The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-17
THE GRAND CORRUPTION FUND.

Notwithstanding the violent opposition of the
leading Democratic newspapers of Virginia. and
of the Hunter organ in this city, there is no
reason to hope that either Mr.. Hunter or Mr..
Mason will have the moral courage to vote
against the Infamous proposition to place in the
Presidents hands $50, 100000 for the purpose
of corruption, at home and abroad. We learn
it is probable that both the Virginia Senators
will be forced into the party traces, although
much against their inclinations. The meas
ure is a party measure, and opposition to it will
be visited with summary expulsion from the
ranks; so that unless a man has made up his
mind to suffer all the consequences of that ter
rible anathema, he will meekly bow to the will
of the President. Such is the spirit of Democ-
racy."
The country can have no assurance that the
immense sum appropriated by this bill, if it
shall become law, will not be used for the
most corrupt purposes at home as well as abroad.
That it is intended to be used for the purpose
of bribing the Spanish officials, is not denied by
any person with the least pretensions to can
dor; and what guarantee can be given that the
dispensers of the brides will not feather their
own nests? No phraseology could be less
guarded than the appropriating clause of the
bill, as amended by its author. 1t is in these
words:
| "And whereas it may possibly happen that
an immediate payment of money will be called
| for by the stipulation of any treaty which may
! be entered into: Therefore, the sum of thirty
| millions of dollars be, and the same is hereby,
! appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated to be paid to Spain
in the event that said treaty, when signed by
the authorized agents of the two Governments,
and duly ratified by Spain, shall call for such
expenditure, or any part thereof; full and ac-
curate accounts for which expenditure shall be
| by him transmitted to Congress at as early a
| dOly as practicable"
| In the first place, the bill is indefinite as to
time The President is to have the use OF
thirty millions of dollars, with ostensible OBJ
iect in view, but which no one believes to be
practicable, except the money be used corrupt
", in brbing the Spanish Queen and Court to
betray the nation. If they spurn the bride, the
President will still have this magnificent fund
at his disposal until after the next Presidential
election. 1t may he used in thousand ways
corruptly. 1t may be loaned out to spectators
in the public lands and military reservations
on terms highly advantageous to all parties
concerned, and might thus play an important
part in the Presidential canvass. Full an6
accurate accounts for which exp-sss33tttpreo sbal
gress at as carly a day as practicable" Coult
an Administration Of the most prohigate char
acter desire to hold the purse strings of the ma
ton on terms more agreeable to its purposes
But suppose the Spanish Queen and Cour
accept the bride, and the virtue of that lady is
not reputed to be immaculate, will the security
against the corruption of our own officials, and
the use of the fund for eectioneering purposes
be any better? We think that the success Of
the scheme will enable American officials tc
participate in the corruption fund with less
risk than its failure. In the one case, the mon
ey can only be used to accommodate American
patriots in the way of loans while in the other.
supposing the Spanish Government to accept
the bride, our champions of manifest des
tiny" may come in for full share-perhaps
the lions share, Of the spoil. The Spanish
Court can in that case give vouchers for the
whole sum, while those who dispense the bride
can do so upon their own terms.
No fact in our history so strikingly marks the
progress of generalization as the presentation
of this proposition. Have the people really
ceased to love constitutional liberty. or have
the corrupt men in power miscalcslated and
moderated the public virtue, in daring to put
this enormous corruption fund in the hands OF
the President?
What would Patrick Henry or John Ran
dolPh say to this proposition? Answer, We
Virginians, who profess to fear the corrupt and
consolidating tendencies of the Federal Gov
eminent Shame on the recreant Virginian
or Southerner who can pirate of State Rights,
economy, and strict construction of the Consti-
tuition, after supporting this abominable propo-
sition to inaugurate the reign of bribery and
| cOrruntiOn