Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-09-06

iect his public duties IN quest OF Office; that he take
proper care of his own money, and will take propt
care of the peoples, if intrused to his keeping
While ne spends nothing wastefully, he takes II
extra pay nothing that is not strictly and honestl
his due; In these days of prodigality and extrava
Sance, he Is just the man the people want at Tn
head OF affairs Reform and reirenchmeat i'm pub
| Tic expenditures Is now more loudly demanded thai
at any former period Of our history. can, how
ever, tell the gentleman from Missouri, that
Gen. Taylor, like Gen. Cas-, had been receiving
extra pay at the rate of fifteen or twenty dollars
day over and above his salary, he might have af
iorded to pay this postage. Gen. Cass, no doubt
would have paid 1t; but not SO with Taylor III,
attends TO is duties, and lets extra pay and poll
tics alone
/ But, sir, there is another perversion Of my re
marks made by the gentleman from Michigan, Mr.
McClelland) which cannot permit TO pass un
noticed. He says slandered Mr.. Calhoun by
charging him withalowing General Cass'saccount,
OF extra pay, five or six years after he was out o.
oilicc. Now, sir, instead of saying what the gen
iieman imputes to me, said exactly the reverse
said MIR. Calhoun had not allowed the accounts
as stated by the Cd Auditor ;and as proof, adduccd
the fact, that he was out Of office five six years
before the account was settled. The gentleman
must be hard run, indeed, when he is driven to such
quibbling as this; such perversions, such evasons
OF tho real questions in issue. l charge Gen. Cass
with manifestations i'll office, and the gentleman de-
tends MIR. Calhoun, who is not assailed charge
General Cass with taking more money out of the
Treasury than he was legally entitled to receive,
and the gentleman turns round and assas me with
abusive epthets. This is easily done l might re-
taliate, but will not. II is not with him or with
me the people have to do it is with Gen. Cass,
now candidate for the Presidency and it is to his
defence would advise the gentleman to give his
immediate and undivided attention.
The defence of Gen. Taylor, an honest man, who
I.rxf Il, \. 4
try Is an easy task. What have you TO say against
him, gentlemen? | pause for reply. Nothing
not word. But the gentleman from Michigan
(Mr. McClelland) has said or suggested, that on
examination of Gen. Taylors accounts it would ap-
pear that he had received far larger sum as sex
ira compensation" than Gen. Cass, "for light mil
Itary duty at unimporant posts" Gen. Taylar re-
ceived more extra pay than Gen. Cass! Now as
sert and am prepared 70 prove by official records,
that he never received one cent OF extra pay, and
have proved that Gen. Cass received 500 ,940.-
Now, SIR when making such charge against an
old and faithful soldier either directly or by insin
uation, why did not the gentleman do as now do,
produce the documentst 10 prove his charges? Why,
because he could not because the imputation was
utterly unfounded. Here, sir, the reports refer
to, containing every dollar of extra pay to every
officer of the army, from the organization of the
Department to 1912, and the name of Zachary
Taylor is nowhere TO be found in them. They
have been carefully and repeatedly examined. Yet,
In the face of these official reports, the gentleman
suggests that Gen. Taylor has received more extra
pay than Gen. Cass "for light military duty at I'M
important posts" Gen. Taylor, who slept, fought,
and conquered, in the black swamps Of Ohio-who
slept, fought, and conquered in the everglades and
hammocks of Florida-who slept, fought, and con-
quered, amid the chapparal and burning sands of
Mexico-covered himself and his army with i'm
pershable glory, and saved this administration
frrfn InFnt, ali H..
timation of the gentleman. is eight military duty
at unimpOrtant posts!" IL there is a man in the
American army entitled to extra pay, that man is
Gen. Taylor. And yet he is almost the only man
who has never received it. Gen. Taylor has done
all the ertra service, and Gen. Cass has received
all the ertra pay Here is the difference. Taylor
received not an extra dollar, and Cass has received
more extra compensation than all the governors of
all the Territories from the foundation of the Gov
eminent to the present time. Governor Cass has
received $63,94O, and all the other governors to-
gether have received but $1,000, Gen. Taylor
never one cent, as appears by two official reports
referred to-No. and No. Is.
With these expositions, | am willing, sir, to
leave the people to Judge for themselves. Let them
now decide which of the two it is safest and best
to entrust with the management of their affairs If
honesty, fidelity, and faithful service in one public
Office gives any security to the performance of
another, then there could be doubt OF hesitation
as to which should be and would be selected Hon
esty and integrity, sound head and true heart
were among the highest qualifications for Presi-
dent. Without these we had everything to fear
with them, every thing to hope.
Here Mr. Stewards hour expired, and Mr.. Dan
ic, of North Carolina, obtained the floor, but yield
ed it to Messrs. Cobb, of Georgia, Brown, Of Mis-
slssippl, McLane of Maryland, and others who
wished to put questions to Mr.. Stewart, who said
that, having got through, he was now ready to an
nj bt
to put TO him.
MIR. Cobb first inquired whether Mr.. S. charged
Gen. Cass with receiving his salary of $4,000 as
Governor, $2,23O as Superintendent of Indian af-
fairs, So day and 40 cents mile, and the pay of
deputy quartermaster general and captain in the
army at the same time.
MIR. Stewart answered yes, all but the pay of
deputy quartermaster general, to which there was
no date. He might have received this at the same
time with the rest or he might not. These charg-
es were founded on official documents, which ere
at the genteman's service.
MIR. Cobb repeated Substantially this question
several times, and Mr.. 5. gave in effect, The same
answers.
Mr.. McLane then inquired whether Mr. Stew
art meant to charge that Governor Cass received
these extra allowances without vouchers.
Mr.. Stcwcr answered, that for the most part he
did, unless the gentleman called General Cass's
own letters and statements Uouchers. | believe
said Mr. D, there Is nothing else to support his
claims Of $3.50 for rations 81 500 per annum for
different, &C.; S! 500 year Tor going on. of
Michigan the charges for settling his accounts, al.
tending treaties, mileage, Sc, he believed were
all unsupported by vouchers. The gentleman
could find out, however, by calling for the voucll
ers by resolution. And if tho gentleman does not
cali for them, will and hope the friends of Gov
ernor Cass will vote for the resolution Here the
conversation dropped.
APPENDIX
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