Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-03-18


know what is fair price for transportation from Louis
vile New 0heans from New York and other ports
destination which the Government may prescribe How
then could they be misled The people pay the from
pach the thus expended is obtained and he thought
they ought be allowed how the money which they pay
sdisposed of Well, then, the amount Of which he
hsd spoken yesterday. He said fifty millions Of dol
lars which had been expended by the agency the War De
psrment but he did not say had been expended in the
of the last year, but fom the commencement of the
The appropriations last yea, S2s, 600 900 The
Deficiencies which had been s1pped by this House this
sion about STA, 900, making a gross Of
1000, 900. When the first commenced there
appropriation of 0,000000 making the gross Of
S5ls000, 000 Subsequently, large had been ap
propriated, but what The particular sum was he did
not know. He did suppose that all the contracts
for which this money had been designed had been reported
but what objection could there be to the printing Of this alb
0. but portion of the which had been fur
nished by political friend Of the gentleman from Georgia
There was be sure the question of the cost though he did
understand the gentleman from Georgia 10 have made
point of that And what was it? Why the piiul sum Of
$500 for the printing of of the interesting docu
mens that had for some time been sent to Congress Why
should small amount be obstacle in the OF pub
fishing document of much importance He wished it
go the people before the committee could say word
speeding it, Let the people ii came from the Sc
creary of War The people judge Of the price Of these
things well as any body Else
But there why he would be willing to vote
for this molten of reconsideration, and il the motive
which acluaej the gentleman fom Georgia making this
motion He beievcd that greater number of this document
SHOULD be printed Tor circulation among the people, and there
fSte he might be willing Cor the reconsideration with
the view to strike out thousand and insert twenty thou
sand He wished the people what paying,
and examination of this document would show them that
OF the sums paid extrayagant For reports not
half valuable, than five times the expense
cured in printing Besides, by printing this document,
they might be enabled to obtain valuable information.
He had letter his drawer from which he learned that
been entered builders of steamboats, for old
boats for which from 900 900 had been paid than
they were building for True, gentlemen
might say that the great demand served enhance the
prize. Well the people would take that into considera
on and they could say whether the prices fair or
whether they extrayagant He had charged that
frauds had been committed, had been ntimated but he
had said that Of these contracts that
they ought to be investigated He had question but that
many these had been made with the sictest
fidelity and honesty Respecting others, there might have
been great negligence the part of officers of this Govern
ment. absolute fraud. But he willing that it should
go to the county for examination. He would not
proong this debate. # gentlemen dcsed prolong it he
had objections but when the committee should report
there would be opportunities sufficient afforded to members
discuss the ropety OF the many subjects which embraced
Mr. COBB to reply to the remarks of the gentleman
from Tennessee He said the gentleman from Tennessee had
charged that be unwilling to publish this document be-
he unwilling to throw information before the people
OF this country that he was not willing to trust the people
with the examination of subjects of this character. But it
His remarks bore such construction, and he
believed the gentleman from Tennessee stood alone
tepetng them He had expressly stated that he objected TO
the publication because the document wholly unsatsfac
tory, for it would communicate 10 the country the nfor
nation they professed to be DESTROYS to publish.
Mr. CROZlER said the idea he attempted TO convey was
this There facts which the gentleman from Georgia
unwilling throw before the people, because he thought
they had not knowledge enough 10 understand them They
facts concerning the price Of provisions and munitions
OF and he (Mr thought the people well understood
what they wor h.
Mr.. COBB said, usual the gentleman from Tennessee
was far wrong he before. The gentleman
from Tennessee had himself admitted before this House that
from the abstract he could tell whether the
fraudulent not He stood before the House with the adj
mission that The abstract did not show whether they
honeAt or fraudulent
Mr. CRoZIER said the gentleman from Georgia was mis-
taken He had stated this, that there
enormously high that nobody could fail that they
wrong and there others which had been brought his
knowledge which were apparently low and fair but
which were not fair That what he had said.
Mr. COBB resumed. Why, the gentleman from Tennes- |
see IN his argument yesterday gave his m wishing
the publication Of these numbers of the abstract Of these
contracts and sending them the country that they should
thereby gather up additional evidence show that here
fraud and corruption But the gentleman from Tennessee
must admit and would every member this floor that
examination OF this report which made by Of laws
requiring the Department of War furnish such report
would not enable any show which Of these
fraudulent and which honest. The gentleman from
tennessee would not pretend to say that this document
VIII communicate to the ouny the nature and character of
tue contracts OF winch mere abstract was gwen The
gentleman had spoken of the charteng of steamboat for
Sis, 900, and why done What the exigences
OF the circumstances under which the boat chartered
That does appear the face Of this abstract how
was differed Was that of $500 given for The yes
sci absolutely, only for given time Had they sasac-
tory evidence these points In OF things sum
paid might be necessary, which another time would be
grossly outrageous At time the exgences Of the service
might not require it, but another time the payment of
$4,000 for steamboat would meet with the appreciation of
every who familiar with the facts of the case And
SO might be with the purchase Of horses To judge Of the
correctness the contract they must know the circumstances
under which the contract made To be able decide
whether the contract fraudulent honest, thew must
Know the and the emergencies of the which
required the purchases be made purchase might be enor
nous aud cxorbtant to-day which the exgences
Of the times might require be made any price, and hence
he protested against the publication mere abstract Of con-
tracts which would afford satisfactory inomaonn relation
10 them.
The gentleman from Tennessee said Of these
right and others might be fraudulent Now, when this
document should be before the country the who had
made fair and honest would stand aagnl before
the bar Of public opinion the charge those whos
contracts honest il there any SUCH for the
gentleman had pointed distinction. The honest man
and he who dishonest would stand the ting
Now he appealed the Of Justice of the House il It
would thus punish untrej the honest contractor
Justice demanded fair and full investigation before such
pursued. There a committee now and the
gentlemen opposite had the power make the yestgaon
and discover whether these under en-
igcnces Of the public service and ut the instance Of the
handing general Of the Because contract appeared