Year: 1862

then all check or restraint on extravaganza anu
wasteful indulgence at once are withdrawn, and
avarice and corruption are left free to prey with
unbridled license on the substance of the nation.
1t is alarming, sir, that this fatal doctrine is |
found creeping into the debates of the American
Congress- Has it come to this! Has this great
nation so famed for its wealth and pecuniary re-
spOnsibility, been driven so soon to seek refuge
in the mischievous principle that it is national
benefit to be sunk in Indebtedness! 1t becomes
the people, before it is too lale, 10 arouse them
selves against this baleful dogma of despotism,
and prove to the world that they are worthy of
the freedom which they as vet possess. Let them
seek wisdom and warning on this vital subject
in the teachings of that great founder of Ameri-
can Democracy, Thomas Jefferson. Discussing
this question, in 1918, he said:


At the time we were funding our national debt heard
much about "a public debt being public blessing; that
the stock representing it creation of active capital
ture. This paradox well adapted TO the minds of
believers in Dreams and the gus of that size entered
bona fde into it.


on the principle of public debt, being public blessing
and its mutation into the blessing of private instead Of
public debts is as ridiculous as the original principle
itself.


And again, in letter to Albert Gallatin, this
profound statesman and political philosopher
saws:


But if the debt should be swelled to form
idable size its entire discharge will be dspaiTed Of and
shall be committed to the English career of debt cor
ruptiOn rotenness closing with revolution. The dis
charge of the debt therefore, is vital to the denies of
our Government, and hangs Mr.. Madison and your
self alone.


But, sir, am well aware that l will be met
here by the familiar cry that these terrible ex-
penditures are necessary to maintain the eX-
istence of the Government and to carry on the
war in which we are engaged. To this assertion
Ireturn plain and explicit denial. From what
ever quarter it comes, whether from high places
or low places, it is not true. The public debt up
to this hour, and TO the extent of its fearful pro-
portions, has not been the work of a national ne
cessity, nor the creation of honest hands. The
Mexican war; though foreign and distant one,
in which we paid the soldier substantially the
same that pay him now, cost this Govern
ment, under the wise and honest administration
of James X. Polk, in proportion TO the numbers
engaged-man for man-but little more than
one-fourth the amount now being expended on
war waged at our very door steps, Of course /
do not deny that heavy expenses have been prop
erly incurred; but that fraud and crime in their
darkest hues have swollen TO an overwhelming
amount the pecuniary liabilities of the people l
stand ready to prove. l shall ask no man TO de-
eide without the evidence to sustain so serious
charge. / make it, sir, with no pleasure. de-
light not in such things. / love to speak kindly



censure Before my great Judge can say there
is nothing in my heart which desires to drag
down or wound any human being in the wide
world. would rather lift men up, if in my pow
er than abase them. love, too, their approba-
ton. But when these wishes and desires of my
heart stand in the way of my public duty, they
must ali be suppressed. The duty, however un-
gracious and unpleasant, must be performed; and
in the case now under consideration it seems to
nv mind that righteous justice demands the
task before me- The authors of grinding ex-
tortion from the weary hands of honest labor are
enemies of the human race, and should be so
treated


Sir, as early as last July, when this Congress
first met in extraordinary session, the faint of
corruption was perceived in the atmosphere of
the capital, and a committee since so celebrated
was raised to investigate and TO expose. The
result of portion of the labors of that commit
tee is before the country in the shape of volume
of over eleven hundred pages. The majority of
that committee are friends TO the party now in
power, and the evidence which they have fur
nished is entitled to full credit. Would that
a volume of it conld be placed in the hands of
every tax-paying voter of the countryl Its dark
labyrinths of proven guilt ought TO be explored
by every intelligent mind BY the solemn testi-
mony of this committee no branch of business
connected with the military and naval affairs of
this Government seems TO have escaped the hun
CRY grasp of unlawful avarice and peculation.
From the smallest article of food which enters in
to the soldiers ration, to the purchase of cattle
for an entire army; from the blanket on which
the tired soldier sleeps at night to the vast forti


cations for the defense of the city; from the pis
tol at the soldiers belt, to the cannon at whose
breech he stands in the day of battle; from the
meanest transport sloop to the mightiest man-of-
war afoat, everywhere and on everything we
find the impress of favOritism and of fraud. The
report ofthis committee is before you and submit
a few extracts in proof ofmy statement Speak
ing of contracts for cattle made by the War De-
partment during its management by Mr. Came
ron, the committee says:


We have here not only evidence gross mismanage-
ment total disregard of the interests of the Govern
men and total reckessneSs in the expenditure of the
funds of the Government but there is every be-


eve that there cOlluSion upon the part of the
ployees of the Government to assist in robbing the Trea
sury for, when conscientious officer refused to pass
cattle not in accordance with the contract he i'm effect
superseded by one who had no conscientious scrupes in
the matter and cattle that rejected by his predece
sor were accepted.


With such a Of things existing, If officers of the
Government who should be imbued with patriotism and
integrity enough TO have Of the Of the Trea
sury ready assist speculang contractors
upon and defraud the Government where this system
of peculaon end and how may the finances
of the Government be reduced to woful bankruptcy


Again, on the same subject:


In this matter there is much evidence of gross msman
agement and cupabe carelessness i'm making contracts
together with reckless improvdeDce of the of
the Government Evidence exists of large contracts for
cattle having been made without any advertisement for
bids any effort being made by the agents of the Gov
ernment to satisfy themselves whether the prices to be
paid were extrbitant, or even extortionate


Speaking of the employment of Alexander
Cummings by Mr. Cameron, then Secretary of
War, to fill an important contract by which the
Government has lost large sums of money, the
committee say:


Mr. Cummings had no general acquaintance with bust
. i'm New York. He had been a newspaper editor in
Pennsylvania for twelve years. and had beenn New York
as the publisher Of another paper for eighteen
months. lie the intimate personal and political


friend of the Secretary of War; land acquainted with the
internal arrangements and connections of the railroads
OF Pennsylvania over which supplies to be shipped,
and he is invested with the control Of 81 pur
chase equipments for army, and charter vessels for
Transporting troops and supplies He takes no oath and
Such system of public policy lead inevitably to
personal tavortsm at the public expense the corruption
oil the public morals, and ruinous pTogacy in the
pendure Of the public treasure, organizing army of
sapperS and miners whose assaults the nation
would scarcely be less effective than the open assaults
its traitorous enemies.


Again, on this subject:


Can the Secretary of War pretend that the national
peril and the necessity for immediate action justified these


irresponsible expenditures of the public money with no
settlement Tor four months afterwards even if there had
been responsible and experienced public officers in
New York to perform the duties.


On the subject of buying arms as conducted
by the late Secretary of War, the committee
state loss of over ninety thousand dollars to
the Government in one transaction, and say:


NoGovernment that has existed sustain itself
with such improvidence in the management of its affairs


In regard to the purchase of horses and wagons
for the public service the committee sum up as
follows:


appears from all the evidence which detailed
record OF evidence accompanying this report that the