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rawaga
destroy the very purpose of neighborhood dc- lit
..feuoo tor which itiey wen; called into service, willlii
and leave t!n» settlements unprotected. It is more to meet any unforeseen contingencies
- their duty to resist sudden incursions ol tin* sa- which may arise at tiio commencement (kl a
-ra^es into these settlements ; aiyl I nudcrstaiKl new Adiniuistration,
that tiio most happy consequences have follow-' 1 1 '
outstanding Treasury notes.** But wc; are \ Which had not received the support ;ifthe Op-
ling, nevertheless, to provide five millions! position, as well as the Administration party
od the.ccciU.iou of iliis force.
1 have now answered the vemnrks of the Sen
ator from Kentucky-. The facts which l have
on this floor.
He had Int afew words chore to sav in ref
erence to.the (our items to which the .Senator
had Specially referred. Me deemed u uiiner'es-
Secrctary ol War? Would he have abaudoh-j the elegant tnanufactories of the North. It was had contended that this forty millions most lie'
td Florida whilst Florida was bleeding tit every i this scheme of a high tariff in disguise, which 1 ' *
pore? Would he have Said. *• 1 demanded a , he complained of, and he thought he? saw it at
mounted regiment ol regular troops and Cost- j the lirst movement of the gentleman from New
gressrefused togranlit,and because they refits- * York, [Mr. Barnard.]
ed,I..hall hot order thcmilitia into service) not- He, Mr. A. believe
believed that coming events cast
Now, in regard to the expense, which is tire stated in regard to his four specifications of ex-
imiti point oUhis argument, let me assure the travagaiice, have of course been comniuiiica-
Senator .That these men cod the Government ted to me by the proper Department. None
hiittonesixth of the cost of-the same uumt>er of them are w ifhrn my o w if'k 11 o w b dgc: tuff l
of cavalry. --.They merely receive the pay of
infantry, without liounty, rations, or clothing.
Tiiey are bound to raise corn and provisions
on the public lands on which they are settled,
and nt the same time.4>e ever ready to repel the
incursimis of the Indians. . When this duty
has been performed, they return tit their peace
ful agricultural pursuits. YY hat have l»een the
consequences of this policy ? Since this sys-
tern was first adopted by the Secretary of War.
the Government iias bet'ii.oblo to purchase pr.>-
visions at a great ly reduced price. These men
raise not only what is sufficient to supply limit
oavu wants,lint a ro:isid«?rtih!e surplus for sale.
have no doubt they are all su Umlaut lolly-correct
Mr. CRITTENDEN replnd at souielength
to Mr. Buchanan. His remarks will be given
lierenlter. -
Air. Bnchanalt again rose.'hvreply -to Mr.
('riiteiideti, ai.il said 1 licit lie considered this a
proud day for t ie retiring Administration.—
It presented a moral- spectacle on which the
world might gaze with wonder. In tin exj>en-l ploy three hundred Western hunters ami flap-
diture of one hundred and thirty millions of; pers.froui Mis.‘oim,wh«were.believed to pos-
dollar',during tlteperi'id of fottr years, tlie Sen-1 sess more experience in the mode ol attar-king
ator from Kentucky bad only been able to enu- j Indians, and driving them out ol their liver-
merate lour items -if extravagance. wild each j glades, could the dilf retire of expense in trails
•me 1 of these had hern lit I tv ex|ffitined. Had ! porting these men from Missoun to Florida.
,the world ever behe d a nation in which snrli at ove that ol trausportnig a like number from
duty, l.et the hlood sited in Florida ho upon I see in this movement of the high tariff men of
the head of Congress, lam innocent No, the North, a design to huild up the ninmifactur-
tliere was not a man in Aiiierica who would ! iug interests at the ..acrilice of the rights ofthe
not have recoiled from such reasoning, and! South. His friends must permit him to give
sary to follow him atjength, I ecaiise.be had j withstanding the existing law renders this my j their shadows before, and lie thought he could
already furnished what lie believed id be the
facts; and they.constituted the best, refutation
of his [Mr. ( utteiidi li’s] argdnu hts.
1n. regard to dte three hundred men taken
from 'Missouri, the Secretary of War might
have judged unwisely. He might possbly,
with equafadvanlage to the service, have fiken
a like nuniber \ifmeii Irom Alabama Georgia,
Teiuiesst e, or Kentucky. Tlie people of'tliese
States were all -iquaily brave with those, ol
Missouri. r riu-re was no question nl out that.
