The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
CENSUS REPORT

CENSUS REPORT.
Mr.. GORMAN, from the Committee on Print.
ing, to whom was referred resolution proposing
to print hundred thousand copies of the report
OF the Superintendent of the Census, accompany
ing the Presidents annual message reported back
the same without recommendation and caused to
be read letter from the superintendent of the Pub
lie Printing from which it appeared that the cost of
that number of copies will be $5602.
lhe resolution, under the operation of the pre-
Vlous quession, was passed.
FRAUDS THE TREASURY. ..-.
The House resumed the consideration of the bill
heretofore reported from the select committee to in
Vsstigesc the connexion Of Thomas Corwin with the
alleged fraudulent Gardiner claim, opreventfrauds
upon the treasury of the United States IThe bill
prohibits all persons holding posts of honor and
elnolument under the United States, in the Execu-
tive and other departments ofthe Government from
prosecuting claims on private account and SUBJ
Jecting violators of the law to punishment by fine
and imprisonment in the penitentiaryl
Mr.. STANTON, Of Ohio. made few remarks
IN Vlndication OF Mr.. Corwin, when he yielded the
Mr.. CHAPMAN, of the select committee who
said practice has prevailed among members of
congress to receive compensation, certain or con.
tingent, Tor prosecuting important claims gainst
the Government If such a practice exists it is
the duty OF Congress to apply remedy for the
evil, ior such he conceived it to be- In presenting
TINS Dill, the committee had, in his jud gment
douotedly departed from the general investigation;
out, In doing 30, fault should not be found with
them, lnasnuch as the evil against which the bill
10 attempted 10 guard exists and inasmuch as there
ought to DC a remedy. Nothing, however, is in
terable from the report inconsistent with the find
ing oil the committee so far relates to Mr. Corwin.
IL was due to DR.. Gardiner (who to him a
stranger, and whose face he was not aware he had
ever SEEM to say that the investigation before the
committee as to the validity of the claim was er
prte, and judging from this, he concurred with
his colleagues that it was a naked fraud on the
treasury, supported By perjury and false papers
Secretary Corwin was his friend, and there
fore he had no personal favors to ask; was MIR.
Corwin his foe, he his; therefore he had no
private grudges. But would the gentleman from
Ohio Mr.. OLDs) say much? If he (Mr CHAP
NAM had, he should not think it the est evidence
OF high courage to assail the Secretary when and
where he had no opportunity to reply; but he
constrained to say it an evidence of the sbet-
ter part of valor,' TO omit tn, doing of which is
said to be discretion (" We deg rade IT Govern
ment and institutions by indiscrminate abuse of
our public men. The testimony shows clearly and
satisfactorily that Mr.. Corwin has done only what
has always been done by members of Congress,
pursuing general and prevailing CUSTOM which
has not been found fault with and which s not
contrary to law. So far this act applies, Secre-
tary COrwin has not done any thing blameworthy.
He Invested himsef of all interest in this claim,
allowed by the EIexican Board of Commissioners,
before he entered the Cabinet, and from that time
forth has ceased TO have any copnexion with or
consultation with regard to the claim.
MIR. BARRERE, of Ohio, said he represented
portion OF the Congressional district in which Mr..
Corwin, when at home, resides. The gentleman
is considered favorte in that State by both Wings
and Democrats This not there party mat
ter. MIR. Corwin in early life poor and friend
less, and by the force of his own energy and per-
severance had risen to high postion-rnorally,
intellectually, and politically. He had no superior
in the District of Columbia in intellect He never
had a character for dishonesty; but possessed
pure and spotless reputation Mr. B. then pro
ceeded to examine the report, saying that the
committee have presented no evidence tending to
prove that he is guilty in the least degree of the
charge of -defrauding the Government.
Without disposing of the subject before it, the
House resolved itself into Committee of the
Whole on the st tie of the Union-Mr. Brown, of
Mississippi, in the chair-and proceeded to the
consideration of the special order, being the bill
to suppress the circulation of
SMALL NOTES,
as a currency, in the District of Columbia
The first section of the bill having been read,
prohibiting, under penalty, the making or issu
ing of any bill to circulate, as currency, OF
less denomination than five dollars,
Mr.. CARTIER moved an amendment, IN effect
to make the provision apply to paper OF all de,
He said he had offered this for the purpose OF
bringing TO the attention of the committee and
testing the proposition whether they would autho-
rize the issuing of bank paper of any denomina-
ton in the District of Columbia. If there is any
town on the face of this Republic which requires
none of the agencies of bank paper, it is that of
Washington. In the first place, it is point at
which the metallic, constitutional currency of the
country, is always abundant with reference to the
demand. This town has commerce of any
magnitude, and if it bad it could do business on
commercial pa per- The trade of the town is sup-
piled from the expenditures of the treasury, and
the salaries are paid in the constitutional cur
rency. There 10 extensive business trade
which requires it. But a-few days since one of
these shinplaster institutions, following in the foot
sePs OF ali similar concerns, exploded, taking the
Precautlon, before they went down, to throw over
inc ACE OF the country its worthless promises to