Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-07-09


PRoDiaALirY OF THE LAST CoNGREss. = IL look
ing over some numbers Of the Congressional
Glo5e, We find the following remarks by the
member of Congress from this district, ON the
general propensi,ies of the last Congress to
squander money. Mr. Clemens is reported as
saying:
l have esteemed it my dGty, since the com
mence:no.it OF this Congress- as a member of
the Democratic party, to vote against many APP
preparation bills proposed to tiIs House, aud
now, as a member oE lie same party, am will
inc to vote fJr Il loan, If necessary, of $4,000
OOO TO meet the accrui'g liabilities of the Gov
eminent saw, some lime ago. course OF
Hesitation inauguratcd here, by the passage of
private bills and gratuitics Tor many obnoxious
purposes, useless printing anoug the rest, in
The face of u bankrupt Treasury by which VIC
would be driven to the condition in which we
now find ourselves. l am willing to accord to
the gentleman from Michigan, as far as l am
concerned full praise for the patriotism and
,nagnanitnity which he has shown in meeting
the severe ordeal through which we are COM
PEELED to pass. If we have to pay the money
estimated before the end OF the fiscal year,
am willing to give the authority OF this Honse
now to borrow it. We may as well do 1t now
Mt the next session nf Ennsross If there IS
no other reason than that stated by the gentle
man from Michigan in his amendment, it is suf-
fcient, upon my part, to say that the money on
Treasury notes w:IS contracted for at four and
five per cent. II is evidently bad policy there
fore, to contract loan at six per cent. to
pay off the Treasury notes outstanding, the
money on which was obtained at between four
and five per cent.
l am willing to leave this money, borrowed
by the pending bill, in the hands of the Govern
Inent and let it use its discretion in the redemp-
ton of these Treasury notes. Why is it neces
Snrv to hamper tho hands of the Government
and say that these outstanding debts, contracted
by Treasury notes at reduced rates of interest
must be met out of this loan at increased rates
of INTEREST," Who can tell the exigencies to
which this Government may be driven within
the next few months? We are leaving here
without knowing the complications of our for
eign relations a dark and heavy cloud hangs
even now on the edge of the horizon. Laugh
ter, and shouts of mo, ncl'l Gentlemen may
cry mo, no, aud talk OF it lightly.
'Iie jests at wounds who new. fel; scar"
Mr. Chairman, had no lot OF part in con-
tracing the existing debt You have, in effect
authorized debt to Gales & Seaton ofSs5o, 900,
although, at present, limited to S34O,OQ0. The
responsibility of that does not belong to me-
You have contracted debts here for purposes
not connected with the ordinary expenses fthe
Government amounting to seven or eight mil
lion dollars, against my vote.
zsoa s aGs ~ o ss say l's sts L.
But am willing to come forward now, in q
spirit of ruagnanimity, and vote you $50 OOO, 600
TO meet your liabilities. / can go before the
people aud say that voted against these APP
propriations; that they did not meet my con-
ourrence, and that could not consistently give
them my support; but that, as member of the
Democratic party, when was called upon to
beside whether would give my vote for main
taining the principles of that party, maintaining
the President of my choice by supporting the
Government in his hands, 1 wigs willing to grant
fifty or one hundred million dollars if necessary,
but not one cent unjustly, for tribute to party
presses, or the bounty of the boTseleech to
pauper partisans.