The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-23

ieIday His remarks will be pa blished hereaiter
Mr. HARRIS renewed The motion 10 REFER and asked
the unanimous OF the House for leave to move
that II be made the special order for Monday next.
Mr. TUCK Directing, leave was not granted
Mr. MEADE suggested that when the Senate bill, then
on the Speakers table, TO effect the object desired 10 be
attained by the bill before the House, reached. this
bill might very properly be considered 10 connexon with
that. N ~ IA GE *
After some conversation,
Mr. HARRIS OF Tennessee. called the previous ques-
ton on the motion TO refer; and pending the question on
this CALL
Mr. ORR moved 10 suspend the rules to go into Com
miee OF the Whole on the slate Of the Union rules
pended, lMr. JONES. oil Tennessee IN The chair)
Mr.. EDGERTON, who was entitled TO The floor, adj
dressed the committee. saying that he would not follow
the example OF Mr. BAYLY that he was neither lawyer
Judge, yet he had been juror, and would declare
that he had pronounced man gully OF receiving
money when he knew he had not receiyed He differed
from Mr.. BAYLY in his views OF what experience had
taught in this Experience had never taught man
better road but to avoid bad one lie was no friend
OF expedency" such Mr. BAYLY had recommended !
and he Mr. E then described the evils OF being guided
BY IT. This bill was designed 70 provide means Of pay
ing the last instament OF the Mexican indemnify Now,
it well understood that there were circumstances re-
curing investigation connected with the manner in which
these payments bad been made The tenor OF the paper
OF Corcoran Riggs, the agents oil the Barngs and How
land Aspinwal was in itself sufficient to make it in
cumbent on the House to pursue this investigation They
were fund. mongers" rather than hnancies, as they
called themselves; and he was opposed TO connexion
between such people and this government. They were
representatives OF the moneypower OF Europe and had
undertaken TO dictate 10 Congress its line OF conduct on
this bill They had dared TO say that the passage oil the
bill should not be mpeded by discussion.
AS representative OF portion OF the people Of the
United States he ready 10 impede the passage Of the
bill lie hoped it would be altogether defeated by what
these fund -mongers had termed "needess discussion,
unless properly amended Who were these men--the
Barings, Corcoran & Riggs, and Rowland Il Aspnwall
whose headquarters This city stood up opposite the
Treasury Department with finger ns il were upon the
government Were it not for their paper, and the ru.
relative to the manner in which the payments had
i bpeu m he n
These things however, rendered II incumbent on him to
interfere in the matter
Now il had been distinctly charged that there had
been frauds in this matter. He held that, more espe
cally when charges OF this sort had been alleged the
representatives OF the people should closely investigate
the subject OF these payments This country had laws
making United States officers and prescribing their du
ties; and without authority OF law was not in the
power of the Secretary of the Treasury to substitute
another to discharge his duty in any particular No
authority Of law to make this contract existed. Mr.
Il. proceeded TO show Therefore he held that there
binding force in this contract either on the gov
eminent the other parties to this nominal engage
ment The latter had announced that they did not now
consider themselves bound by this bargain, and MIR.
Brooks had held (sad Mr.; Z that until the aPpropr.
could be made This was sound doctrine, as ne ex-
planned Had the appropriation failed before Congress
after the contract had been made, would the govern
ment be bound by III II the contractors had failed 10
make their payment, the Mexican government would
have been justified in demanding the payment of the
money over again from the United States. Even it the
/
fashion, il was clear that in exercising that right his
conduct highly reprehensibe. He was not willing
to have the government OF The United States laid al the
feet OF any money power, and especially at those
of foreign one.
Here Mr.. Z. went on TO describe the evil effects on
popular rights OF the weight of the money power on
the continent OF Europe and TO urge that if this enlerng
wedge permitted 10 be driven home here, it would
effect as much evil Tor us as it was e6ecng there.
The influence OF the money power in this government
was clearly perceptible. II had already banded to-
who were constantly found actively employed in Wash
ingion he would "impede legislation" except TO pay
The debts and provide Tor the general welfare The egs
aon OF Congress OF late years proved the necessity for
impeding II; for quite evident that many OF the
thousand schemes TO rob the treasury being constantly
urged were in the hands oil the money power which aimed
to ceniralze power the hands of the government He
would oppose this tendency TO Capitalization. and would
seek TO preserve the rights of the States against which
constantly aimed The State legislatures alone should
seek 10 aggrandize and foster particular localities. La
legislation 10 that end Congress had separated clearly
from the time honored principles OF the constitution
The legislation OF the States had properly made the pros
perty OF whatever il designed 10 foster. while pro-
tectlve tariffs and other interference by the general
ement IN matters foreign 10 the purpose or which II
erected had injured the public interest He for
checking the tendency TO Capitalization. He believed
this country TO be independent OF every power but the
money-powe and held that it should be independent of
that also and TO dsentha H. he conceived that this gov
eminent should do its financial business without
lying foreign aid in any in any particular
case having all the elements OF doing in its reach and
bate, that the controlling money power OF Great Britain
was necessary TO be used in this transaction. He
celved that It's employment in this
than il would be employ il TO eat the dinners Of
members OF Congress. He held that If Mexico desired
this payment be made elsewhere could be done with
out another treaty All tina, was wanting acqut
lance IN full when the money mghlbe paid The Barng
and their partners in the transaction had paid the money
by sending an agent who had paid the entire three mil
lions (as paid) by drawing bills OF exchange in Mexico
that is, with the excess OF the $500 900 which be bad Dor
rowed Now, il was clear that the payment was really
made not in Mexico, or in their capital but where
ever the drafts payable, and the cred, obtained
through the bargain with this government. The treaty
had already been violated for the nstament had not been
paid in money. but in bills OF exchange. The statement
OF the letter OF the bankers, that the contractors had
loaned their own money 10 Mexico, wholly incorrect
So far money had been used il was oduanced by this
government TO the bankers They had not loaned it
al legal rates OF interest TO Mexico they had alleged
but at from Is 10 "a per cent according the necessities
| OF the Mexican government
He held that, should the government determine 10 pay
1t by It's financial agent, or permit the Mexican
government 10 draw u.s. accompanying the draft with
full acquitta and release from all liabilities under the
treaty, either might be done without vaiing The treaty.
which had already been violated in its strict letter II
II was necessary in carrying out this hree-mon trans
action, regular financial agent should be appointed
could not be bosored. He repeated he favor OF
employing our own American citizens only in this trans
action. Now, II bad been charged that by and through
these very Barings Great Britain seeking 10 destroy
our ocean mail steamer enterprises He was for rather
letting those interested in those lines have the advantage
lpros) on the transportation OF the specie than placing
u 10 the hands OF our natural financial enemies
he Tor thorough investigation in order 10 let the
country know who had been making these contracts,
and whether they had been made by law or not The