But if the S notary had thought proper Iq ejn-
Tliey are settl'd ni’ihe very heart of.Florida,
where provisions are most' want* d lor lire use j a spectacle ccnld 1 e pu si 1.1» d?-. 1 f-r l : c\» r ; Kenriicky, l-c made a ii alter ol^ gia \ e u cusn-
of t lip army; and the Government thus saves * the kingdoms nl Europe; look oviei the vast | tion against the Executive? I he kWcrqt.u \
much in tlie cost oft rajispoj-jiii ion. This whole'.continent of America; exaiuiuo Uie almses : may have judged unwisely, and the President
Secretary has not yet been able to raise more
than' ouii-tirucl df tuioie tiVe hundred uulitia in
fantry. ,
I irirst he wili now bo able to perceive why
Gen. Bead directed these “sedentary infantry"
to remain at-home, and not to pursue ihe en
emy a greater distance than twenty miles from
their head quarters. 'They' were never intend
eJ for general service I nt were destined to be
a rampart agarnsi the stealthy attacks of the In
dians—-to be a kndy-guatd on the Imnli* r for
the \yofneh and children behind them, and to
ba a barrier f ir their protection, over which the
savages could not. pass. _ll those men could he
withdrawn from tlie positions wbi- h they oc
cupy, .and sent all over Florida, the result might
bo disastrous.,
The fnu' th and last charge of extravagance
against. Mr. Vatv-IInrcn was, the establislimeni
of tiio branch mints'; and yet these mints were
established by act of. Congress in lb35, two
years before he.cauie into power. Now 1 my
self happen to be one of those Senators who u as
•dccidediy opposed to the establishment ot these
mmts. With tile exception ofthe one at New
Orleans, they have never done much good, not
do l expect tb.it they ever will hereafter.—
'I’lieroisoiu oi'thein in Georgia, at. a place end
ed Dahlonega, and another at Charlotte, in
North Carolina. At these places l believe tin
gold litis given out. Now, as these two mint-
were established, not by Mr. Van Huron, Inin y
•til act of Congress, passed without distun-tion
of parly, is it n >t iihh extraordinary to charge
him with, the expense which has hern thus in
curred 7 Me is not to h’nmc if the gold has giv
en out and cannot be found :n such qu;iotita->
as to keep them i:i emphivmcnl. 'Tlie onl,
inode of getting clear of them is that suggested
I y the Senator from North Carolina, [ Mr. Man-
•: gum;] and I pledge myself to support any rea
sonable bill fort l:al purpose which he may in
troduce. 1.1 tin* event of its passage, for one.
I should feel myself iudubi'-d to the gentlemen
on the. opposite side ofthe House, if they shall
be -able to find a purchaser for them.
[Mr. l.umplon o'.''Georgia here said he wish
ed instate that the honorable Senator from I’enu-
sylvnma wa-: mistaken in sayiugth.it the gold
had given out i:i Georgia. On the contrary,
.liew discoveries arc coiistat.tly being made.]
. “Mr: Hucha'iun resumed. 1 am gl. d to learn
that ihegoid lias not given out in Georgia, and
that there is still soot ■ pro-qtecl t tat ttie Mint
nt Dahlnnegn may V'.-t he eniplovi d. In nm
tiling, however;I’cnatiotbe-m’.stnkeii. and that i
that if gold has lieeii foliod, very Jtttle oi u lias
been brought to the. minito‘l«scoined, within tin
last few years. I have no right to don' t tin-
statement ofthe gent loin m. and I should rejoin-
if gold would descend in showers from al>ov,
upon Georgia, as it fprhierly did upon Dante.
It makes no dilference, however* for my present
purpose, whether this mint !* necessary or not
it is certain, at least, that Mr. Vail Hureu whs
not oven President when it was established, nor
the only complaints of extravagance were, j to pay for them :biil ibis con id iioijavel.een
iliiit three h indr, d troops f am Mis-oiiri luid j iori:sccii., .Ail this might have 1/eeii iin ei.ror in
n*eii employed in the Honda- witr; that ti ve J judgement, though he (Mr. 13.) believed tt was
hundred thousand dollars’ worth of. provisions j not; still it could never le convened into
uad been collected to subsist onr army in. the subject of serious charge against the President,
Cherokee country, all of which was tortumile- or'prove tliat he had been guilty of extrava-
ly not requin-d lor that pnr| o.-e; that two him- j gance. In atremptiiig to magnify ii to impoi-
dred Florida militia hadliecn called inm'M-r- i tattce so small n matter, the Senator from Kr»
vice bn a kind of duty which did not uieet the jtnel;y Irad uuvoum iously I estowrd one of tin
pprohation of the Senator; and that tUreo j liighest'cdhijilmietits which he ccu!d j>ay to the
ranch mints loid been unnecessarily estab j economy ol tlje Admini-l ration,
lished, two years lefore tlie present 'Arinunis-1 - In regard to tliu provisions cotivi y* d to the
lion came into power! Aiid Ibis w;"is the sum T Cherokee country:—\\\e know there was not
total—11rose-.were tire entire charges^ which j only danger of a war with this powerful tribe
the honorable* Senator cou d urge against the
Administration This was, then, the only
loimdatioii for fi>e statements which had been
I ol Indians, I tit that an incipient war then al-
! ready existed. H.ood had then 1 ei-n slied. ac
cording to his best recollection. The wliob
made in every portion of the country, swelling ! ncight oi mg country was in commotion, and
Ihe extravagance of this Administration to • the people of the snrroiiiidmg States were ter
iimdn ds of mil:torts. The vindication of the | rilit d and ala.ruied.- I uder siu-li circ-nnisian-
,.|d Administration was now t.rmn phaiu 1 ct>. «r ii not tlie duty o! the Administration
against the ching. s which had every where ! to collet t troops for Hit--defence ot the countr>
b-en urged and n-tteraled I y the friends i>t the , and the removal ol the Indians? And he si.sk
new Administration, lie and hi* lii -nd tiomjid the |-.onor:il,le Senator ii these doubles had
Missouri [Mr. Bi vro] hs.d • l-.alic-in.id the tioi mdid in pesiee; if wat had leen the result,
ge.nlletneii of ti;e t)|'poiition in Mav last, tnjahd an army laid l«ell collected there without
point out (lie items of that i xtravsigattce oi'! provisions, might not the Administration, with
'.vbirh they com plained in the aggregate. — | gn-s.t justice, have he en attacked for llieir im
providence? In such till event, they would
have been guilty of a criminal dereliction oi
duty, not only against tlie army and the peo
ple o the Stales where the Indians were Wa
led. but against tin* whole people of the Unit« d
States-. And v* t the ! niden of tin* ScuuiorY
This challenge had not then I een accepted.—_ j
They remained silent.. The Senator from!
