The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-04


are asked, and upon what grounds Did we employ him
Did ask him to take the command of this vessel we
said that we would nq appropriate dollar towards car
rying out his object We said that would have noth
ing to do with it beyond lending the vessel. And yet,
incidentally, this gentleman has come forward and
claimed sixteen THOUSAND dollars and he has been paid
it, And now an appeal is made to our sympathy, to onr
senmenlaity, to violate everything like the stern ob'
cations OF senators acting under the compacls OF the con
stuon to give this lady eight thousand dollars, upon
the ground that Asr husband, in his heume' expended
this money.
Mr. President, think this most extraordinary propo
siton. We never employed this individual. Had we
done so, would have compelled him TO regulate his
actions and his expenses according to some rule We
would not have suffered this loose expenditure OF money
How came he TO incur MI this expense What was all
this some twenyeght thousand dollars, expended
ior' We do not know. Who does know' Can il be
possible that twenty Thousand dollars is required to
sail a sh,p-io, .Eas1 &rhs.s expenditures were not
only made without any authority from us, but they also
appear to have been made without rule, without any re-
gard TO principles of economy And now this gentleman
has come here, and his widow comes in here, and
claims indemnity on the broad ground OF charity to make
this government of eleemosynary distribution to
those who have admin stored charity without the rcsric
tons of law or without any kind of security to this
repeat Mr. President that this is the most extraor
binary proposition made in this legislature, that we
should pay individual for voluntarily catering INTO the
employment OF others, and indemnify hun Tor his ex-
penses And this is asked upon the ground OF charity
1t would be charity indeed, most extraordinary charity
canno for one consent to exercise any such char'y'
Me- DICKINSON. Mr.. President, do not think that
this matter has yet been fairly stated Some time pre-
vious to the fall of lsiS--l merely mention that as
starting pont--there famine IN Ireland, and the
people very properly, from one end OF this country to the
other began contributing to the relief OF the Irish people
Not satisfied with that Congress itself undertook to per-
form acts OF charity in its legislative capacity Not only
Individuals but parties undertook to vie with each other
will not say IN the race OF popularity but IN the race OF
charity proposition came TO us to appropriate fve
hundred thousand dollars out of the national treasury for
that purpose, and every individual who would not vote
away the money OF others was charged with Ilberaty,
with not beng generous as unwilling TO and the suffering
people. | voted against it at the ume for, however
generous an Individual may be with his own money, and
whatever right he have to expend In acts OF char
ny, recognise right in him to be liberal and generous
with the money of Others The proposition failed, but
it resulted in loaning vessel to carry provisions TO
Ireland. Com. De Kay, who recently died in this city,
had formerly been a mlisApman IN the service OF
the United States AT the time OF the war among the
South American republics he went there, and entered
the Argentine navy became commodore, and distin-
gushei himself in that service AT the close OF that wal
he back and lived in this city as private citizen
This expedition to carry provisions to Ireland being on
foot, Com. De Kay volunteered to command the ship.
His services were accepted, but the particular form do
not know nor is ii material. The committee in New
York, having in charge the charitable donations OF the
people of the country declined to accept the service OF this
vessel if they would be compelled to pay the expenses Of
sailing her to Europe They said that they would accept
the service of the vessel and OF Com De Kay, but not al
their expense. They said that. if the government had
nothing but hulk 10 tender, they would not take it;
men in their way and manner and they declined to
do than to accept the loan of the ship They pre-
ered 10 keep this expense within their hands
and contribute TO charity according to the original intent
of the donors rather than pay 1t out Tor the purpose oil
| sending government vessel to Ireland They there
fore, declined to have anything to do with it, Com. De
Kay finally concluded to take the ship the water
at his own expense intending doubtless to look &c
Congress for remuneration. The committee in New
York acted upon their responsibility, and nc
doubt acted properly and wisely. The money ant
merchandise placed in their hands for the people they
were directed to use in the most economical manner
and they did what seemed to them to be best, de-
clnng bear the expense Of sailing this ship to Europe
Now for doing that the senator from FLORIDA Mr.
YuLEE] last year. well recollect-and he appears
to take great pleasure in repeating it now-saw fit t6
stand up here and denounce the State Of New York in it,
sovereign capacity, the city OF New York in its munich
pal capacity, and the citizens OF the whole State. grea
| and small because Commodore De Kay, citizen o.
another State, volunteered command the vessel,
because this committee, charged with the charities no
only of New York but of Connecticut, and most OF thu
New England States and in fact of many other States
declined TO pay the expense OF this national vessel
recognise IN my friend from Floda very suitable nd
vdua to give lecture to the city OF New York, to ht
State OF New York. and to the citizens of New York
bu, hold that it is suitable for New York to receive
lecture in any capacity until she has transgressed
| The committee who had the food and merchandise de-
signed for the relief of the Irish in charge received char
iti0s only from the State OF New York and the New
England States but from the West-'he lar West--sen
of her abundance. The committee declined to pay the
expenses of this vessel and thus the expenses fell
Commodore De Kay And il is said that individuals
in New York petitoned that Commodore De Kay might be
relieved know not whether that is so. Probably Il
may be SO.
| Mr.. YULEE, (inerposng) The senator has mistaken
me. did not say that citizens Of New York had pei
toned for the relief of Commodore DE Kay said this
that applications for the of the ship were not made
by Commodore De Kay alone, but that large number o.
the citizens of New York memoralized Congress, asking
the loan OF this vessel for the transportation OF charities
TO Ireland and guarantyng that the expense should no
fall upon the government great number OF citizens o.
New York made this application to Congress- and It wa
upon the faith of their guaranty that the vessel was loan
ed, and they permit this application for relief to b
made.
MI DICKINSON think the senator is entirely mis-
taken. The loan of the vessel made by resolution
| of Congress before there any communication from
citizens OF New York.
| Mr. YULEE. The senator is mistaken, think Thu
ship loaned upon the faith OF petitions from ciiizen
of New York-rom The committee OF charity located il
| Mir DICKINSON. This is a matter with which
neither the State the city of New York had any thn
to do. ndvduas may have petitioned Congress; Con
gress might have supposed that the committee OF charity
located in the city OF New York would bear the expens
Of sailing this vessel Europe, but they saw fit to d.
otherwise, and do not know but they may be called Z
account for it. But certainly the State OF New York II
her sovereign capacity the citizens OF that State, IN tn
aggregate Individuals should not be called to &C
count Tor 1t.
matter for when Congress departs from its legitimat
functions and undertakes perform this kind OF errand
which does not belong to II; when government under
takes to do something that il has right to do it ough
to have much longer tail to it than this has.
| MIR DAVIS of Massachusetts. Mr.. President, hav
it is this: twenty-ion thousand dollars have been pa
out for the expenses of thus ship making this voyage
| Europe, and after paying some considerable allowances
for freight some four thousand dollars, making in al