !" and that he
could only state in general the deficiency
Besides this in the printed estimates Of this years deficiency
there estimate for the areaage due the volunteers
called into service during the year, and Paymaste Gene
raj stated that be could make the until he
tanned the average strength Of the regiments received
This estimate was not made to the committee until the 4h
day OF January last and them the following brief and
preheDsiye terms From the fullest Information have been
able to obtain will require S377 900 complete the pay
ment OF The troops to the close OF the present fiscal year.
This brief and general estimate without the items consttu
hat
OF troops to be paid considered unsatisfactory and
at the instance of the distinguished gentleman from North Ca
ona former chairman Of the Committee of and Means
INT MchAr the Paymaster General called upon fur
nish the data which his estimated deficiency was based
During the period of the delay thus occasoneJ more than
one member OF the committee endeayong, from the Sec
rearys figures ascertain the actual condition Of the Tea
sury note account They knew that the aas from loans
and Treasury notes. including the hand ought to
amount to the gross of $685. 000 Day day. and
night after night every mode of stating the
sorted to, to produce balancesheet but all in could
not be done. la consequence of this letter ad Iressed
TO the Secretary of the Treasury and statement received
from the Register dated the sh Of Janusry, showing the
amount OF the Government stock to be ST. l19 as the
Treasury notes outstanding sl4 $50; and the amount
then available to the Treasury 400 S. This bill was
soon afterwards reported and on the very day
ported the acting Secretary Of the Treasury announced the
discovery Of the OF So which he stated had been
omitted in the general account by clerical mistake.
He did not intend to charge that the mistake did
from the cause suggested, HAT attributable any
candor Of honorable gentlemen if the Secretary Of the Trea
sury did not himself know the Of the loan really and
actually needed how could the committee, without means
Of Information which he possessed know IT, and report bill
for the necessary sum to carry the operations Of the Gov
eminent to the end of the fiscal year These the
which had prevented the committee from acting sooner con-
nected with the delay in the printing of the Presidents
sage with the accompanying Documents and the report the
Secretary Of the Treasury with The accompanying tables all
Of which well known 10 every member this House.
n the majority Of this House desired to make party capital by
hwartng the views Of the Administration they would not seek
the occasion presented by bill like this For himself he felt
disposition to do any thing ieia impede the
favorable negotiation Of the proposed loan.
But earnestly pressed upon the House yesterday
by both the gentlemen who addressed committee (Messs
HoUsros and NcoLL that the restriction Of the of in
teres to six per cent virtual denial OF supplies
Government The gentleman from Alabama had exuingly
asked who would claim the paternity Of such bill this
and minated that no would himself the
father of such baning. He (Mr. ny had particular
ambition to claim the paternity any measure but Il he
disposed he would be precuded in this by the fact
well known to the committee TO which the gentleman belong
cd, that this bill prepared the Treasury Department.
sent TO the Committee Of Ways and Means and reported
the House without alteration with the single exception Of
striking all that reaedso further issue Of Treasury
restriction Of the Of interest But the gentleman from
Alabama had said IL portion Of the Secretarys
daton adopted that all ought be- and that each
commentator based the hypothesis Of the acceptance
Of other he bad mad and argued that not