Kentucky had now come forth' w ith his speei-j
fuNidnns, a;ui what was their eliaracter? —
They ailord. d ample testimony that the work- J
mg of o irKefiiib'ican Ad uini-tBition hyd been |
iduiirable. lurked, no Admiui.'ir.iion in this j charge against lhe,Administii<lioii.is fordoing
•oniiiry could squander the people's money | an art. w hich, if Ihl-y had not done, might
wiil.otinb-teeimn, because tlie people alw ays j have resulted mdisastrousconscqueucestolhe
kivp a wigilaiit eye over their public servants, j whole coinitry, bad not the Ihienteucd war
\ itepublicaii Administration woo’d not if it j bi en nvofdi'd. It I eennie. therefore, absolute-
curd, as it eon Id not it it would, lie guilty ofj ly indispensili’e to collect these provisions fm
•xlravaganee. Th'-ir own high principles tlie subsist! nce ol the army; and it was only
would condemn and forbid the act. There 11 cy.uisc, through the mercy ol a wise and over-
was no possibi ity, under the ('onstituiton of| rilling l’im idi-nce anotlnr Indian war had
our Republic, that any Adnimisiralion could he j l>ei n averted from ihe people of Georgia and
guilty of expending n cm y on useless and ex-' the surrounding States, that this transaction
sriivagant o’, j-.-ets, w itl out die previous author-j could possibly have leu convert'd ii.to a
ity of t ’ongress. And here lie w as about to i charge of extravagance against Ii e Adminis-
sav, that the honorable Senator bad treated a j trillion. Who then can be justly blamed ?—
poitiou of Ins argument unfairly : but lie would ; 'I’lit-re were the provi.-ions and we ought to be
not aptly such a term, as be bud never met ! thankful that they were net all rendered ne-
willi unfairness from that source. The Sena- j ecssary. Wo li..d peace instead of war; and
loY had slated that he (Nir. B.) Iiad mamtaim d : by the early . dismissal of the troops nil ol
none sooner or more repulsively than lh.e hon
orable Senator himself.
And yet, with all his elrqqettee and ingen
uity, to what had he dually leeu driven? To
read an extract from some newspaper, the
name of Which he had not thought proper to
give us, for tlie purpose of exciting a laugh
and » sneer m the Senate ofthe United Status.
All this was “at the expense of Unelc Sam;”
but, from information derived from tire De-
pnrinient itself, lie could assure thu gentleman
that these militia infantry did not, us the paper
alleged, fee ive I nt merely §7 per month
— the pay of United States infantry soldieis:
and that,-too, without either bounty, clothing,
or rations. Now, Heaven tori id that lire time'
rimy ever arrive, in this country, when Sena
tors should seriously attempt to criminate any
Administration on this floor !>v bringing here
the tittle-tattle of a newspaper, whilst they
coitld obtain the information desired in an au
thentic and official form from the proper D«-
pqrtrnent. Ilow unjust, as well as unueces.a-
ry, was it to attempt to prove a high officer of
the Government guilty of misconduct by news
paper statements, when, tipi ti Ihe motion of
any mouther, the power of t re Semite would at
any time be exerted to prove hint guilty, ifgmb
IV he were, by offic ial documents authenticated
' tide) his own hand ? And yet this was the
course which the honorable Senator bad
thought proper to pursue.
t ut, says the Senator, how con’d these two
Inn died militia infantry have raised a crop of
corn between the last ad jm in intent of Congress
in July and the present time? But had he
not informed the Senator that while the qu<*s
lion was depending belorc Congress, whether
mounted men should be raised lor the defence
of Florida, the Governor of that Territory,
knowing that the expense would eveiiiunllv
fall upon the Government of the Unit* d States,
had called these men into service before our
.adjournment, and under the Secretary’s advice
lie had adopted the policy previously pursued
to encourage the raising of provisions lor the
army? If tlie gentleman thought proper, at
any lime, to call for authentic information on
this subject, it w ow'd l.e furnished him most
cheerluiiy I y the Departmeiit.
