Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-03-05

he intended to propose an amendment, requirin
the President to advertise for bidders, as in case of
loan, and give the management of it to those VIII
would contract on the best terms.
Mr.. Carter had no sympathy with the banker
who are scrambling for this money like backleg
over the last stakes. They have left fleeing ndi
vlduals and taken to fleeing nations This natio
owes the money, with which theysintend to shaw,
Mexico, and that nation has appealed to our Govern
ment not TO throw her into the hands of a cormor
ant banking house, but to pay them in the cheapes
manner convenient to this Government But to theil
application our executive had turned its back He
hoped the money would be paid in a plain manner
to Mexico
Messrs Toombs and Vinton advocated the pas
sage of the bill, and Mr.. Green expressed himself in
favor OF the proposition of Mr.. Brooks.
Judge Allen then addressed the House as follows.
. Wecopy from the Globe of Saturday:
} Mr.. ALLEN said, he was glad to hear the inquiry
of the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr. Burt,)
how 1t happened the payment of these nstalmentS
was arranged by the Secretary of State, instead of
the Secretary the Treasury. He knew very well
that in the negotiation Of treaties the State Depart
|
when such negotiations were closed, and there re-
manned to be done nothing but the payment of money
from the Treasury, it would seem that the discharge
of that duty properly belonged to the head of the
Treasury Department
If he was right in assuming that position, Mr. A. |
was opposed to any transfer of official duty from the
officer who is presumed 10 be selected for his fitness
to take charge OF the pecunary concerns of the Gov
eminent, to another functionar Whose qualifications
% A b.
had heard no reason assigned for departure from
that mode of proceeding, which clearly appeared to
be mt and proper except the statement that the sub
Ject had been considered in the Cabinet of the late
President, by whom the duty had been devolved
upon the late Secretary of State. However that may
be- Mr. A. said, that Mr. Clayton declined to inter
fere with the business of the Treasury, and refused
to enter into any negotiations respecting it. But it
SO happened that soon after the appointment of the
present Secretary of State, that officer assumed the
whole business of arranging the payments which
were due by treaty TO Mexico. He would not sa
that within three days from the induction of the Sec
rotary into office, Messrs. Corcoran s. Riggs were
assured of the profitable job of dsbursing the i'm
mense sums Of money which were to be paid to Mex
leo; but he believed that the negotiation was COM
peted with very remarkable promptitude, and to the
exclusion>of all competition.
know of nothing in the transaction which tends
to implicate Corcoran & Riggs, or any other bank
ers whose names have been mentioned in this trans
action. see nothing dishonorable or improper in
them There is nothing their part, so far as this
transaction is concerned which differs from the ordi-
nary course of business. 1t is not because impue
any thing improper to these bankers, tlat | have
alluded to this subject, but because the business ought
TO have been done by the Secretary of the Treasury
Fit is necessary that the business should be trans
acted by means of bankers, can see no objection to
it. But it is certainly very dangerous experiment
to take this matter from the hands of that officer who
Is selected, or who s presumed to be selected, for
his fitness to perform the duties of that office and
place it in the hands of another selected for no such
qualifications.
But, sir, have further objection against this
transfer of duties, which shall now bring forward
This business of negotiating means for carrying
a out pecunlary concerns with foreign Government
has been spoken of as matter of great delicacy
But 1t becomes matter of greater delicacy, wher
the Secretary Of State, without any reason, assumes
upon himself the direction of these matters Now
among all the men connected with the Government
he is the most exceptionable man to have any trans
actions of pecuniary concern with bankers anC
brokers; he, who holds his place as Secretary O
State less as servant and stpendary of the Govern
ment, than servant and stipendary of bankers ant
y brokers'.
4 Sirs l speak these things with reluctance; bu
they should be said by somebody; and as no gen
tleman has arisen here and said them, do it.
It speak of facts which are noorous--as notorious il
/ New York and Boston, If not in this city, as an,
other transaction in the recent history of the country
The Secretary of State comes here not for the com
pensation which the laws of your Government allow
to that officer as remuneration for his services; Blu
he comes here for much higher compensation
, with far greater pecunary inducements furnished
hm-and furnished him by the bankers of Wal
street and State Street.
Now, repeat that it is fact which is not onl,
notorious in Boston, but in the whole country tina
! when that gentleman was called upon to fake tn,
office Of Secretary of State-a position which h
now hods-and TO receive for pay a compensate
which the Government deems sufficient for the fruca
support of the officers who shall be called to perorr
the duties of that oce-he entered into an arrange
ment, by which it was agreed that large sum {
money should ne raised for him, as an inducement
assume his present position. twenty-five ihousan
dollars were to be raised in Boston, as the final resu
! of this arrangement, and the like sum in the city
:, New York. ] have il from authority which cam,
be doubted, that such an arrangement, proceedln
! from the suggestion Of the Secretary himself, WI
:, actually made; and have most satisfactory reason
I, for believing that the arrangement was actually ca
!, ried out, by the raising of $4,000 in New YorI
and about 500 600 in Boston
believe there are men within the sound of m
4, voice who can sustain me in these assertions. b.
. leye there are persons within this Hall who ha,
some particular information upon this very subject
= Now sir, | do not know how the fact strikes Il
u House, that tn highest officer in your Governmen
with the exception Of the President should take O
fee upon the understanding and inducement Of RI
'g ceiying alge sums Of money from certain descr