Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-05-15

of which fome mention has already been
made, and OF which very much viii here
after be faid. AT prelent we thall con-
tent ourfelves with merely publithing The
Report, in connection with the reply Of
Mr.. SropDERr, late Secretary of the Ma
wy, TO that part which relates to the par
chafe OF Navy Yaris; (Jss The ddvsrtiE-
sr Of We.ivsfayy tie stb Me.) with the
addition Of few remarks, in this place,
upon the rife, progrels and final ilIue OF
this very extraordinary Report.
The committee, con6aing of Mr.. Nj
cholfon, Mr.. Giles, Mr.. Elmeadorf. Mr..
R. Williams, Nj. Bayard, Mr.. Grifwcld,
ani Mr.. Cutler, was appointed very ear,
ly in the. fetlion. Nearly five months
elapfed before any thing was heard from
the committee. On Saturday, after the
two Houfes had voted TO adjourn upon the
following Monday, che printed report
was, for the frft time, laid upon the dicks
of the members. 1t was made OUT entire
ly by the miniferial majority of the COM
rnittee, and was never fhewn to the three
laa mentioned gentlemen of the commit
Tee until the day but one before.it was re-
ported to the houfe. 1t is, however,
known 10 the editor of this Gazette, that
the letter of the Secretary of the Treaiu-
ny to the chairman of the committee max
ing the ftatements upon which the report
is grounded, was received and privately
printed with munitions to let no copy
efcape. nearly two months before the re-
port was laid before the houEe, or even
made known to the minority OF the COM
Hiittee.
Under thefe circumstances, the report
was uihered into the Houfe on Saturday,
the day before thar fixed upon for Con
grefs TO adjourn. Ar this late hour, il
was very nationally concluded that the
Houft could not be prepared 70 act upon il
and as the minority of the committee were
allowed 10 know little more of the report,
than any other members Of the Houfe, 1t
was DOUBTLESS fuppofed and intended that
no invaaigation ihould be had, and th.t
the report fhould De left, without COM
ment.or contradiction, TO operate upon the
public mind until another FELTON, of Con-
grefs.
In this, however, the minifterialifs
were disappointed. Mr.. Grifwold moved
to recommit the report for the purpofe OF
correcting the mif- tatements. On this
motion debate arofe, in which Mr.. Grit
void and Mr.. Bayard advocated the re-
commitment, and in very malterly man.
ner .expofsd the incorreanefs and extreme
partially OF the Report. They were OPP
pofed by Mr.. Nicholfon, Mr.. Williams
Z and Mr.. Randolph.
Some reafons urged in favor of the mo-
{ ton were, that the report contained mis-
fatements relative to fome facts, and but
partial fatements relative to others. 1t
was faid tina, as TO Mr.. Tracy, be was
doubtlels entitled to all the money which
he had drawn for public lervic:s that the
law allows him as Senator fix dollars
! for every days attendance during the fei-
iion, and fix dollars for every twenty
miles diltance between the feat of govern
ment at the opening of the fefion, he was
entitled to full pay whether he came i'm
inediately from home or not. Butat any
rate, that this cafe ought not to be report
ed for the purpofe of diverting the public
attention from the cafe of Mr.. Stone, a.
I Senator Of the miniRerial ief from North
Carolina, which cafe is not mentioned In
the report. In the lalt congreE this Mr..
Stone was member of the aHoule of Re
prefentatives. Before the concluiion Of the
ieiion he was elected member of the Senate
for sae prefent Congress. On th. sd Of
March the former Congrefs expired-by
order ofthe Prehdent the Senate under the
,,e,.r CNortyra(c c,nyenad m tha fn,rr RI