These, then', ate tiio items of extravagance
with winch 11io retiring Administiatiou were
charged, and this was the indictment preferred
against them. The mim-h mints are .-.till con
tinued; and the -President is condemned be
cause. forsooth, be does no! abolish tin in! —
Now could the President repeal the law which
created them ? Could he undertake to say lie
would i.ot execute the will of Congress dec lar
ed by mi act of Congress? If he had closed
these mints by his own authority, he would
have been guilty ofthe highest crime against
the Constitution of his country. He would,
1 y usurping the prerogative of annulling acts
oi Congress, have placed lumself above the le
gislative power. lie might then, with justice,
have been denounced and condemned as a ty
rant. And yet it has been made a grave accu
sation against the Presid* nt, that In* hud not
shui up these branch mints, I eennse they were
too expensive—that he had not done an act,
fordoing which he ought to have been impeach-
ed and deprivi d of his high office. Ti e S< n-
ator from North Carolina [Mr. Matignm] took
a more correct vn w of this subject. I le thought,
with him (Mr. B.)that Congress was tlie piop-
L<-t us move
his honest opinions, for honest he would lie in
spite of any man <>r any party. No party ever
had power to crush his opinions.
paid immediately by a tax on wines und silks.
Now the honorable chairman ol the hid-wi
Committee spoke like one having authority :
yes, just as if the robes of office were already
hanging Irom his"shoulders As to thm
(Mr. A.) had not the smallest objection, for h c
hoped his friend would get an office. And
continued Mr. A. all who are in favor of that
will say “ay.” [laughter.] lint according to
the statement oi that gentleman, and that ofthe
gentleman from New York together, the
amount required for the coming Administra
tion wqs swelled to n hundred and hreniy
Mr. A. then proceeded to shownlint a.tariff of i million? ! Great God ! said Mr. A. whnt astute
protection for the manufacturers would not lie of tilings! and all to show the necessity of a
the less sensibly fell because it was sought to
be introduced under tiie plausible and specious
pretence of a tariff for raising revenue, lie
believed he could foresee, under this plausible
pretext, a des-gn to introduce .measures for a
liigli tariff of prqtectiou, and one of the most
oppressive diameter that tile South could pos
sibly bear.
mighty tariff.
lie then.proceeded to express his opinion
that this description of things had been mean-
iugl.v and purposely brought about by tL«> «rcin.
tIonian from. New York ; there could Inf no
question of it. He called on Ins colleagues
lioni Georgia now to rcmcinhcr what he^lmd
told them, when this proposition ofthe ^entlc-
Mr. A. then prorordid to argue that the at-1 man [Mr. Barnard] was lirst iutrodnml l| e
tempts of Messrs Barnaul, Evans, Bell, and", had told them that this would open the discus-
Mlluifi.* e'llf.ll tl... .. 1 -..Ill .. 1 °
• hat the Presidi ut mu d not • e held responsible i tiicsc pro\ isions cou'ul not be consunied Now
or tiie extiavagauco of officers acting under ; he,. Mr. B. .shrunk' limn no responsibility on
us authority. .Heaven forbid! that Ire (Mr. j this occasion. ' lie admitted that the Adrninis-1 *t source of power in such cases. u=> mt»» v j
-B.) shon’d ever have etiU-rtann d sin Ir an idea, j iration'wci*! responsible for the conduct ol i on in tiio ancient constitutional manner; and j r*-a! and plain truth? IF-d not the whole
: -ar. very far from it. The TrcsulciitY task G< neial ^<-utt, a gentleman for whom he en altl-.ough there might be some “ pros| ccis”of scheme, and the arguments, been spun, wove,
others, to swell the expenditures of Govern
ment, were to furnish a pretext for a high ta
riff. The object of those gentlemen was to
makethe.expemiiturcs ol Government as high
as possible, tliat there might l»o a plausible pre
text for a high tariff.
. But why should Ihe tariff question lie agita
ted before there is any necessity lor it ? This,
in his opinion, was decidedly the worst fea
ture in the whole business. Why did gentle
men expend such mighty lui or in alien ptmg
to prove the existence of an enormous deb't..in
order that the American- people might be per
suaded that a high and mighty tariff was ne
cessary ?
. The gentleman from New York [Mr. Barn
ard] had attempted to prove the existence of a
necessity for forty millions, and that it will be
necessary to raise this forty millions by a tariff. 5
But he, Mr. A. would ask that gentleman,
whether he really lieficved himself in his own
calculation? Was the gentleman really in
earnest ? Was ti ml a proper caleiilatiou for
die economical administration of General Har
rison? The compiomise act declar'd that no
more tariff should he laid than was sufficient
to meet the necessities of Government; but
here the high tariff men were marking out tm
enormous Gnvernrueut’dcLl for the pmposeof
raising an almighty tariff.
