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Story
August 2, 1848
The Hillsborough Recorder
Hillsboro, Orange County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
In 1837, Henry A. Wise testified accusing Lewis Cass of corruption as Secretary of War. By 1848, Wise supports Cass for President, exposing his apparent hypocrisy. (142 characters)
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Full Text
Henry A. Wise, who is zealously engaged in the support of Lewis Cass for the next President, and so is one of the Cass Electors for the state of Virginia, was one of the most conspicuous members of the twenty-fourth Congress. Volume 3, Report 194, page 15, contains the following testimony of Henry A. Wise, given on Friday, January 27, 1837, 10 o'clock A. M., in answer to the following oath:
You do solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give touching the subjects of investigation of this Committee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. so help you God.
EXAMINATION OF MR. WISE.
In the presence of Messrs. Campbell, Hannegan, Mann, Muhlenberg, Sinclair, Parks, and Pearce.
Question by Mr. Mann to Mr. Wise: Do you of your own knowledge know of any act by either of the heads of the Executive Department which is either corrupt, or a violation of their official duties?
To which Mr. Wise answered as follows:
I believe that Lewis Cass, Secretary of War, was engaged in speculating in the public lands whilst Secretary of War: that he made exorbitant allowances to favorites; paid one for services never performed; another, after he had full knowledge that favorite had forged his official signature; permitted commissions under him to be ante-dated, and has ordered a treasury warrant to be paid to the assignee of a disbursing officer, who had gambled it away after it had been protested by a deposit bank, and was countermanded by the Secretary of the Treasury; and to have been guilty of several other acts of violation of duty.
If Henry A. Wise of 1837 does not answer Henry A. Wise of 1848, then there is no juryman response.
After the extract, one may say, out of thine own mouth I will condemn thee, thou wicked servant.
On his oath—kissing the Bible as he uttered it, and framing the path for himself, pronounces Lewis Cass false as a man, false to his Government and country. This faithless man he now pronounces fit for the Presidency. Comment is waste of breath in so plain a case.
E. B.
You do solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give touching the subjects of investigation of this Committee shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. so help you God.
EXAMINATION OF MR. WISE.
In the presence of Messrs. Campbell, Hannegan, Mann, Muhlenberg, Sinclair, Parks, and Pearce.
Question by Mr. Mann to Mr. Wise: Do you of your own knowledge know of any act by either of the heads of the Executive Department which is either corrupt, or a violation of their official duties?
To which Mr. Wise answered as follows:
I believe that Lewis Cass, Secretary of War, was engaged in speculating in the public lands whilst Secretary of War: that he made exorbitant allowances to favorites; paid one for services never performed; another, after he had full knowledge that favorite had forged his official signature; permitted commissions under him to be ante-dated, and has ordered a treasury warrant to be paid to the assignee of a disbursing officer, who had gambled it away after it had been protested by a deposit bank, and was countermanded by the Secretary of the Treasury; and to have been guilty of several other acts of violation of duty.
If Henry A. Wise of 1837 does not answer Henry A. Wise of 1848, then there is no juryman response.
After the extract, one may say, out of thine own mouth I will condemn thee, thou wicked servant.
On his oath—kissing the Bible as he uttered it, and framing the path for himself, pronounces Lewis Cass false as a man, false to his Government and country. This faithless man he now pronounces fit for the Presidency. Comment is waste of breath in so plain a case.
E. B.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Deception Fraud
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Crime Punishment
Justice
What keywords are associated?
Henry Wise Testimony
Lewis Cass Corruption
Secretary Of War
Public Lands Speculation
Political Hypocrisy
Presidential Election
Virginia Elector
What entities or persons were involved?
Henry A. Wise
Lewis Cass
Where did it happen?
Virginia
Story Details
Key Persons
Henry A. Wise
Lewis Cass
Location
Virginia
Event Date
January 27, 1837
Story Details
Henry A. Wise testified under oath in 1837 accusing Lewis Cass, Secretary of War, of speculating in public lands, making exorbitant allowances to favorites, paying for unperformed services, allowing forged signatures, ante-dating commissions, and other violations of duty. In 1848, Wise supports Cass for President as a Cass Elector for Virginia, highlighting hypocrisy.