The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-02
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ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE PRESIDENT

The Baltimore Exchange seems bent on proving
the truth of the adage that tone renegade is worse
than ten Turks Ever since it apostatized to the
blaGkrepubliean faction it has been teeming with
bitter abuse of the President and other members Of
the democratic party. It's issue of Monday contains
a leader which is noticeable account of its mon
strous magnity aud coarseness Of assault Without
soiling paper by quoting its statements we avail
ourselves of the occasion it furnishes to give the
public (not the Exchanged few words of plain
truth.
/. The President never did, on any occasion since
he has been in Office say a word do an act which
was calculated or intended to control OF influence,
directly indirectly, the giving out of any contract
by the head of any department, except to say that
it must and should be done according to law and
agreeabIy to the best judgment of the proper officer
in the way most calculated TO promote the public
service. To this assertion we defy contradiction.
q The appointment of DR.. Hunter as agent of The
Navy Department for the purchase of COAL was made
way and npon tho terms which had been sanctioned
by the previous practice of the department and the
| existing law The commissions allowed him were
such were perfectly fair, we'll usual, and it
has not even been asserted that they are too high
But the agent employed subagents and divided tho
commissions. This affected the government in no
one way or another The service was performed
and the proper legal compensation was paid.
g. The charge that the President had anything TO do
with the contract of Mr.. Swift for live-oak timber is
absurdly and extravaganty false. Still more prepos-
| -
ferrous is the allegation that Mr.. Pitts connexion
with that other contracts Of Mr.. Swift was in any
wise known TO or brought about by the President
He knew nothing and heard nothing of that connex-
ion until long after it had ceased to exist.
A.. The Patterson letter written by gentleman
of as high character any in the union)
tanned by the Presidents private secretary to con
cern subject relating to the Navy Department and
was referred to the head of that department, as
matter Of course. But the President never expressed
or intmaed desire that the contract therein refer
rod TO should be given to any particular person He
left the whole matter where the law had put il, and
where he had entire confidence that it would be
properly and justly attended to.
! THE CREDIT AND HONOR OF THE GOVERNMENT.
We are approaching the close of the present lcgis-
lative session. Three days remain for action upon
measures in the decision of which are involved the
credit and honor of the federal government. The
receipts into the treasury much less than what is
required to administer existing laws. For more than
year the public credit has been pledged for means
to carry ON the government. Bonds have been is
sued treasury notes have been issued to meet inn
perious current necessities. OF the latter about
nineteen millions of dollars bearing four and four
and half per centum interest, remain ia the hands
of the people They are receivable at the public
Offices. Congress far has made no other provision
for their redemption. To the extent that they are
received at the customs they take the place of
money, and, of course, to that extent deprive the
treasury of the means of meeting public necessities
in the way of ordinary expenditures. Congress has
| not authorized on any terms the reissue of these
notes nor has it provided for the issue OF bonds,
the sale of which would supply the government
with such amounts from customhouses as are being
paid in treasury notes Should the present session
close without making provision either for the issue
Of new bonds or the reissue Of treasury notes, we
see no possible escape from bankruptcy by the gov
ernment of the United States. It is said that the
President may call extra session of Congress; we
answer that an extra session of Congress may lock
the door after the horse is stolen, but can provide
no adequate remedy for tue discredit that will have
overtaken the government On the fifth of March,
treasury notes now par in the commercial markets
will fall so far below that standard as to be sought
after and paid into the treasury in the place of
money The treasury then will he in the way of re-
deeming that class OF indebtedness; and utterly
powerless to satisfy demands account of current
business In fact inevitable bankruptcy must fol
low the neglect of Congress TO provide ways and
means. And what is this bankruptcy Is il to be
nassed an an idle and adventurous accident of pot
ical lifeH The government often needs money, and
the settled policy of the laws renders il almost GER
ian that we shall have TO resort to capitalists hereaf
ter to supply it. II is proposed to purchase the
island of Cuba large loan in that event would be
inevitable We may be involved in foreign wars
and require vast sums in maintaining the honor of the
government No nation is Independent Of capital
lists and we are not II we consult our past history
tits full of money negotiations and checkered all
with the bonds of the government. With the am
plest resources the treasury is in the way of constant
depletion Twice within the past year we appealed
to capital for aid. What is presented TO
the country by their Congress A neglect and a
criminal neoIert-to maintain the integrity of the