Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-02-18
poor and mcritorious soldiers who have
been crippled in defence of their coun'
try's rights"


q
Censuring n Democratic OFFENDER ana
White washtng n Republican One.
We suppose the thought has occur
| red TO our readers score OF times that,
had Democratic Secretary OF the
Navy, Mr. Toucey. for instance, acted as
Secretary WelIes did IN authorizing his
brothcr-in-law 10 pinnder the Govern
mcnt Treasury Of $4,000. there would
Lave been no end to the outcry raised
against him. The press would have
discussed the act with just SEVERITY +,
public meetings would have resolved
sgains, 1t, and Congress censured IT, In
fact, Mr.. Toucey, for an imprudeut act
IN relation to coal contract, was cen
sured by the lat Congress, and yet, in
comparison with the lnaadmlnistration
Of Secretary NVelles, Touoey's action
was spotless IL its honesty and proprie-
ty. Mr.. Hale, in his speech in oppos.
ton TO withdrawing Welles, referred
| 10 this fact 10 his usual caustlc style. lie
said:
"But, Mr. President, let me ask you
to imagine, if you can, for momenf :,
Whit would have been the conduct OF
these Republican Senator'S sitting
around me if We had found such mis-
application OF the public funds by a
Democratic Secretary! Why, sir, the
vocabulary of Grecan and Roman liter
ature would have been exhausted for
classic epithets with which the polished
Senator from Massachusetts, Mr.. Sum
ner) would have overwhelmed the Dem
ocratic delinquent who had put $40, 900
OF the public money into the pocket OF
one of his family. Here would have
been the impuls,ve Senator from Michi-
ean (Mr. Chandler,) not now in his seat !,
standing up ike the last OF the tnbunes,
and invoking the Judgment OF death up
On the man who had made such use OF
The public funds at such time and
the keen glance OF tie chairman OF the
Committee on Finance (Mr. Fessenden)
would have looked through all tic COS
sa,ner with which such Democratic de-
linquent would have sought to shield
i'scl from the public gaze. Sir, there Is
| an Instructive lesson on this subject, fc!
which | am indebted to the honorable
serator from Ohio (Mr. Sherman }
! When lie was in the other house, and
there was little mlsappllcation OF tn,
public funds by the Secretary OF tht
Navy, who came from the same town
and the same State with the present
Secretary-no reflections on Connect
cut or Hartford; but it is coincidence
that is al. Laughter -
MIR. Dixon-lou need not make any
apology ON that subject at all.
"Mr. Hale If there was any re-
proach to be cast upon Connecticut OF
Hartford, the tact that it has produce
nv friend would cover multitude OF
sins. Laughter. But, sir, when this
delinquency OF the Secretary OF the
Navy from the State Of Connecticut and
the city Of Hartford was under con>id-
Grafton, Representative from Ohio, by
the name # John Sherman, invest
gated that matter, aud he submittc1
these resolnt,ons:
* Reyolrtd, That the Secretary OF
tie Navy has, with the sanction of the
Of the Prcsi lent, abused his discretion
AIRY power in the selection OF Goa
agent, and in the purchase of fuel toI
The Government
"Ic had abused his power in the sc
lection of coal agent. | do not know
whether the agent was relation Of MIR
Toucey or not. am told he was
friend. Wei, sir, it was lot right FOX
Democratic Secretary then to select hi:
particular friends.
: 60 ReSolced, That the contract made
/ by the Secretary OF the Navy, undc
; date Of September %, 1858, with VII
liam G. \. swift, for the delivery Of liv
oak timber, was made in violation 0
law, and in a manner unusual improper
and injurious to the public service.
IS Resolred, That the distribution b,
the Secretary of the Navy of the pat
ronage in the navy yards among mem
bers of Congress was destructive of dis
ciplne, corrupting in its influence, and
highly injurious to the public service
There We're two other resolutions 0
ceusure, and | will try to tell you how
the House received them. On the l3tl
of June, 1860, as will appear by tn,
journals, Mr.. Sherman moved the pre-
vious question and it was seconded, and
I the motion being put on the main ques
c ton, it was decided in the affirmative,
by one hundred and one to seventy one
and the resolutions were passed by vot,
OF one hundred and eight to forty-one
as appears by the journ4 of the House
At that time there was not Republ
can majority, if | am rightfully inform
ed, in the House Of Representatives
At least there was not majority suffi
cient to enable them to elect so s.auncl
man for Speaker as my friend from
Ohio. Tie House was about equal,
. divided between the Democrats and tn,
Republicans. There were few VIII,
turned the scale, but there was no Re
publican ma ority in the House an,
G yet, on vote of censurc on the Secre
tary Of the Navy for misuse of th
F, discretion which the law had confide
y to him, that Democratic Secretary from
Q the city of Hartford, in the State of CT
h was censured by vote Of more tina
e two to One"
That $4,000.
Referring to the $4,000 which on