Jenks's Portland gazette., 1802-03-01
From ne WsL5ington FsssraLiG-FA. II.

yefterday, upon the bill to authorize The fettle.
ment Of the account of Samuel Dexte. for his
exPence in defending againt the fuit of Jofeph
Hodgion, delerves ipecial notice.
Its well known by the public, that when the
pubic offices were removed to the prefent feat
OF goyernmenf, there was no public Office for
The war department, and that Mr.. Dexter he
then lecretary of war, took, in behalf Of and for
the United States, hoofe of Mr.. Hodgfon on
eaie, 10 be occupied as war office, which was
during the term Of faid- leafe conlumed by fire.
1t will likewile be remembered what an infa
nous and unfounded cry was fet up by our de.
moc ats, in every jacobln paper, from :Duane,
down 70 the Watch Tower, Chronicle, &c. &c.
that this burning was done intentionally by
Mr. De2ter, or fome other public officer. to
{ rean from tcrutny, colonel Pickering, Mr..
Wolcott and many other officers under the fed.
eral adminifration, who, by thele wretches.
were accuied Of vaR peculations of public mon.
ey. II will likewie be remembered that
committee ofthe houfe of representatives was
appointed for the Purpoie, and who Afuallv did
enquire into The caules of this houle and he
treaiury ofic: being burnt, and reported IN fuch
manner, a. 70 quiet every reaionable apprehen
6on OF any crime in Mr.. Dexter or any other
public officer OF agents and in lhort, that the
houte was burnt by accident. In addition to
this, MIR. Hodglon PrefeIred his claims TO con
greis, which ir the houle Of repTelentat;ves, was
referred to judiciOus commIttee, of which the
prelent lPeaker was chairman, who, upon hear
ing all th- allegations Of Mr.. Hodg(on, reported
that no blame could poGibly be attributed to
Mr.. Dexter Of any other perlon, but that the
fire which con!umed the houle was in their O.
pinon communicated by accident.
Hardened as thef- jacobins were, they recoil
ed little at thele ltubbsrn facts and for
time the public ear was relieved from their
dihonanr accuiatioGs Of federal officers. AT
ter Mr.. Dexter was out of all public employ
ment be was arEelted a the luit of Mr. iodg
fon, on the covenants ia the leaie, 70 deliver np
the houie, Sc. at the end of tie term. This
fnt is now pending before the circuit court Of
the DjRria Of Columbia, decIfion Of which Is
expected in June next
Mr., Dex,er applied to cong5els the prefent
iefiion for an indemnihcation againf this luit
The houfe Of representatives pafed bill dre6t
ing the accounting officers of tie tre4(ury 10
lettle Mr.. Dsxter's account for his time and
expence which had been, or might hereafter be
incurred in defending againR faid fuit. This bill
came before the fenate, and on the queRi1n, ihal l
have it a third reading debate was had, in
which Me1rs. Malon Of Virginia, Wright,
Cooke and JAckfon opPofed the bill and
Meiirs. Tracy, Mafon, of MaaAchu(etts, Rois
and Ogden lpoke IN favor oft. Ii was urged
10 favor Of the Dill, that Mr.. Dexter lived at a
diltAnce, and had been obliged to attend a.
great expence upon this cau(-, which was 10
f,d the caufe of the United States, that Mr
Dezter, was only the agent for the public, and
70 whsm it was reaionable 70 make advances,
that the exPences might not fall upon him per
ional'y, and that tc force him to wait until
deciiion, was putting upon him an unreafona
BILE burden, and as it might be very inconve
nient one, as the amount of ezPence NUT be
comfortable. And as no imputation of either
guilt or negligence, could ref upon Mr. Dexter
there ought to be prompt proviion made BY
congrels for his indemn6cation.
BY the opPoltion it was urged, that we ought
not a07v 70 pafs any bill upon this fubje6t.
That any interference of congrels, of this kind 4,
would have tendency TO influence the ivry in
the eventual deciion, who would commferate
the plaintiff as an individual and think the pub
lie had better pay for his houle than TO throw
the lols fingly upon hirn.--Every lenator IN the
oPPoiition who fPoke upon this BILL gave rlot
unequivocal opinion, that no lufprcion could Or
ought TO ret on Mr.. Dexter bot that they BE-
lieved him perfectly innocent yet It would be
fuficiently in time, to relieve him after deci
son OF court was had.
They urged that full development of the
fubjed ought to be had, that Mr.. Hodgfon had
filed an affidavit that he expected to prove tn e
houfe was Intentionally fired by iome perlon,
and had named his witnedes Of the fael and
that any interference Of congrefs might impede
! a develcpement. and that it was po1ibIe and
indeed probable Mr. Dexter would recover ,and
obtain bill of colt and YET the government
was now lesilatng on the fubjed Of his ex
pences. They moved for poitponement till
the next fel1ion, which was lott The queRion
was then put. ihall the bill be read third time
aud there were IA for it and "a againf it, the
Vice PreGdent was 10 the affirmative, which
faved the bill.
Iii extremely obvious in this whole bufinefs
thar the r1inia ariaI IN tba fanatA lu rarpau,