Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-22
SPEECH OF Mr.. PEARCE,
OF MARYLAND,


OF MARYLAND,
OnM the Governmental Administration Of Affairs an
California, and on the Government Expenditures generally
In THE SENATE UNITED STATES, APRIL 29, 1852.
The Senate having under consideration the bill from
the House Of Representatives to supply deficiencies in the
appropriations for the service Of the fiscal year ending
the 30th Of June, 1852
Mr. PEARCE rose and said: The fenate trust will
pardon me for departing from the line eaf debate strictly
proper at this stage Of the discussion consider y ne
cessity which cannot disregard r. DE- Vron the m
PRODUCTION Of this bl remarks wers mhde Oy the CHAR
man Of the Committee Finance MI HUSrER, and by
the Senator from California (bIr GwE nculpatng the
present Administration Thoses charges have gone forth
to the public. They are now making some impression
upon the public mind; and, If not answered promptly
those Impressions may become fxed and ineradcaDe so
that no force of fact argument may suffice to remove
them The Senate knows that have not been In the
habit Of induging in what is called partisan debate
take no pleasure elimination recrminaton, but the
task have before me is not that Of partisan debater
Ny purpose is to vndicate Of pure and honorable
character engaged zeaously in the faithful discharge Of
duties as arduous they ore important.
The Senator from California has made an open and
avowed attack upon the Administration He has charged
them merely with official negligence but with the
liberation Of various abuses and with the reward OF
them He has endeavored to fix upon this Administra-
ton the responsibility of the errors real imaginary of
General Taylors administration, although the Senate
perceive with how little justice such an attempt as
that be made. AS well might undertake. to charge
upon the Administration of Mr. Polk the frauds pecuia
tons and defalcations in amount and almost
incacuabe in number which perpetrated under the
administrations Of his Democratic predecessor The Sena
tor from California has pointed out specific instances OF
violation of duty and he has attempted to sustain his
charges by documentary display of several columns 1t
wiz be for the Senate to judge in the sequel whether the
of this attack is equal to the rashness which
prompted it. the vgor with which it has been prose-
cuted.
The Senator from Virginia was more moderate in the
tone Of his speech which had not the pleasure Of hear
iHg not being in the city when il was delivered As
ported in the Globe believe he dsclamed any purpose
of assang the Administration Sometimes he bestowed
faint praise upon the head Of Department; then again.
he might be said to hint fault and hesitate dislike
AT another place he spoke of abuses and OF system OF
maadministraton, which the members Of the present
Cabinet ardy in percevng and feeble in correcting
He fancied that the reforms which the present Admins
traton had undertaken late that they did not
go far enough that they did strike at the root of the
matter that they required the stimulus Of Congressional
criticism. He said that he thought these gentlemen
not born to remedy the evils which had prevailed and
which still aict the public service. All this said on
the of Presidential election. Now, sir, we know
how greedy the mnions of party catch at accusations
and how particularly at time like this, such speech
as that coming from the Senator from Virginia who
during very considerable experience in this body has
earned reputation for fairness and candor might from
that circumstance alone, derive peculiar point know
not indeed whether if unanswered, his speech would
not operate with injustice upon the Admins
traon than the open attack OF the Senator from
California know that it WILL in respects, require
critical analysis. shall endeavor to give it that
analysis and hope shall be able to satisfy the Senate
of many into which he has fallen, well to
pose the papabe mistakes Of the Senator from Cali
fornia shall commence with the remarks of the latter
Senator not confnng myself however entirely the de-
fence Of the present Administration but advertng
briefly may be- to the charges brought against the ad
ministration Of General Taylor
had supposed, Mr. President that the administration
of General Taylor might have escaped these assaults
That gallant honest artless old patriot has gone down to
the tomb There he sleeps,
"Seep the brave who sink to rest
BY all their counry's wishes blest"
The members Of his Cabinet no longer hold official sta
tions Not one Of them has an Executive Office seat
in either House Of Congress Not of them is here to
repel injustice to furnish his friends with the
means Of defending him. do not know that shared
very largely in the confidence of that Cabinet St there
were gentlemen in it with whom recognised the relations
Of personal friendship and viii not permit them
hereafter to be assaed erroneousy and therefore un-
Justly when have the means Of their defence in my
hands.
The Senator from California started with charge
which, If the Senate alone concerned should not
think it worth while to reute But these things make
impression upon the public when not conradiced Hence
it is that notice them. The first charge the Senator
makes is that very after General Taylors inaugu
ration he selected agent to visit California upon pub
lie business that the gentleman whom he selected had
been during the preceding fall elected member Of the
House of Representatives that his term of service
menced on the 4th of March, although the Congress in
which he TO take his seat would not by law, meet
until the following December and he considered this to
be violation Of that provision Of the Constitution which
declares that "no person holding any office under the
United States shall be member Of either House during
his continuance in Office" Now, what member Of the
Senate is there who supposes that agency such that
conferred upon Mr. Thomas Butler King an office
within the meaning Of the Constitution What Is an Of
fc II is thing created 6y law But agency derived
from and created by Executive appointment is not thing
created by law 1t is very different thing and does not
within the letter the spirit Of the constitutional
provision Besides these not things The Sena-
tor from California must remember that there has been
scarcely President since the foundation of the Govern
ment who has time other selected agent
for the performance Of duties very similar to those which
were entrusted to Mr. King Why not to further back
than the time Of General Jackson who does not remember
that he depued gentleman Of this city to to Texas
for nearly the objects those which Mr. King
charged with in California; Mr. Folks administration,
as the gentleman from Vermont (Mr UPHAMl suggests
appointed Mr. Hopkins Executive agent Paraguay
ts not an uncommon thing at all It is not necessary
tor me 70 multiply instances to the Senate The Senate
knows that there nothing extraordinary in it no start
ling novelty about it nothing but what is common and
what is proper.
But the Senator not content with charging the then
President Of the United States with violating the onu
on by this appointment suggested that there was another
enormitythat Mr.. King was allowed eight dollars dav
and travelling expenses while away in addition to his pay
member Of Congress. take il for granted that the
gentleman did not say that he was to receive
agent while at the time he was receiving noy
as member Of Congress- for that would be th;ng Nh y
sicaly impossible and directly contradced by the letter
of his instructions His appointment to have effect
and his pay was be receivable only while he was nbsen
this mission and was to cease Immediately uponhs re-
turn He was only member Of Congress electr-not