The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-13

are too manly too honorable and high minded do it
and the only object have IN view s TO lei The country
know that when The dust shall be blown of, and the
smoke shall disappear there is no difference between
honorable minds in relation to the character OF these
Transactions There e no charge oil corIuptonnone is
Pile TO be deceived and men Injured merely IN elections
and in reputation That is the that desire TO
strip this thing, and expose il al once.
Then, MIR. President Is there charge within the older
parts Of the country made None The expenditures
have all been this new country, and they arose ont
q Inc annexation Of enas ana ne 2, Sess
expenditures have traced them oil the Military
Committee and found that in certain regions OF this coun
try it took III 900 year TO sustain soldier and horse
Why is il so The senator from Maryland told you il
would take think, $40 10 get barrel OF flour TO some
stations away in the neighbohood Of The Rio Grande IN
New Mexico. Yon send your soldiers there, and you
mus. send the means for them to subsst upon. When
you send your soldiers into the midst OF forest in
wild country amongst the lndians send Them means
OF selfdeience and 10 sustain life and do not re-
port back here the older portion OF the country, and
speak Of their expenditures branding the officers who
represent the honor and glory OF your country IN defence
of your honor and liberty, corrupt villains away be-
yond Your reach-for that is the charge.
Mr.. WELLER. Who charges that
Mr.. DAWSON. That is the result OF the charges,
because all these alleged corruptsns grow out oi De
armygrow out OF contracts made by the officers at a
distance from e seat OF governmentconracis spflDgng
from your Q,arternaser's depariment-and compel
led 10 be mate. Now, II were unkind as 10 say 10
the country hat Gen, Perser +. Smith, under whose
auspices these tremendous expenditures which are said 70
be desoatng TO the treasury OF the United States took
place, belonged TO the democratic party, the world might
think charged him. Far from he is too honest and
honorable man, and has conducted himself there Tor
the honor and glory Of his country and the protection o
that portion oi H. When you say The expenditures there
are extravagln il is true--when you give $500 Tor a
thousand iet OF lumber there and get il here Tor $lO
and when you compare things there with here the people
UNDERESTIMATE When you lay floor in California with
lumber costing $500 thousand and lay here with um'
Der costing bui l0 and then speak OF men being exrav-
agan in California and bring home destroy the admin
| tim tha
amazement at your declaration. Why not tell them the
honest fact at once Why seek 10 destroy honest men
by merely presenting facts, and not making known all
the information TO the country! never have and never
will yarnsh or misrepresent ruth 10 gain a polucal
advantage ! stand upon honor and honesty; and when
represent fact the country, will endeavor to lei The
II people know both sides OF il for the honor OF The
country and lis morality and lis honesty, DEPEND Just as
much upon one party as upon The other. Iney poih
must be composed OF OF honor and honesty IN or
der TO give you national reputation; and will never
seek 10 destroy one or The other.
But look al this again. You speak OF the wonderful
expenditures made in building certain public works IN
Caiforn. and putting up certain public Improvements,
when you ought 10 recoect that you float your timber
and frequently your granite from this side OF the Allan
tic; that you carry your lumber and your provisions
from our Atlantic porls and, in truth, everything al ex
lravagant prices And yet you brand this administration
as exiravagant do not Intend TO go into the matter
but when am touching upon questions that come home
to the sepsbity of every founded upon justice and
equality, put aside party feeling and 90 upon ihe prn-
cpe that all men are presumed 10 be honest aud when
i
because could not suppose that General Persiier r.
Smith, who has fought the battles OF his country, and
given himself Immortality and your country renown,
could go there TO commit the honor OF that country
by corrupt act nor can suppose that The head OF
your Quariermasiers department here-he, too, demo
catthe gallant old soldier who defended you in is ~
10 and ID, and now as il were, standing almost upon
the cnbng precincts OF eternitywoald dishonor him.
self al the head OF the Qnartermasers department by
permitting any one 10 peculate upon the country and
thereby reduce his character and the character OF
his party 10 degradation by making any unjust contracts
or suffering those who under his command 10 do So
Let US AVOID these things. and as pasans stand upon
elevated and honorable ground, and act ike men My
feelings COMPOUNDED when hear either party charg-
ing honorable men belonging TO either side Indirectly
meiey for party purposes But, SIR will not continue
this debate the country will perceive The object oil these
attacks upon this administration, and will regard them as
they justly deserve, and sustain its honest faithful add
/ MIR. GWlN. Mr. President, the senator from Georgia
has taken especial pains 10 say and reerae the state
men that this administration had been charged with
corrupy expendng the public money lie has used the
word corruption" time and again waselul extrava-
gance in the expenditure OF The public money does moi
imply corruption. loose Interpretation OF the law, and
consequent extrayogant expenditure which attempted
to show and think conclusively established, had been
the practice of the Executive since the 4th OF March,
lsI9, does not imply that made charge ol corruption
No such charge will ever be made by me- except IN direct
terms
Mi DAWSON. know the gentleman did not charge
corruption directly; but also know that, IN the eslIma-
on OF the couny, that would be The effect OF his charge
| Mr.. GWlN. Now, 10 regard 10 the eulogy which the
gentleman has passed upon General Persiier f. Smith,
was very glad TO hear IT,, because IL is well deserved
There is not gallant officer 10 the army. stated
the fact that there had been extraordinary exPendl-
ture OF the public money in California General Smith
thought II necessary but was FAR beyond the means
placed by law al the disposal OF the department. and he
was no. checked The department permitted eypendi.
tues TO be made exceeding The appropriations without
any censure making necessary to bring in bills to meet
The deficiencies thus created not only attribute 10 the
administration corruption, but do not even charge
improvldence upon GsneIal Smith In his judgment the
expenditure was necessary. But, said before, the
head of the department should have checked him when
he went beyond the appropriations made by law, even i
the expenditure necessary
! The senator says that lumber was worth $500 per
one thousand feet 10 California ii that was 10
US Did not The senator from Virginia make that very
statement weeks ago, in his opening speech on this bill
Did he moi promugae II to the country, that these extra
ordinary prices had TO be PAID for the materials necessary
10 establish this depot in California; argued that
when these prices had 10 be pad the duty OF The
administration 10 have that expenditures
made except such absolutely necessary
The senator is entirely mistaken II he supposes have
acted the partisan in this debate anxious that the
money disbursed in California shall be first appropriated
by Congress, and then expended in a manner the mos
beneficial to the country do not intend that toe large
amounts heretofore expended IN California for the army
shall be thrown up 10 us when we hereafter ask Tor What
is necessary for the public interest in that State hope
that what has been heretofore expended without author
ity of law and with such lavish hand will not preu
dice necessary appropriations Tor California that may
be asked for hereafter
| The senator takes occasion 10 say that not par
tcaary distinguished Tor economy in the expenditure o
the public money. Now, | will ask the senator 10 specify
single instance when have advocated the expenditure
of dollar in California or else where that was not called