In reply to a question from Mr. W. Thomp
son, Mr. A. said be condemned the past extrav
agance of the present Administration, but now
the election laid been decided, he was not the.
man to fight a dead corpse, lie was sure his
friends uon'd not suspect him of not being
friendly to General Harrison. I will (said Mr.
A.) sustain him to tin* death, and do my duty
to tlie* South, notwithstanding all the scowling
of my Northern friends. Yes, I will support
Harrison. 1 supported turn when he luul .but
few other support* rs, and I w ill support him
now. Were 1 to do otherwise, if would be
unjust and unkind towards my constituent.*,
three noble fellows of Georgia who took the
lead, and went ahead in this business.
Alter some further remarks of the ;*! ove na
ture : Mr. A. again adverted to the strange cal
culations of his Northern friends, who had at
tempted to prove the existence of a great na
tional del t as a pretext for a high, tariff. He
begged them to make their calculations ovr
again, and see if they were not a little mistak
en.
It was bis firm belief that there was no ne
cessity for any tariff at all at this time for rais
ing revenue. Where, then, was the cause f*>r
the labored arguments of gentlemen to show
this necessity for raising forty millions. Was
; the m-ee-sity founded hi inct ? No, it was not.
| The whole of it was found'd on the manufac
turing interest of the North. Was not that the
ston, and what would H the consequence ol it.
Alter some further remarks, Mr. A. drew a
glowing pi* lure as to what must be the conse
quences ol this tariff measure to the South.
Here was a sum of a himdreJ and.twenty mil
lions sought to be proved o.s required by tlie
coming Administration, and tlie mean*- of rais
ing -i tv was to plare a tax upon luxuries, I|u
•TPrnl‘3( to ihe tariff men ot 1S2S, who laid «
upon the poor man’s salt, Ids sugar and mo
lasses, and who ground his constituents into
thedu-t, as tn whether they were now sinccio in
llieir proposition to tax luxuries. If they were
umv sincere, he would go with thetn in what
was'tighl; bait hc* must td! them that he look
ed Upon them with a suspicious eye.
After giving his views m detail on the poli
cy inlrsiicU’towards the S uith in relation to
the tariff. Mr. A. said that it was not bis in
tention to exempt silk front taxation; but this
was tlie wrong time; it w.is Lad policy to in -
t rod'nee the subject now.
The movers in tins matter knew very well
that the scheme could not be pushed through
at the present session, and if it could, it would
not afford relief in tune. What then was the
object ? Why it was to forestall public opin
ion —to show the met whelming necessity of a
high tariff, ami to bring it down upon them nt
the. cnlltd session. This was true as Iloly
Writ,.
Mr. A. proceeded to argue that tlie proper
course would be to leave the tar-ill question
until the regular session of.Congiess, when
'he people of tbc South would come up to it
like men. and object to no reasonable plan for
raising r»-vemi<* to meet tlie wants of the Gov
ernment.
lie then" referred to the plan for a distril it-
tion of the public lauds, and maiutomed ti nt it
was only a gilded bait. It was a plan to ab
stract some millions from the revenue.. It was
a secret pulling ofthe wires by the tariff men
before G< in ral Harrison came into power.
As to the wants of Government, it was his
opinion that the present duties on iuqorts
would I e amply suffice tit to meet the wants of
the coming Administration; for the election of
Harrison bad infused life and confidence ev
ery where, and from all appearances there
would he no lack of means.
After adverting to sev* ral other topics, Mr.
A. concluded by warning his friends against a
called session. He remind'd them that a cal.
led session was tin? cause of tbe downfall of
Mr. Van Huron, and he feated such a cot use
want'd have the same effect on the fortune ol
General Harrison.
was an arduous ope. Whilst it. was the most
.honorable, it was also the most responsible sta-
tnm on earth. Hi* had tin-selection of his own
agents, and their improper a* ts must always
attach odium to him. If his station were high,
hi- responsibility was and ought to be great.
Now. for what had lie (Mr. I3.j contended 7
lie had taken up the triumphant-report of the
Secretary of the Treasury—a rVjoit which
could not be met and had.presented from ii
nud'-r
is lus administration responsible for what ap
pears to me to be the useless expense which the expenditures of the Administration
has heen thus incurred.
- if this were the proper occasion, 1 might ad
duce many argnmuit; to prov - that not more
than one mint ought to exist in this country -.
although I acknowledge that strong reasons
may be urged in favor of a branch at New Or
leans. Whatever gold may be found in the
vicinity of Daldouega and Charlotte, might I e
disposed of un profitably to the finders as if they
carried it to these mints for coinage. Thcnthci
Senator from Kentucky [Mr. Clay] will bear
<no witness that 1 steadily followed me lead of
himself and my friend Governor Hill of New
Hampshire, from first to last, in opposition to
ft *• establishment of these branch mints.
