Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-04-24
xxxu CoNGREss-First session.

pidihfng VI tue course puisueu W '"
with regard 10 her debts.
Mr.. Gwin introduced a bill providing ior
a Monthly Mail from San Francisco, via the
Sandwich Islands to Shanghai, China.
The French Spoliation Bill was then ta-
ken up. ii+. ..... ......
Mr.. Rush and Mr.. Jones, of Iowa, who
were opposed TO the bill, said they had
paitep of with MIR. Soule and Mi. Pratt.
Mr.. Brooke, who was in favor of the bill
had paired of with Mr.. Weller.
Mr.. Mangum, said that he would vote for
the bill under instructions.
The question was then taken, and the bill
passed Yeas 26, nays 10, as follows:
Yeas--Messrs. Badger, Berrien, Borland,
Bradbury, Clarke, Cooper, Davis, Dawson,
Downs, Fish, Geyer, Hale, HamIin, James,
Mangum, Miller, Pearce, Sebastian, Seward
Shields, Smith, Spruance, Summer, Under
wood, Upham, Wade.
Nays-Messrs. Adams A,chison, Brodhead,
Cass, Dodge, of Wisconsin, Dodge, o. Iowa
Douglas, Felch, Gwin, Hunter, King, Norris
Walker.
The Deficiency Bill, was then next Ia
ken Up.
Mr.. Gwin said that as Mr.. Berren on
Friday, had said that the administration was
capable of defence which would be made
at the proper time, he desired to present a
few items of misconduct or NAL administra.
ton, which he requested the Senator TO de-
fend if possible. This administration COM
menced March 4th, lS49, and had continued
up to this time. He referred 10 the appoint
ment given 10 Butler King, in April, ls49,
TO proceed TO California, Notwithstanding he
was then a member of Congress. Mr.. Col
lier was appointed Collector, and proceeded
to California, accompanied by military
escort, the expenses of which were paid
by the Quarter-Master's Department, and
amounted to S35,000, when the Collector
might have gone there for $500. When Mr..
King reached California, he had unlimited
powers over the Army and Navy. He sent
the Propeller Edeih on an idle and useless
vessel cost $l2O, 900, and was most valuable
at that time for the purpose of carrying pro-
visions from one part of the country to the
other. Her loss was the cause Of a great in
crease Of expenditures for transportation,
&c, in the Quarter. Masters Department.
After Mr.. Collier left the Cusiom-House,
P,,sl, Inn E-1 tln fnIlnntnr n
cited several matters tending TO show that
Mr. King had increased the expenses of
the Cuslom- Honse in California three-fold.-
Gen, Wilson of Missouri, was appointed In
dian Agent at Salt Lake. He was sent there
with large escort, at great expense. He
.staid at Salt Lake just long enough TO write
letter or two, then with his family pushed
| on TO California. The season was late, and
before leaving Salt Lake he bnried all his
private property. After Mr.. Wilson'S arri
! val in California an order came from the
be fitted out by the Qnarter-Maser's D.
partment 10 90 after, and bring 10 Callor-
! MIA Mr.. Wilson's private property. 1t was
done, and that expedition cost the United
States $lGO,OO0. Mr. Wilson was shortly
after appointed navy Officer, in California,
and is now a Whig high priest, in tha, State.
This was the way in which these deliirien-
cies were occasioned. He read numerous
documents and reports from army officers in
California, showing the eytravagant expen-
dilures by the Quarter-Master's Department
in that State, particularly in the establish
ment of Naval Depot al Benicia, and in
the escorts finished 10 the Indian Commits
soners. The escorts 10 these Commission
ers, furnished by the Quarer-Masier's De-
par,ment, cost $50, ,O0O Congress appro-
priaed $4,000 for the expenses of the In
dian Commissioners, TO make treaties, &c.
citizens of California for supplies, &C., for
the Indians and themselves, and gave drafts
on the Department, to pay for the same
The amount of those drafts already ascer-
tanned, and all of which had been protested
were over S76o,O0o beyond the amount ap-
propriated by Congress. This bill supplied
the deficiency caused by expenditures of
$50, 900 to escort the Commissioners, yet
no one was TO be found to advocate The pay.
ment Of the debts contracted by those Com
mssioners with citizens of California. Not
one of these Commissioners, though their
misconduct was known, had been rem we'd.
They had negotiated many treaties and
were now executing some of them, but not
one of these treaties had yet reached the
Senate. The appropriations for the Quarter
Masters Department for the year 1851, was
S3,900,O00. The expenditures by that De-
partment was over S5,OO0,0Oo He had
shown the system of expenditures in that
Department, and the reason of the defcieR-
! cies was evident. 1t was the loose and reck-
less expenditure of public money by the
army. This system received its spring. its
| great incentive, from the election of mere
military chieftain TO the Presidency in lS49
Whence came that sense of security by the
army officers, that the expenditures for that
service would be excused and overooked.-
| No man should be elected President fol his
military deeds alone. Those deeds would
MAYER snnnly the wants oG Siotesmansbin of