The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-25
Debate in the u. 8. Senate-GAfrct
Davis. -

II the y. 8. Senate, on the sth, Senator Hale In
trodnced resoiutlon to investigate the condition
Ing supplies, &c.
Mr.. Davis (Ky.) said, have been referred IN so
repeatedly by the Senator from California and
otners tnat feel II necessary to say few word-.
Mss observed the resfiveness OF the Senators
about examinations being made Into the acts of
this Administration. They are proper subjects Of
comment, and while have seat on this a or.
and nave reason and voice. they shall he. to the
extent OF my ability and according to my judgment
as n Senator. | intend to do so, let the conse
quenc"s he what they NAV.
mas ~ come To this, that great Government, or
gahizeo ard Instituted by the people, based upon
free Constitution, cannot be investigated In its line
OF policy and administration without incurring We
nement abuse. When this becomes the policy Of
gone forever.
While there is life IN me will never submit to
The genl' man says II III becomes me to weaken
lne confidence of the pie in the Government
There II something still more unbe coming than that
~ Is {" endeavar TO screen from investigation those
IN whom the public opinion have lost confidence.
Inc pure gold loses nothing by friction; it shines
Tue Dfightrr. Mtn who are conscientious In the
discharge Of their duty and faithful their trusts,
nave nothing to fear, hnt court investigation. IT
has been my lot to be with minorities. l dare do
my duty IN exposing maadministratiOn of the Gov
eTninent have disciplined myself in opposition.
when the Old hero Of the Hermitage was Presi-
dent, have heard the old lion of the Hermitage
todts dhd ! am not n0WUt0 De NtG0tfnel Dy fH0
bowling of jackalls 1 am earnest and honest in
the expression OF my opinion; | ask only the free
d0M an American citizen to investigate the ad-
Ininisiation of my Government; the administration
OF Abraham Lincoln, as well as James buchanan
aud franklin Pierce. That right intend TO claim
MT Doolttie said if toe Senator from Kentucky
or New Hampshire thinks there is any disposition
10 screen or cover UP the truth, they are mstaken
there is no such purpose. A have said Is, that
the attacks made upon The Administration by any
member OF this body, and especially upon the Navy
Department by the Chairman of the Naval Com
mit:ee, Is what most deeply deplOre.
The Senator from Kentucky has heard the f'LiOn
OF the Hermitage" roar. and don't think anything
could 'erriiy hun. He says that he was skilled in
opposition to the maladmnstration of President
Jackson. He opposes everything and propo ses no
thing, and from long education in this school he
may have acquired the habit Of finding fault, and
nothing else. | do not undertake to say that there
have been no mistakcs or frauds in the admnstra
ton of the Government during this war. Such a
state OF things never existed on the earth. Wher
ever there has been an penditure OF public money
there has alwais been IhOre or less of fraud
Where the carcass is, there The vutures gather.
The officers who had the charge Of the immense
expenditures were at first unaccustOmed TO the
checks and guards to event frauds. YOn will
find, if you compare expenditures with those
Of England, France, and Russia in the Crimean
and Italian wars that the per centage of the money
taken tranduentiy from the United States is not so
great by fifty per cent as then, and the money taken
since this wal is not as great It's at other times
Lock at the Flo. ida and the Mexican war, and
you will find the per centage of moneyfaken fraud
uienily was greater than under this. II Is impos-
sib;e To prevent some fraudulent contracts from
being made by combination. These contractors
are powerful body of men-they know how 10
circumven: and they sometimes succeed.
You might well stop fighting because the ear
rion birds come the field, to condemn the
Administration because these p!nndering contrac-
tois manage sometimes TO get their hands into the
treasury. will go far any one TO punish such
offences, but at the same time must expect
that some @: the immense expenditures VIII be
wrong. Still must sustain the Government.
and on spending and iefiiug until the feneiiion
is subdCed. do not bel eve that this Administra
ton has iraudentiy expended money. though it may
have been ira iddieniy obtained from the treasury.
Mr.. Davis said think that the Senator who
10 sustain the Administration in the performance
OF lis duty. ! support every just measure of this
Administration TO carry on the war to speedy and
successful issue, bu. there higher vein OF 10y
atty than that. Where Il SeHator-Whefe any i'll
Observation-Disclosures that he discovers that the ad
ministfa Of The Government aad especially in
its Executive Department. is IN conflict with the
liberty of the people, il Is higher prerogatiVt OF
loyalty to oppose such aggression upon the COnsti-
tuition than it is TO approve its measures where they
are right.
from California for his fraEkness that he is in ia
of free investigate n.
Mr.. CoDness remarked that the gentleman, in
having fallen from 'gnry'' 10 his present degtada
lion, in having once heard the lion roar,
compelled to listen to the bowling of the lackaIis.
$50 what base uses do come at last" Ii could
not be fairly teduced from HIM that he could ever
shrink from any of the facts regarding the proper
administration of the Government.