1 have tints gone overt I w four speeifi< ations
of my friend from Kentucky, and happy indeed
am 1 to tlijd that these are tin* only specific
chargesofextrnvagance which have lieeu made
against the present Administration. This very
teilaiiied the highest regard and etfeem.—
That General bad done I ut his duty ts com
mander ofthe tones, in ordering these, provis
ions, which lie could not use, to be sold. In
d< ed la- could not have nr-ted otiu-iwise.
But the Senator had Intimated tliat this sale
was not fairly made ; and that gold and silver
•eiiig required in payment, the pu.chasers
were Government agents, who bought in ihe
ptovisions at a low rate, with Government
money, for their own private emolument. 11
their appropriate heads, siud demanded whclh- ibis were true, every one of these nflicets ought
<-r a iy man could'-o-.upla it ofiht-m as furnish-Itn be iuMauily' dismissed. It wtis a heavy
mg evidence ol Exicutivc extravagance.— j charge, and the Senator diu not pretend to
\\ Lnl was tin* nature ot 1 iXecuiivo estimates ? i know any thing about it, except troin m-wspa-
fnct is, in itself, their mcsl triuni .limit vmdica-. ei
tion. Indeed, 1 am almost sorry, for tie* sake of l in
Did the lixrcutivt- « ver send estimates of ex
penditures to Congo Ss which were tint demnu-
d • ! by pie * xistinghiws? Ii was liisduty logo
ibrotigh tlie statute book and furnish estimates
oi tin- amount required to ex* cut*- existing acts
■•f Congress ; and whilst he eon fined himself
In tin* performance of this duty, fie was under
no r spoitsibility whatever. Congress, and
not the President, were then responsible.
That was the point. The President stood up
on the laws of the laud, and had confined Ins
estimates strictly to w! at they enjoined. He
could noj repeal any law. On the contrary,
he was bound to carry every law into execu
tion.
There was, ho had expressly admitted, a
ass of eases in which a P.esideut ought to be
held responsible for extravagance: and tins
the gentleman, that la- could nut nave drseov-j was when he recommended ninfuse and im
pel- r(imors, u Inch v\ ere e* rtnuily not the most
authentic roure<* of information. He, Mr. B.
laid' lieaid that some ol these provisions were
damaged, and he Imd learned from tlie most au
thentic source that llo.-s woo'd not jmichase
provisions from the contractors at a..y price,
though he might have used them advantage
ously in removing the Indians. It is much
more prol able that the distance of these pro
visions from any point where they con'd have
been sold for their value, and the consequent
cost ot transportation to such a place, together
with the perishable nature of some ot them,
wi re the masons why they did not command
a greater price, than that tlie disbiusirig offi
cers of the Government had been guilty ofany
fraudulent conduct. This, then, was among
the sins of extravagance charged against Mr.
gold aioimd Dahlonega and Ulmrlntte, In-
would vote at any moment I**r *h« repeal ol the
law which had established these I ranch mints.
He believed them to be unnecessary ; but how
ttie present Administration could be held re
sponsible for their expenses, he was utterly at
a loss to determine. Nothing but the ingen
uity ofthe honorable Senator could ever have
led to Ihe suggestion. He could draw upon
the abundant fountain ol bis wit, and turn the
most serious subjects into ridicule, when it
suited bis purpose; I lit lie would never suc
ceed in blotting out from the minds of tlie peo
ple ol this country the gratitude winch they
would yet feel towards an Administration
against which no charges, of extravagance
could be. made, except such as he had enu
merated.
reeled, and dy< d in Ihe elegant maitufa* lories
of tlie North ? Yes, they might depend upon
it, that this whole scheme of showing an enor
mous di*lit. was of Northern manufacture. The
"Corrcsr(nJtncc vf the Savuvnah Gcvrgiott.
Washington, Fetu 15.
» Tlie Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation Bill
is still the topic of discussion in the House, and
there see ins'a disposition on tlie pint of many
to r*duce almost all tin* Huns in it. Some of
these are of vei y little importance, and occupy
more time in being talk'd a! out, than tlie
amount involvt d would warrant. Tims, an
texture was beautiful, I ut lie would warn his appropriation of S15< 0 for thes.ilaryot a Clerk
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er«?il some charges a little more plausible than
any of these, on which he might have, rested
».n argument.
s If Congress, then, have determined that the
psigettcies of ihe ciuun y absolutely demanded
ttgi t?xpenditiiie of one hundred and thirty mil
lioas(wif!:tn ifie-Iast four years, and if the S -n-
ator and his friends* Jiav« concnrr d in this m*-
<cessitv, and have, united w.'lt us in making np-
''^oftrjatiens to that amount, xvitli what justice
*hey *oow blame the President for tins ex
's ? it.cannot he pretended either that
■' ; s necessity for a large exfrenditnro,
dered ibe pnhlirmouey in ac-
the objects designated hv
• with such charges of
Ht has been created,
"-'*1 ^xpendi'u-Fes.di-
': r 1 Certain-
• -r - ' matter.
**ere-
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fi lrt tin:
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lb 1
A .V.
