Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-12

pclCnHlCuJ. II Ht Has stolrStCu euc Law III
This respect. let the matter be enqnired in.
~. and let him be tried upon that ineeach-
nr,nt before the country, and if guilty Lei
l,lm be condemned and dsiven from Office.
Mr.. WASIIBuRN, Of Maine. Whe
will try him?
Mr. LETTER desire to say wort
to the gentleman from Virginia. propose
to imreach the President Oh the Cincinnati
pIatform
Mr. LETCIHER That is clear point
I suppose. fb@rghter
Mr.. LETTER | wish to call attention
to the fifth resolution of the Cincinnati
platform, and ! will read it and then
propose to inquire how it has been carries
out. 1t is as follows:
THAT it is the duty Of every branch Of
she government to enforce and practise tin,
most rigid economy III conducting our pub.
lie affairs"
Mr.. LETCIiETs just at that point lei
me inquire of the gentleman from Ohio il
he knows of any violation OF that part of
the platform
Mr. LETTER | do not know that
there has been any rigid economy, or econ
omy of any kind, enforced The resolu-
ton goes on to say:
"And no more revenue ought to- be rails
ed than is required to defray the necessary
expenses Of the government, and for the
gradual but certain extinction of the public
debt"
Mr.. LETCIIER. Let me inquire of the
gentleman whether he did not vote to take
the money out of the treasury before the
Hast session of Congress closed, and naye
it deposited with the States?
Mr. LETTER. Not by any means. No,
sir.
Mr.. LETCHER Then you are Yaro
aris in that flock.
Nr. LETTER. I certainly did not vote
for that
Mr.. LETC1IER. j am very glad to
hear it,
Mr.. LETTER do not want n.y friend
from Virginia TO escape from the fifth res
olution by charging back upon me- want
TO know wlrat kind of economy has been
used, or what kind of efforts have been
made to reduce the public debt under this
resolution.
Far. LETCHER. [ do not want to es-
cape from anything in this connection If
my friend will undertake to designate any
one measure of this Congress which he re-
CARDS as extrAvagant and profigate, and in
violation of that resolution, | should be
glad to be informed Of it,
Mr.. LETTER. | say there has been
scarcely an appropriation made here which
is not an exaggeration Of what we have had
before
Mr.. LETCIIER When my friend has
10 resort his memory, and walks over the
record, think he is in rather bad way
The record Of what we have done during
this session is before him-thc bills we have
passed, the propositions considered here,
the amount Of money they involve, and the
! aftie1lar votes given upon both sides Of
the House in eonnexion with them and, if
any one of them is in violation of law, if
there has been profgate or cxtravagant
expenditure of the public money, it is the
easiest and simplest thing in the world't to
designate it and hold it up to the rcproba-
ton of the country. / cannot undertake to
answer the general charge that he regards
everything done here as an exaggeration on
what has boon done before. Is it an cx-
aggcration to pay our officers Of the govern
,ncnt, the President and heads of depart
mcnts, clerks, and others, the surveyors of
your land offices? And if it is not, is it
nrohgacy and extravaganza to employ men
TO enable this government to carry on its
operations and to execute the commissions
within their charge?
Mr. COBB: The greatest extravaganza,
I'apprchend, that we have been quality Of
during the present Congress, was voting
six millions of acres of land, without any
consideration, for agricultural purposes.
Mr. LETTER. I hope the gentleman
faom Alabama will absolvc me from any
such act.
Mr. LETCHER That vote was alto
gether owing to the fact that my friend still
!ms remnant of his old democracy left
Laug hter.
Mr.. LETTER The endorsement of my
democracy. coming from the gentleman
from Virginia, will not add much to my
credit as democrat, | am afraid.
Mr. LETCHER Lam very sorry for
il If my endorsement does not give him
credit, think he is in bad way to get it.
I.aughtcrl
Mr.LEITER | want to come back to
my inquiry if economy has been rractised
III what has been done, when the cSpcndi-
lures are higher now than they ever have
been, in every department of the govern
ment? Is that the kind of economy which
we were to have had under the fifth rcsolu-
ton Of the Cincinnati platform? And if
it be, why not have informed the people
that you intended, by your economy, to in
crease the expenditures in every depart
g=..Iff Tic government?
ar. LETCHER. How are our cxpen-
diiaresx made? Are they made by the
t'fssi(lcnt or by the Departments Of the
government, or are they made by the votes
Of the representatives Of the people here
and inthe other wing of the Capital p
Now, appropriations are made, and if /,
portion Of one party votes for them and a
portion Of the other party votes for them
and if, in chat way, majority is acquired
docs the gentleman undertake to say tina
The fault lies with the President, and no
Tvithsthe gfombcrs Of both branches Of Con,
gncss
Mr LETTER If these propositions di'
laect 5he favor Of the administration, VIII,
Aid not tl,a President nvnrc;vn I,ix ,,ato .