The southern press., 1850-10-01


be anticipated in the way which has been pro-
posed, it is much better fitted 10 cover the con
dItion Of Mexico, and the condition of all parties
concerned and interested in il, 10 draw the bills
| gradually, than to place them in market at once.
You perceive, sir, at once that II YOU were 10
throw out the whole OF these bills in Mexico, il
would cause depreciation in their value Now,
under the circumstances, If there were nothing
else IN the way, would any man hesitate for a
moment as to his duty in an instance like this
bu' there is proposition made here by gen
tieman--a stranger to nse--that comes in conflict.
| 1t is said, with this, and offers better terms
never heard OF this man at all until heard his
name read at the foot Of the memorial I'd
to the Senate. However, the senator ftom Louis
lana speaks OF him in terms Of great respect. I
am dispoSeu 70 receive his account Of the gentle
man as true. will consider him as a respect.bIe
man. Now, what does he propose TO do : How
does ne propose to manage this matter, Whv
he proposes 10 give to the Government re ~.
United States premium OF Al per cent. upon
certain plan OF operation which he has, He tells
you, IN the hrst place, thot he has got an act OF
the government Of Mexico by which the minister
here is authorized to receipt this money At the
treasury, and that the payment may be made
here without the expense Of transportation That
is the proposition, and that is the statement made.
This individual tells you another thing. He tells
| yoa ne had made arrangements with the Govern
ment OF the United States previous TO the death of
the President by which he was authorized To go
on and consummate this arrangement Now,
sir, think the senator from Ohio placed this
upon ground that will leave very little doubt
lie says " the Government have entered into such
an obligation, there is written evidence Of it. l
| think SO, too. Ii there was any such contract
consummated between this individual and the
Uniied States, you would see it produced here
MI. DICKINSON understand that Mr..
Webster states there is no such contract on file.
Mr.. DAVIS The honorable senator saws upon
me authority OF the Secretary Of State that there
| Is no such evidence Now, this is proof enough
that no such arrangement as set forth in the me-
mortal was made, by which the Government was
brought under any obligation towards this gentle
man.
Then he says there was an arrangement made
IN Mexico, by which the minister here is author
ized to give his receipt in full for this instalment
when the payment is made. What evidence is
there of that before us' Nothing, as far as can
understand 1t, but he statement Of this individual
And is the Senate of the United States ready 10
act upon the statement Of an individual unknown
to them upon 50 important a matter as this /? Are
we ready to pay him out Of the treasury bills
drawn by Mexico, upon the receipt Of the minis
ter, upon statement Of this description trust
not.
But suppose all this to be true Suppose. If
you please, that the proof nf authority from
Mexico were here before Why should we
| not look back, Mr.. President, to the obligations
the law and the treaty imposed upon us to paw this
money at certain date. and in gold and silver, in
| the city of Mexico' Now, sir, are we prepared
| to take the risk and hazard which belong to an
arrangement of this sort' We all know the ns,a-
| blllty OF that Government. We all understand
| the frequent revolutions which take place there
| We all know the great uncertainty whether those
| IN power to-day will remain in power Tomorrow
And are we to take the risk and hazard of reyo-
luton and counternland of orders, with de-
nal Of their validity' Are we to raise all these
questions between and that country. No, sir;
we will do no such thing. 1t would be unwise
and injudcious in the extreme to encounter obli-
| CATIONS Of that sort.
J trust, therefore, that although all this might
] be satisfactorily shown, it shows no case which
should secure to this measure any favor whatever
But how stands the matter in regard to the
arrangement which is said to be made. WHY,
sir, it is made With men that every one knows are
abundanty able and competent to give their re-
sponslbillty, and to meet any contingencies which
may arise They take all the risks and RESPONSE
biy which belong to the circumstances which
hayestat They takeallofthem upon themselves;
and In case any such contingencies arise, they are
able to respond to them. When we consider the
nature and character OF that government, and the
contingensie which belong to its existence, 1
think it is worth all the money which they give
| to take the risk which they take in regard TO it,
| These considerations, MIR. President, satisfy nv
mind clearly that the proposition which is made
by the Government is and was a judicious one,
and that we ought to give it our sanction
MIR. HALE. MIR. President, the brief expe-
rience which have had in Congress has satisfied
me OF the utter useessness Of any attempt to defeat
! measure of this SORT / shall content myself,
therefore, with expressing to the Senate and the
country the view which take of it, and the
| reasons which will govern me in the vote which
shall give against the bill and against the amend
nent, and with expressing the hope that the
senator from Louisiana will renew the motion
/ a mad uho tbo l.I
up, to lay this whole subject upon the table
What is the first aspect in which this case presents
itself! This money is not due until eight or nine
months from this time. This Congress is now
within SIX days of its termination. Another ses-
sion is at hand and will have assembled and ad-
journed sine die something like ninety days before
the administration want this money to redeem the
| public faith. The next session will expire by
provision OF the Constitution the 4th of March
next; and from that day to the 30th of Nav is
within four days of three months-a space of
about eighty-six or eighty-seven DAYS before the
administration wants this money to keep the
public faith. Sir there may be mary specious
arguments and apologies thrown about this matter,
as the ingenuity of gentlemen may devise, but
challenge contradiction of the fact that the money
is not wanted to keep the public faith; because
there is no pretence that from the 4,h of March to
the 30th of May there will not be a suffcien. time
! that will elapse for every arrangement necessary
and convenient to carry into execution the obliga-
tion Of this treaty, and peri rm all the obligations
that devolve upon the Goeernment. IL will be an
amply sufficient time to do all that is required.
Well sir, this bill, then, is for some other pur-
pose than the keeping ofthe public faith and what
is IT. 1t is for the purpose of taking the funds of
/ this Government at this time, not wanted for pub
lie use, and putting them into the hands of bank
ers, as capital for them to use in their business
operations. Sir, it is but little while when the
country was horrifed at the idea of any portion
of the public funds being used by the small banks
of the country; and an act of the General Govern
ment was passed in 1876, making it State-prison
offence so to use the public money All your
moneys were to be received and paid out in gold
and silver; and if any one of the Gepositaries Of
the public money made use of it for private uses
or for any other than legitimate purposes, he COM
mtted peni;entiary offence. But now the Gov
errment is going to do upon large scale, by mil
hons, the same thing for which they punished in
dvlduals by imprisonment in penitentiary. If
one of those depositaries of the public money in
any State takes hundred dollars of the publ c
money and converts it to his own use by that act,
when it is ascertaned he is senerced to the penn