I 111*
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necessary objects ot expense to Congress. ||i-
would also Ik- responsible, in a great degree,
lor the expenditures voted t>v his parly in Con
gress even without Ins * xpress recouuneiida-
tnm, because it was fair tn presume that lie
and they acted in harmony oil all.great public
measures.
Again : He had declared that the Executive
might he justly held responsible for tbc econo
mical expenditure ol public money whenever
gross sums wore appropriaU d towards the ar-
coii.pishni<ijl of particular ol jecis, and the em
ployment of die money was thus, necessarily
subjected to bis disci*i tion. In sticli a fine: il
was Ills duty to Hue *l«g the object should be
accomplished m the cheapest and be*t man
ner; and if he failed to d*> so, he was justly
censurable. Responsibility! Yes, the Ex<s-
ulive was, and, on principle, ought ever to he,
held responsible for (he economical expenditure
of the public motley, in obedience to the laws
of Congress.
Under all these admissions, said Mr. B. I ask
*' o iiator to take up the report of the Sec-
‘ ttie Treasury, and point out a single
udittwe with wlurh the country
•'list'd. He [Mr. Crittenden]
'• he did nm complain of
j.- , 'expenditure. No, he
> • from the first .to
‘•at fist which
-* v -. "'perregard
>htadd,
-' r **’V-nsrsK. j ob
\an Burnt, although lie knew nothing about
n until.I<>ng after it took place. Ikij p.y, in
deed, would be the fate, of the succeeding Ad-
ruiuiiUrahon, if no heavier charge could be
inadi* against them at the end of their term of
service.
A few words more in regard to the Florida
w ar. VY hen Congress omitted to ptovide reg
ular troops fi r tlie defcni e of Florida, what
was the only a’teniative left ? Did net this
omission uecessaiilv devolve upon tho Presi
dent the duty of calling out the militia for that
purpose, under the Constitution and existing
laws? 'ih* 1 neglect of Congress to raise the
force required by the Secretary. of War. did
not prohibit him from avai'jng himself of the
militia ; but, on Mu*, contrary, rendered a resort
to them imperatively mci-ssary. Thk .militia
law &Uil remained m full force; and to lb*t,and
that alotoe, could lu: jccur for the defence of
Florida.
[Mr. Crittenden here inquired \yhcther Brig
adier General Betid was not an officer of the
United Stales Army ]
Mr. Buchanan said certainly not. In Ins
famous «rd*-r, to which the Senator had .him
self referred, he had styh*! himself Brigadier
General of the Florida Brigade, lie was not
an officer of the United States Army, l ot of
the Florida militia; and lie (Mr. B.) understood
they hud heen called into service under the au
thority of onr existing militia laws. And what
clsoyonld the Secretary have.done under the
circumstances? What else would the Senator
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Wku'ni sday, Feb. 3, lb-11.
TREASURY NOTE BILL.
The House then went into a Committee of
the Whole on the state of the Union, and re
sumed the consideration ofthe hill authorizing
th*: issue of five millions of dollars in Treasu
ry notes.
Mr. ALFORD regntted tlie necessity for
his rising to take piiri in the debate, but when
hc saw the conduct of Ins friends m attempt
ing to stamp tiie coming Administration with
features it ought not to bear, he could not Ye-
main silent in his seat, ile felt it Ins duty to
rise and say a few words on tlie subject, be
cause lie differ*d honestly from I;is friends,
and had his suspicious as to the course they
thought proper to pursue. Yes he would <1S-
*nre them that he ever would art as an honest
man ; mid they might be assined that, so long
as the patriotic citizens of his State honored'
him with a seat on that floor, In? would speak
out his sentiments, and, so fur as he was able,
do them justice.
Mr. A. said lie regretted the introduction of
so many topiics having no manner of connec
tion wit h the hill, which he did not car ? much
whether it passed or not. But as his vote
would :i*H turn tlje scale either way, for the
sake of consistency he might give it against the.
bill. At the same time, however, lie must ex
press his opinion that tiie present state of the
Treasury imperatively demanded that some
thing should be done.
But lie would repeat, thut the bill Ik?fore
them had been nearly lost sight of in the de
late ; for no sootier was it introduced, than Ihe
gentleman from New York [Mr. Hiruardjgaye
notice of his intention, after moving to strike
out l1«? enacting clause, to introduce an
amendment lay iug. a tax on foreign wines, silks,
and other articles.
It was to this fact thpt lus attention had been
fixed, and his fears aroused. Hi re were sud
denly developed the plans of tin? high tariff
party of the North *, nnd all the fine spun argu
ments in favor of that dreadful system h;id
bet n ceiailbd.oti the.floor, no doubt long itgo
• Afci ftoui,Kvnjwkv.bimerifdjUWjhsul
Soniliern friends to take heed in time, and not
suffer themselves to be catigbl'in its line spun
web. As for himself, they might rest assured
that hc would never h<* forced into the ranks
of the enemy. Although In* respected Ins
Northern friends, and gave" them cndil for
honest inolives, y* l he could not surrender his
judgement in matters where iic dearly foresaw
the interests of the South must suffer. His
object was to stand tip and to act for the South,
thy fairest portion of the world, which was
once blooming like the garden of Eden l efore
its fields were destroyed by tlie oppressive ta-
ntf law.
