Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-03-24
C O n C r E S S.
RO USE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
MONDAY, March -.

king on ,he present question, and 10 have !
contented myself with giving silent
rote--nnr should Inow have risen but for
the allusiors, which have been made by
the gentlemen from Connecticut and
from Virginia, to what took place in the
committee of investigation--rhc state
ments given by bo'h these gentlemen are,
as far as they go correct, but must beg
leave to add one or two additional obscr-
vations on the subject
The committee had been duly summon
ed TO meet on the morning OF the day pre-
Seding that, on which the report now un-
der consideration, was presented TO this
house-B0th the member from ConneC-
ticut and myself accordingly attended at,
or about the usual hour of attendance; but
on gong 10 the room, III which we had al
ways met, We found il occupied by the
committee, who had been appointed 10
impeach judge Pickering. Most, be-
lleve indeed, all the gentlemen, cXcep. the
member from Connecticut and myself
who composed he committee Of investi
gat'op, we're likewise members of tins
conn tee and as lh-Y had already met
or . her business, we of course retired
Iorahlc chairman At the door, who eX-
PISSED wish tha our commitieS should
forthwith meet; but on my observing, that
most of the members Of it were on the
committee Of impeachment in the case of
Judge Pickering, win Oh was then assem-
bied, he proceeded to join thcm-intima
ting, if | did not mistake him, as he left
me, that he would send me word spoud
our committee meet. | received no mes
sage however, nor heard any thing further
Oh The subject until few minutes he .ore
the house adjourned, when to my aston.
ishment, the gentleman from Connecticut
informed me that he had been told the
CO dmittee had met du ing our absence,
and come To the determination of report
ing ITO the house \ Jcsoiution recommend
ing the impeachment, o. Judge Chase.
The gentleman from Virginia however
has informed the house that before the
committee proceeded 10 business, ore or
two messengers had been sent % summon
both my friend from Connecticut and my
self, and he had before given me the same
information in private. And most certain
ly, Sir, have not The smallest doubt BIZ,
that his was doDc--ior the assertion of a.
ny facl, made by the gentleman from Viz
giEa, will ever receive from me the mos
read. aud implicit belief. 1t nevertheless
80 happened, that neither the member
from Connecticut nor nay self received the
summons, orauended the committee; ~
which it was determined during our all
eence, that report should be drawn up
and made 10 the house, recommending the
impeachment OF Judge Chase. This cir
cumstance did, confess, surprise me in
the FIRST instance, and untiIthe matter was
explained 70 ne. Isill regret it; for we
h7 never had any previous discussion in
the committee, on the merits of Tie vaTi-
Gus charges exhibited against the Judge,
and certainly did expect, that each par
ticuIar case would have been thoroughly
siftcd and canyasscd in The select commit
tee. and separate and distinct vote taken
o. each Of Them before any report was
mad. Under this impression | had in
tended TO have objected, had Ibecnpresent,
totGc committees coming tn any final de
cision unit; we had received the deposition
% Nr. Robertson from Petersburg; and
had also Gas observed To the committee
on the following morninG) intended to have
requested, that the deposilions Of Mr. Ed
nund Randolph, late attorney general OF
the United States, and some othe, gentle
men (whom had Just learned, were pre-
sent at the trial Of Csllender) might be Ia
ken, for as the only dispositions before us
in this case, we're solely those of the par
ties Immediately and Individually concetn.
ed, and who were not merely the political !
opponents Of Judge Chase, but personally |
Interested as the propriety OF their own
condu0 in the trial was involved in the |.
question at issue between them and the |
Judge, did not wish to make up my mind /
or 10 give any final vote OF case, IN which |
there was evidently no other than perfect |
ly tx partc evidence before III. The com !
mu,ec. however, having, as has been stat |
ed, met during our absence, and decided |
IN favor oC an Impeachment, | was yirJu. |
ally preci,ded from making the propositi- /
ons I had intended.
Il IS indeed true, Mr.. Speaker, and the (
genlcman from Virginia is perfectly cor.
req IN stating, that th> whole of the /
committee met hc mex day, aud the re- /,
.,crf "a DO r,,y e.yrfes wac eut-y-ittcJ -, J,