The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-09-02
,~ SPEECH OF a III u
HON. JOHN LETCHER,
DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-.
s5 IIvEs, JUNE l2TH, 1858. .gs.-
N OF VIRGINIA .
On Government Expenditures.

The House being in Committee Of the
Whole on the state of the Union
MI. LETCHER said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: In the discussion which
took place some days since between the
gentleman from ohio Mr.. Sherman] and
myself, l then stated to the Committee that
/ would seek some suitable occasion be.
tween that time and the close Of this session
Of Congress to present my views fully on
the interesting subject of Government ex.
penditures. His speech exhibited all the
evidences OF careful preparation and is in
terspersed with tables Of figures that must
have cost him immense labor in their con.
struction. Without moments preparation,
and without even the advantage of hearing
the entire speech, was called upon by sew
eral Of my political friends to reply. Under
these circumstaces, entered into the de-
bate, and amid constant Interruptions from
the gentleman himself, and several others,
replied briefly to some Of the leading posi-
tions which he had assumed. The speech,
which was doubtless intended for general
circulation, as campaign document. pre-
paratory to the elections that will take
place this fall, demands, from it's ability and
ingenuity, more elaborate reply than it was
in my power then to make.
This speech, and others made in the lat
ter part of this session, gives reason to be.
lieve that the questions which divided par
ties in other days are again to be revived =
Since the adjustment of the Kansas contro-
versy, and its removal from the Congression-
al Halls, gentlemen in this and the other
end of the Capitol have directed their atten-
ton TO subjects Of more practical impor-
tance and OF more immediate interest to the
people. In the past two months our dis.
cussions have been mainly confined to ques.
tions within the range Of legitimate Congr, 8.
sional action. Questions of financial charac-
ter and bearing; the tariff and 'sreviSioD; the
disposition Of the public lands and their pro-
ceeds; the comprehensive subject of inter-
nal Improvements; the best mode Of rails
ing revenue to defray the expenses of the
Government, and the purposes and objects
to which it should be applied; and last, but
by no means least in importance, our rela-
tons with foreign Governments-thesen now
furnish the topics for speeches and claim
from us that consideration which has been
too long Withheld from them, and too often
directed to exciting sectional questions, mis-.
chievous in their tendency and ruinous to
the peace, prosperity, and fraternity of the
people who constitute the States and organ
lied Territories OF this great nation. These
things indicate return TO the policy of the
earlier and better days of the Republic
those days in which Representatives of the
people legislated practically within the lin
its Of the Constitution; exhibiting that man.
ly patriotism which embraced the whole
Union and it's interests, and repudiated all
attempts to interfere with the rights and in.
sttutions OF the States. They recognized
and acted upon the doctrine-the Union of
the States is secure so long as the rights of
the States are respected. trust most sin.
cerely that the indications are not deceptive,
and that they presage calm and happy fu-
ture, when sectional controversy and strife
shall be banshed from the national coun.
ellis. .... ..... -....... .......
The bill now under consideration propos-
a loan of $l5,00O,000, which is absolutely
necessary to enable the Government TO meet
its obligations. The gentleman from Ohio
admits the necessity Of the measure; admits
that the Government must have the amount
provided for in this bill, or the obligations
incurred cannot be met as they nature
Yet, strange to say, he avows his opposition
to the only feasible measure that has been
or can be presented to furnish the means
required to sustain the credit Of the Govern
ment After voting with vast majority Of
his party friends to create this necessity
after formal complaint that we would not
increase the expenditures by voting 81 ,500,-
900 to the improvement Of rivers and har.
bors in the Northwest--he now comes for.
ward to resist the passage Of bill to fur.
nish the means required to meet the appro.
priations made by the two Houses Of Con.
gEess. The policy of that side of the House
to be TO vote expenditures, and then refuse
the means to meet them-impose burdens
on the Government, and then repudiate all
the measures proposed for its relief. | an
ticipated such result, and hence it was
that have on several occasions during the
session proposed to iugraft upon the bills q
section providing for q loan sufficient to
cover the expenditures provided for in each.
1t is my deliberate opinion n ow that such
section should have been ingrafted upon all
the appropriation bills, and then those who
voted the expenditure would have been
compelled to take the responsibility Of pro-
viding the means to pay the sums appropri.
ated. The House, however, did not concur
10 this opinion, and hence It Is that many Of
the most liberal voters for expenditures OF
money will now refuse to give their support
to this bill. II it shall fail, these appro.
priations must remain unsatisfied, until ii
shall please Congress to provide the nteces-