The Portland daily press., 1866-05-29
Secretary Mcoulloch's Stamp Speech.


Secretary McCulloch's Stamp Speech.
In Secretary McCulloch's report ON the state
of the finances for 1866, he very judiciously
remarked in enumerating the objections to the
use of the United States notes as permanent
currency, that such policy would keep the
question of the currency constantly before the
people, as political question-"than which,
said the Secretary, STEW things would be more
injurious to business" Last Wednesday even
ing, Mr.. McCulloch illustrated the wisdom Of
his own saying, by committing the very error
against which he had raised his voice in warn
ing. Entrusted with the management OF
what is now the most important department
of the public service, with great measures still
pending before Congress which ought not to
be prejudiced by any partizan or personal ex-
element, the Secretary deliberately and cause
lessly uttered a speech which irretrievably puts
MIN in opposition to the majority of Congress
upon the greatest question of the hour.
The affairs of the Treasury ought not to
have been entangled in the perpexed question
about reconstruction. Few things, as the Sec
Rotary says, could have been more Injurious
We RETAINED from publishing his imprudent
speech, when it was delivered, merely indicat-
ing its character, hoping that it might be sui
fered to lapse into oblivion. We still hope and
believe that Congress will proceed TO conside,
the Secretary's recommendations on their
merits, though it cannot be denied that the
public respect for Mr.. McCulloch's good judy
ment has received great shock. Since the
publication of Saturdays debate in the House
of Representatives, however, it has become
important to know what words Mr.. McCul-
loch actually used, and the following passage
may serve to illustrate his spirit and manner.
He said,-
If better policy can be presented there is
no man in the United States who will more
willingly embrace it than Andrew Johnson.
HEARTY cheers. But until that better policy
be presented, he must be false to himself, false
to his record, and must in fact, cease to be An
drew johnson, if he does not adhere to his
policy, and sink or swim with it. (Cheers.) 1t
is pretty good evidence, after all, gentlemen, of
the correctness of his policy, that CONGRESS-,
after having been in session nearly six long
weary months, has been unable 10 present one
which they can agree upon as substitute.
(Cheers and laughter) 1t was once said,
think by John Randolph, that 'of all thinkers,
the Constitution thinkers were the most to be
deprecated" (Cheers.) If the old man could
rise from his grave, what would he say to the
present Congress, in which every third man,
at least, is Constitution tinker? (cheers and
laughter.) But they are not wise enough to
amend that grand old instrument, the work of
our fathers, OF the founders of the Republic,
the glory of the United States, and the adj
miration of the world. (Cheers.)
My fellow-citizens, there is but one propo-
sition that has been presented which stands
even the ghost of chance of acceptance by
the people of the North, and that is the prop
osition basing representation on voters. And
whose fault is it that that is not part of the
Constitution to-day? Why was it not submit
ed with the amendment abolishing slavery I?
Whose fault was that? (Voices-"The Cop
perheads" Other voices.-"Thad. Stevens")
Was it the fault OF Andrew johnson? (Shouts
of "the fault of Congress-" .Thad. Steyens.v
and other cries for Thad. Stevens.) If the
course which the President was pursuing was
obnoxious to the charges made against it in
the recess of Congress, how happened it that
these Jupiter Tonans [sicl of Congress were
as silent as though they had been dumb?
Those men whose duty it was to stand on the
ramparts of the Constitution and alarm the
people OF the approaching danger, why did
they not denounce the policy and demand OF
the President convention of Congress? No
such demand was made, no such denunciation
was then heard.
1t is in this way that a servant of the peo-
Pile chooses to speak of their representatives
in Congress. He considers six months long
time to devote to the study of the intricate
questions which have grown out of civil
war of four years, and have been seriously
perplexed by Executive mismanagement since
the close of actual hostilities He mistakes
the popular acquiescence in President John
sons avowedly experimental policy-all to be
Subject to the approval of Congress"
popular endorsement, which certainly it never
was or will be. He appears to think this
epoch of national resurrection to new life
under new conditions, peculiarly adapted to
spread-eagle flights about the Constitutional
work of the fathers, as if the hand of destiny
had not laid upon the men of this generation
a weight of responsibility as heavy as theirs.
No, Mr.. McCulloch! The men who have
saved the Republic and now control her coun-
sells, do no. undervalue the wisdom of the au-
thors of the Constitution. You, if you had
lived in 1887, would have opposed the Consti-
luton and insisted that the Articles of Con-
were all that could be desired. They
would have recognized the glorious opportu-
nifty then, as they recognize now the duty of
making our national charter conform to the
great facts of to-day. These men whom you
call tinkers, who you say are not wise enough
TO amend the Constitution, whom with singu-
lar originality you style "these Jupiter
fonans," are it is strange to say, now engaged
n the highest work which the country calls
or, in restoring and perfecting the dis
urbed but nobly yindica.ed American system
If government,-and you, If we can believe
Ehat we hear, you are inaugurasing an maui
ition into the private opinions of your clerks
md Diminishing those who sympathize with
he party of The futurel
How IT HAPPENED.-A writer in the