The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-04-21
Corruption at Washington.

We present below the observations Of MIR.
Venable, in the House of Representatives, upon
the corruptlons which have characterized this
Administration. Perhaps no Administration
since the formation Of the Government, pre-
sents worse spectacle of corruption. 1t is high
time that the people were aroused to a due sense
Of their rights and their duties. The country
and INSCRIPTIONS hands which control its desti
MICS. We want healthy reform, and we must
have it. Hear what Mr. Venable says.
acknowledge my obligations to the commit
mittee for the courtesy extended to me on this
ccasion There are some facts which ought 10
be brou sht Ia the knowledge of the committee
and the country. Our constituents ought to
know the fact, that the Governmen. here is, to
all practical purposes, in the hands OF the clam
agents, the letter-writers, and the common plum
drrers The penalties which any repics a.
tive Of the people has to pay for independent re
sstance to the plumber of the Treasury, or the
protection OF such unlucky claimants as may sue
coed in prosecuting AUS, demand up n the Gov
eminent from the exactions of those who profess
to be their agents, is to be- slandered and as>ail-
ed by all the hreling scribblers who are under
nav to form public opin,"n, as letter-wrters: to
find himself denounced and black bail, III the
penny press, and held up to the public as just
subject of opprobrium and reprcach. 1 am NIL
thin skinned enough to feel such assaults, but
take this occasion to express my contempt for
them and their employers, whether it be claim
agents or the print daubers OF vena press.
| Unless the Government is rescued from such
an unholy DOMINION, il must dissolve in is own
corruption and imbecility. The poor Indian,
4 i,,ct oil. rtar
| of century, with his papers withheld, and eve
| ~ obstruci n placed in the way of is recogni-
ton. finds himself at last, when tardy justice is
done, subjected to the demands of those harpe>,
who gather around the bureau which is to d.
rect the payment, with caveats for services tha
have never been rendered, aud clam tor halt
the amount, to be d. lvered to them. | speak
by the card, and know what | say. 1t is nsu
ierable that such practices should be to'erat. d..
Who made the Departments If this Govern
ment the arbiters Of such claims tor cOmpensa-
ton. How dis racetul is it To the country, II a
tn. Just, the wronsed claimant should be sub
| iected to such exactons by the acton Of the
Government itself. Sir, this is indeed filing
the cup Of bitterness TO the briA. Ii is heaping
outrage upon injury on the poor, the oppressed
drnizen of country, once his own Can there
be any reason why claim, now allowed, after
twenty wears denial by the Government VIII ca
owed il, should be curtalled by half under the
| Judgment of the Departments of the Govern
| menl itself? The evil Is crying one; it has
become an acknowledged truth, that small,
honest claim stands no chance of a hearing =
The seamans or the soldier widow may, for
wears, knock in vain at the doors OF the Ireasu-
ry Their claims are too small to admit ct large
| fees, or expensive entertainments. The poor
Indian, unused to those appliances, must sur
| L 10 l.. ,.nrttS h..n net hob ri
But large and annual spoliations, magnificent
assaults upon the Treasury for steam lines, and
other splendid schemes, find willing auditor.
aud active agents, who surround the lobb.es Of
this House like the vulures who fly in he real
of an army, always present, always importunale
aud ever ready to plunge their beaks into tn, il
prey There was, as | am informed, a bill 1855
ed by Congress, not many years since, granting
Sll2 900 to a tribe of Indians, as due by treaty
End these agents pocketed $o6,0O0 of the a
m unit The whole scheme ut p!under is redu
ced to a system, and those high in office are the
etficien, friends Of the claimants for scch exor
bitant exac,ons. l have felt it my duty t.
speak plainly upon this subject l am gratetn
f r the courtesy Of the committee, which al ,ow
ed me- the opportunity. l felt that it was tn,
dut, Of some representative of the people to ex
pose system OF organized operation, by which
those who had Just claims upon this Govern
ment, were to be the subject OF unjust exaciiol
by which the authors of those exact,ons wer
to be aided BY the authority of the Government
and by which the representatives, OF the people
were TO be restrained from the denunciation O
such denominations, under the terrors of ban
) of hire ling calumniators. The people, sir, vii
put this matter to rights. All that is wanting
is. that they should know the facts, and, know
ing them, as do, would be un;athful to with
hold them from the country.