Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-08
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


On motion the Senate adjourned to Monday
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr. KING of New York, called up for consideration
the report OF the select committee appointed TO inyesu-
gate the connexion Of the Hon. Thomas Corwn Secretary
of the Treasury with the Gardiner claim and the bill
reported by that committee TO prevent frauds upon the
Treasury Of the United States the question being upon
the motion recommit the subject TO that committee
i Mr. KING submitted amendment TO the bill, and
remarked that when the committee made their report
upon the subject, ii their design simply to submit
the testimony which they had taken, and report bill
which they hoped might provide remedy against at
tempts TO commit fraud upon the Government, and
furnish means TO correct imputations against the char
acer of members of Congress and officers of the Go
venment. But he thought it was due 10 the honor
and the character of the Government and OF Congress
that there should be mistake about the law in reference
to any of improperly Of this character mpeachng
the motives of members in connexon with their support OF
any bill. They should be precuded from their right to
VOTE declared by the rules OF the House, any
measure in which they had personal interest; ana by
the bill under consideration it provided that IN all
where they had such interest procured during their
membership, under the belief that they would thus aid
the passage of any bill against the Government IT should
be considered msdemeanor, and make them liable TO
impeachment 1t also made every officer OF the Govern
men from the highest TO the lowest who ransgressed
this law liable TO Indictment and imprisonment IN the
pententiary the imposition of fne in the discretion
of the court The proposition plain one, and did
require, in the judgment Of the committee, any ex
tended elaborate explanation The report had been
printed and every member had had opportunity to
examine it and he therefore asked for It's consideration
now. n yF
Messrs,, HAVEN and FREEMAN submitted amend
mens to the bill which ordered TO be printed.
Mr. OLDS said that when he left his home in Ohio and
returned the Capital he had the distant idea
being called upon address the House the subject
of the Gardiner claim He felt that in calling for the in
yesgaon of the subject had discharged duty which
he owed his constituents and the couny and though
the committee had acquitted Mr. Corwn the charges
alleged against him. still he felt he had but discharged
his duty and that he rather rejoice than feel mortified
at such acquitta Even he regretted exceedingly
that of duty to himself and his constituents
PEELED him, in consequence of remarks made the
other day. during his temporary absence from the House.
by the gentleman from New York. (AIr BRooKs to ask
the kind indulgence of the House while he reviewed
what IN detail this most extraordinary transaction He
that efforts had been made by pensoned de-
pendants by hired and paid teegraphers
foresta public opinion upon the report Of the nvest
eating committee but knowing that the real facts of the
would be spread before the nation he willing to
await the verdict to be given upon that report by the
American people.
He then reviewed length the report of the committee
and contended that it did Mr. Corwn from
all connexon with the claim. He thought if the commit
tee desired exonerate Mr. Corwin they exceed
ngy unfortunate for it impossible to separate the
connection Of the Secretary of the Treasury with the claim
from the necessity which gave origin to the bill be-
fore the House. Gardiner would suffer the penalties Of
the law but what would become of the other parties inte
rested in this fraud Mr. Corwin and Mr. waddy Thomp-
aware that the claim a fraud upon the
Treasury and would they forward like honest men,
and refund the portion which they had obtained Would
the House be content with passing the bill under consider
aton would they make the parties refund the
they had obtained!
Mr. STANTON, Of Ohio, then obtained the floor
when
DEFICIENCY A--HAYTI-NICARAGUA
On motion of Mr.. CLINGMAN, the House went into
Committee of the Whole the state Of the Union, Mr.
BAYLY, Of Virginia in the chair asl resumed the con-
sderaton of the bill to supply the deficiencies in appro
prations for the service the fiscal year ending the 0h
of June 1853.
Mr.. MARSHALL, Of California, said that he had in
tended introduce resolution this effect That the
Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to report
bill setting apart and putting at the disposal Of the in
coming President FIVE millions OF dollars, to be
pended his discretion, meet the exgences in
foreign affairs particularly, and the general condition Of
the country, which it admitted on all hands
likely arise He desired present this resolution TO
the House. because il would afford opportunity of de-
batting which had some significance and mean
ing and because the Democratic party of the House could
thus up full and significant expression by
vote as TO the affairs Of the country.
The committee had been engaged in listening abstract
opinions and discussing questions which might never
arise-~hch certainly only would arise in the future
instead of locking other questions which existed and
which threatened the country and upon which, far
they had been decided all, the American nation
Stood in the eyes Of its citizens and before the whole
world degraded and dishonored He should yet intro
duce the resolution and would call upon the members of
the House TO the incoming Administration
that confidence which the vote recently given by the people
in the Presidential election expressed their part in
him. vote Of this character not at all without pre-
cedent in country and in that from which had
derived many of customs and usages. He re-
peated he would yet present such resolution if his
purpose should be forestaed by else, and
would call upon the Democracy of the House to discharge
Of its most important duties and contribute to the
formation of what he believed TO be wise and honor
able public opinion in reference to important national
questions
He proposed TO call the attention of the committee to
the conduct Of the Government in regard the Island Of
Hayt and Nicaragua. He had selected these topics,
Of the abundant materials for complaint which exist
ed against the Administration, because they sub
ects in which the State he had the honor represent
felt especial interest As general principle il
true and every body would see the reason Of il in
ment that the States of the Confederacy
like California, felt with sensyeness every refec
ton upon national honor every evidence Of national
weakness The expression that . am an American ci
zen" that was nowhere proudly uttered as
upon the shores of the Pacific The American citizen
nowhere turned his eyes to the federal centre with
interest in its honor and its power than from the
confines of the country because each remote
State would be poweress and insignificant it not for
the great power Of the whole Union They leaned upon
for support and upon people had the Of de-
graduation and disgrace which he should endeavor to
show that the present Administration had inflicted upon
the country fallen heavily than upon the people Of
California They perhaps would be weak and impotent
10 sustain themselves as Independent republic, and
they felt the deepest interest in the support Of the entire
Union They believed fully they trusted implicitly that
there strength enough in the Union if wisely and
properly exerted to sustain all its powers and all its
rights In California they believed that the wing
strong enough bear its fight this whole continent