Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-20

ceived by the public creditor at the same rate al
which they were taken at the custom house and as
already observed, were of the real intrinsic vllue
stamped upon them, that value being always fully
realized at the Mint Notwithstanding all this,
however, the action of the Secretary was violently
condemned at the time by the Democratic organs
there one Of which, in furious.artcle on the sub
ject, says:
How long fictitious credit beyond their intrinsic
commercial value be given to these ingots by fraud
practsed by the Secretary Of the Treasury in directing
the Collector here receive them for public dues we
know not Congress is bound to protect
the honor of its laws, and Democratic Congress is
to visit with swift vengeance the violations of law
which reckessy trampe under foot all the guards the
Treasury prescribed by the act of 9th of August 1876
None of the Wing sophstries Of the implication doctrine
the President his Secretary of the Treasury
from the offended majesty and punishment Of violated
| law"
! Mr. McCorke, it will be seen, notwithstanding
the notorious facts of the case joins in this view Of
the subject, and denounces them as spurious and
illegal con" and the order of the Secretary authoz-
ing their receipt as illegal and unconstitutioaal;
and in the breath and paper rails at the Secrea
ry in equally violent TERMS for having revoked this
illegal and unconstitutional order, and prohibited
the further reception of this illegal and spurious
currency; all of which was done by the Secretary in
obedience to an express law of Congress- which Mr..
McCorkle himself says received his "most cordial
appreciation p Truly Mr. McCorkles consistency
and his logic are equally to be admired.
We make the following extract from an article in
the Alta California; in reply to another charge Of
Mr.. McCorkle:
"The next charge Mr. McCorkle has to prefer against
the Secretary Of the Treasury is the delay ia establish
the branch of the Mint which has been authorized to be
established at San Francisco Now what the facts
The bill passed the Senate the 18th of December
OF atiyes he
the succeeding day. and nearly six months thereafter
became law. This is Mr.. McCorkles statement,
| and it is correct. Who caused all this delay? Why,
Mr. McCorkles political friends, the majority Of the
Committee of Ways and Means and the New York city
delegation who opposed every attempt report take
up the bill in advance of similar bill to establish
branch of the Mint in that city So far from having been
passed against the opposition Of those interested in the
present assay office and their agents. it met with their
Jealous appreciation, especially they hoped to make
sale Of and offered to SELL their establishment under the
power conferred the Secretary of the Treasury
procure suitable buildings for carrying the bust
ness Of the said branch Mint
The cause of the delay of which Mr. McCorkle COM
plains in establishing the Mint is to be founl in the law
ITSELF and the appropriation to carry it into effect The
10th section of the act to establish branch of the Mint
of the United States at San Francisco declares
the es the ret Of the shall pro are or
duty s
cnsry for the operations Of said Mint
sand dollars"
1t will be perceived that the Secretary Of the Trea
sury positively directed procure Or any
buildings yet to do any thing else under the law
unless ne could make contract by which the entire
OF the buildings and machinery should il the whole
exceed the sum of $500, 600" The made appro-
priaton of money, but limited the contrac to sum,
$3.50 900 less than the sum which after carefully
prepared estimates Mr. Corwn asked Congress to appro
pirate to establish branch of the mint San Francisco
Why not that obtained? Why were not the es-
Inmates Of the Treasury complied with? Mr.. McCorkle
and the California delegation may perhaps tell
"The plans and specification for branch of the mint
were prepared and open to inspection at the Trea-
sury Department, Mr.. McCorke probably knows but
they were prepared with reference the Treasury es
mates for buildings aad machinery to cost $3.50 000 and
not the ptful sum- for such object which has been
appropriated More than this while the civil and dipo-
matte bill under consideration in the Senate when
there ample time increascthe appropriation the
Secretary Of the Treasury know, addressed
Col Weller in which he informed him that the pending
appropriation of 100000 insufficient and that
additional sum requisite. The Senator from Califor
MIA, in personal interview with Mr.. Corwin admitted
that $500 900 not sufficient put the branch Of the
mint in operation, and said he would have get around
the law, which is precisely what Mr.. McCOrkle would
have him do in the matter Of the ingots.
No effort made consequently to increase the ap-
preparation and the civil and diplomatic bill which
tains il became law the Both of August 1852 The
necessity at for plans and specification
for buildings and machinery exceed in the whole
the of three hundred thousand dollars in their
ton and procurement
And let us inquire somewhat more particularly
into the terms of this appropriation Here it is, ham
pered and confined with provisos enough to appal the
bodest and all creating, If not intended for delay
For establishing branch
California IN accordance with the provisions Of the Law
the third day July eighteen hfytwo
three hundred thousand dollars Pded mat9
rails or for the purchase lease rent erection Of buildings shall be
made except the lowest bidder after sixty days advertisement
TSS " S hn p published sss in the STAT q
prevent the transfer Of machinery and from the United
states mint or branches 70 the branch mint at San Francisco fair
valuation: IOrf further That said the
building and machinery whole
Tor the completion exceed the three hundred thousand dollars
"The first proviso is worthy Of public attention
IL prohibits the making Of any contract for materials
or for the purchase lease rent erection Of any build
ings except 10 the lowest bidder before advertising fer
sixty days in two newspapers published in California
thus are the hands Of the Secretary Of the Treasury tied
and thus must four months eapse before he
TO make contract and this too when the whole State
is camorous for the speedy establishment Of the branch
mint Why was this done Will Mr.. McCorkle ex-
plain 2"
The facts here stated are also perfectly correct
.hc bill authorizing mint to be established in
California did finally pass both Houses in June,
but no appropriation was made until the very last
day OF the session, and then in the terms stated
above In the mean time we have ascertained that the
Treasury had prepared plans and specifications based
upon its estimates submitted to Congress of
s85OO0O; but when the amount appropriated was
reduced to 100000, new plans and new specif-
cations had to be made. These Of course could not
be prepared for the steamer that left New York on
the 9TH of September, as the bill was only passed
on the 3lst Of August; but we have ascertained
that they were forwarded by the very next steamer