Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-02-12
Mr.. FILLMORE INDICATED.


the astounding disclosure, that President Poll
had offered $lOO,OOO,OOO for that Island to The
Spanish Grown. A portion of the Democrats
press endeavored to divert the public censurC
and Indignation produced by this development
from their party to Mr.. Fillmore, and denoun
ced him in no very delicate or polite mannerf9l
permitting this interesting transaction to see the
light. The following eloquent vindication Of
the foreign policy of the present Administra
ton we find in the concluding portion of Mr.
Brooks speech, made in reply to the remarks
of Mr.. Polk Of Tennessee, in the House Of Rep
resentatives.
81 turn now, Mr.. Chairman, to the other count
Of the indictment against the Administration
the last of the formidable counts, and that is
the publication Of the correspondence in refer
ence to Cuba. Now,i there be any one principle
Of the American system Of government which
is the basis and root of our institutions, 1t is
the right of the American people to everything
that has been done by the servants; and if there
be any one thing more amazing or astounding
than another in the whole history Of this coun-
try, ii is that any Administration should have
dared, without the authority Of Congress, the
dsbursing power of the Government, to prom
Use to give to foreign nation 100000, 900 for
the purchase Of an island on our coast, and then
the long concealment Of the fact from the a.
mcrican people When first the fact that such
an offer had been made came before the public,
it burst upon NE, inspiring something like in
dignation in my bosom. 1 felt for one, as cit
zen Of the United States, that had been depri-
we'd of highly important information which
had right to possess long ago, and, as a mem
Der of the American Congress, felt that a
previous Executive had been committing us ali
to proposition for the disbursement Of $780,
SS1S3S,SSQ0 out of tie Treasury, without any au-
thority, whatsoever, from the body to which l
belong. | saw ahead treaty to be made,
which the whole power Of the party making it
would be rallied to ratify, and before we know
of it, make it matter of party-fealty to endorse
Ito approve. l felt that serious injury had
been perpetrated upon American Congress
SEES, in concealing from them all, information of
such transcendent Importance wherein the pub
lie servants of the country had tried to involve
them in gigantic expenditures, and more gigan-
tic consequences, without their knowledge Or
consent.
But, sir, if it was wrong to publish the cor
respondence, why not lay the charge in the in
dictment against the House of Representatives?
Why-not impeach the body of which the gen
tleman from Tennessee himself is an honorable
member? Sir, for thirty or sixty days--I can
not saw precisely how long, for have not the
means of reference-that very correspondence
Law upon the Speakers table of this House,
ready for the House Of Representatives to have
it read or not read, published or not published,
as it wiled. The whole correspondence, upon
the call of the House, was subject to our dispo-
sal, and We arc responsible for the consequent
ces--not the Executive, who obeyed our call.
have no doubt that the President Of the Uni
ted States, when he submitted that correspor'
dence at our call-for this House made the de-
mand for Thought it would be paid the res
peet, at least of being opened, and if not read,
referred to the Committee On Foreign Affairs for
their examination. But for the want of that
proper respect which is due to the Executive,
whatsoever he may be, it was taken from the to
BILE of the House only in the closing scenes Of
the session, and hurried without examination,
into the official printing house of Congress-
Sir, do not regret its publication. 1t was
wholly compatible with the public intetests, and
its publication will do great public good. 1t
opens to the world page of secret history that
viii make it pause and think.
Now, Mr. Chairman, / think have thus brief
ly and summarily, though too hastily, responded
to the Indictment which the honorable gentle
man from Tennessee has prepared and laid be-
fore the country, against this retiring Admins
tration. But must say it was not generous,
it was not right, would almost say it was not
manly, if that would be proper language upon
the floor of the House to use towards an assoei-
ilC uIClHpCl; lhUo " tAlulh PI ONOA no "AO mo-
been defeated, and are now going out Of power.
Strive challenge the coming generation,we chal-
lenge prosperity, we challenge all future time
mot the party fanaticism Of the hour-for an
examination and trial of the foreign policy Of
this Administration. Ii speaks now for itself
in letters of gold, in the universal peace and
prosperity all about us; and it will speak more
and more and louder and louder, in painful con-
trasts, fear, hereafter. You who are coming
into power, if you reverse the policy of this Adj
ministration, if YOU turn the wheels of the Gov
ernment backwards, if you overthrow what has
been done, and institute any new schemes Of
propagandsm and plumber, will be only prepar-
ing the way for our rapid return to power by
inspiring the people with the confidence of our
conservative spirit, the better to administer the
foreign affairs OF the country.
II will not believe, however, that the gentle
man from Tennessee, (Mr. Polk or the gentle
man from Mississippi, (Mr. Brown speak the
policy of the great party to which they belong.
Twill cling to the better belief, that there is a
large and controlling section Of that party who,
like the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr.
Venable,) think that the policy of this country
is peace, order, conservatism, and the extension
E 49, &c