Mr. A. then went on to show that this forty
millions was wanted by the North for building
their lighthouses, harbors, fortifications, etc.—
Not however that he was against a proper dis
play ol defence, for he believed that the only
way ot preventing hostilities was to make a
show of fight. He knew jhut from experi
ence; for he hud been saved many a drubbing
by an apparent willingness to fight.
Mr. A. then alluded to a former speech on
the Canadian border troubles, and said that
now, as wi ll as then, he would urge a | roper
display of determination on our part to rope!
the aggiession **l the British lion. If we d d
that, there would he no li ar : and if ever the
British lion of Cineeu Victoria should corn*?
roaring to tlie Falls of Niagara, he would there
find tlie American Eagle silting m majesty, at
the.sight of which, he would cast himself down
that mighty cataract, howling m despair.
Mr. A. again repeated h.s warning Jo Ins
friends of Ihe Smith in relation Jo tiie tariff
weh, which was thus weaving Jo catch them.
Tlrey might depend that this proposition for a
tariff on '.vines and silks ul this tiaie was a ru
inous thing.
Mr. A. then proceeded to contend that it >vas
perfectly just and reasonable to afford the pres
ent Administration all the assistance it requir-
I. As for the calculations of gentlemen to
show how much was owing, fitey amounted to
nothing, ti r there could In no premises ini
which to found such c.ilculotions. Time only
could show irow mucli was owing. The chair
man ol the Committee of Ways and Means had
asked only fe.r five millions, and the Adminis
tration, contended that tlijs was all they need
ed. But there was some Jiffereure between
this five millions, and the forty millions
sought to be made out by the gentleman from
New York [Mr. Barnard.]
lie (Mr. A.) must be 'permitted to say, tliht
he did believe’bis movement on the part of
his Northern ft lends, was all a hoax to forestall
the coming Administration, .and to say that
Vau'&uren w^iit.dui ol power with a debt of
(ortv 'millions, to show the necessity for w high
tariff. : ’
to Mgn land jati-nts, brought up half a dozen
Whig orators, who prated about economy near
ly tlie whole morning to empty benches.
Tire J louse was in ( on miltec of the Whole,
and Mr. John Bell, ofTennessee,our .Secreta
ry ofthe Treasury elect, was Chairman. Tho
luii will not pass lor a day or two. lion present
appearances. -
In tin Senate, tlie 1 ill making appropria
tions for revohtU-omu y at:d other pensioners,
which passed the House last week, was called
up this mmiiiug, ami the amendment providing
$l(Hh(!t)0 for the removal of the Indians in
Florida, led to a long debate, which was filial-
iy conclud' d by the passage of ihe amendment
and tall
The Bankrupt Bill is passed over informally
for the present, and there seems no disposition
to act on it. The near approach ofthe end of
ill*: session and the certainty of a called one in
a short time, precludes the possibility ofany
business otli* l than the ordinary appropriation
bills passing now.
About seven hundred private bills now re
main on the calendar ofthe House, where (hey
will doubtless stay for some years to come, if
the (idure will at all reseiitblo the present.
Gen. Harrison was promenading around the.
House of Ref resentatives, the Senate, Library,
&c. all tin* morning. He wnsaccompannd try
Messrs. Todd and Chambers, two ofhisorigui-
ai keepers, who it is said, will ba Lords ofthe
bed chain!'* r alter the 4th ol March. G* ti. II.
remains here until Thursday, when he leaves
for Virginia, to see his relations. r l lieokl gen*
domains very different in Ins appearance front
what most people who do riot know him, sup
pose. His height is but little more than five
feet and a half, and his form is spare in the ex
treme. His dinner with Mr. Van Buren on
Saturday, went off w ith much eclat.
John Sergeant, of Pennsylvania, issaid to be
about receiving the appointment ol Minister to
England, much to the chagrin ot T lindens Ste
vens, and his clique, who have been treated
with signal neglect, as well ns the Gi orgio peo
ple. It was attempted to force this ambassa
dorship oil Mr. Preston, of South Carolina, hot
as the Federal party (ear the power of Mr. Mc
Duffie, Mr.' P. lias refused to accept it.
For the minor offices, there are a gicat many
applicants on hand, but it is said that no alter
ations will take place iivtlie State or other of
fices, until the extra session thall havc meb--
The offices of Collector and Post Master of
New York Uity are er-ntttig quite an interest
in'* kick up between the editors of the Courier
and Enquirer, nutf the Americ an, wh’o ar'c hoilj
applicants. Mr. YVetniore, lioWfcver. iUis-Saiff,
Will lea* them both.
■
•i '<o'iiiTf ti
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Gonseienco-a barterabltficomnwaity to 19