Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-05-15

therein, which from he DELAY in waiting tn
production of evidence by persons IMPLICATED
bad been very I'm ed and movlng the refer
ehce ut all the papers to The Secretary of Wa
to report thereon TO the next session which
was agreed to, and the subject referredsccortl
ing
THE INVESTIGATION
Mr. CHfpepper, after EXPIRE sing his desre
hat tho House would go INTO con moderation
1T the SUBJECT and pronounce some 0p.uion
! upon it-moved thai the committee ofthe whole
| he discharged from the c,n,iderat on OF
he report OF he commit, ee ofmvestg I'll N IN
| 20 the fiscal affairs of the General Post Office
| that the same might be brought a; once before
| the House
Mr. Root suggested the proprie'v ofrefsrring
the subject to the President ofthe United States
who would investigate the report, the evidence
| and do justice TO the parties concerned.
MIR. CHfcbber opposed this course. The
Postmaster General had .t-ked of the use the
i've ugatlon. VIII oh had in part been acted on
| aud i was the duty of the House to prosecute
the enqury-lt was his misfortune to know
good deal of this affair, and he wished it taken
up in this House, that it gllt be amply deve-
loPed aud ully acted on, &c.
Mr.. Nike made few remarks on the pro.
priety OF taking up the subject, unconnected
with the merits IF the case. He adverted to
fact VIII oh had come to his lsnnwledge--the dis
missal Of some Of the Gle ks from the Post Office;
and he should be glad To learn whether that had
been done III consequence of any facts they had
disclosed or " ether It appea ed TO the COM
m'ttee that those men POSSESSED any evidence
which their dismissal might be intended 10 pre-.
vent. &c
Mr. Wrighr saw no reason for pressing this
matter on heeve of the adiournment and after
the members of the ommttee which had inyes.
tigated the matter had go c away. He had mi
nu'ely examined the report and evid nee, and be
saw no foundation for the accusations, which ap-
peared 10 be perfectly groundess. lie JUSTIFIED
this discharge of the clerks, &c
Mr. GrosJenor thought, if the Postm ,ster &C.
neral, after asking the nve-t;gation had dis
charged clerks with v ew to prevent the re.
mander of the clerks frem giving testimony, il
was a high contempt Of his House, and deserye ed
It's severe animgdvers on. lie did not know that
such was the fact-he had no evidence of ii but
common report, &c
Mr. johnson of Ky said his was subject. in
the estimation of the member from Car lima
(Mr Culpepper) suffcIen ly important to arrest
ali other business before the House Ii is q it le
astonishing, said MIR. j. that a member, impress.
sed with this Importance, and which he would
not deny, should make such mot on one day
only previous 10 the close Of the session, when
the house had before il great number of bills.
which it was indispensable to he acted upon
not only IN shut 10 make the motion the DIV at, er
the chairman of the Committee had left Conpr. a
and not The chais man only, but other MEMBER
one from Virg MA, (Mr. Barbour) who was anxi
! Gus to have the subject before the House but
| which the House. on several occasions had refus
ed, neglected it you Will, to take 1t into con-
! Iteration. Mr.. Johnson sad, he was equally
| anxious that the subject should be investigated
! YES, thoroughly investigs ell for he never had
been placed in situation where he was afraid to
| accuse or acquit any person, if il becan his du.
~ tn do so. To meet the wishes of the gentle
| man from n Carolina, he 81 d, be would vote to
rescind the JOINT resolution of a iiournment ifthe
| propos ton made for no member could be-
| lieye that justice cou be done To ei her par v
| in so short time, If the subj OF was SO iInpor-
tant Mr. sad, that be was very < ad 20 find that
| the hoporable mover knew SO much Did he
! know more than The committee refuse estimony.
| or did they suppress any important fact MIR
| John Johnson wished ask each member of th ?
| committee on this subject, and he wanted to
know ifthe committee agreed to the report u
| unanimously, was the committee divided :
| These were enquiries he should make; aud #
/ the member from n Carol ma knew more than ,he
| committee, he would enqu re from what source
| he obtained his information, and why such inRlr-
ma ion was withheld from the conmi, &c ?
| But at this time, these enquiries could no, be
made of all the committee, because one half had
| lief: the city
| Ii this mater was not brought forward, whose
fault was it Ii was IN the power of any mem-
| her to make motion at any time, that would
have involved the discussion Of the merits ofthe
report. Those very members were 70 blame
who were dissatisfied with the course the char
man pursued IN calling up the report, when the
! Speaker read the order of The day on that suh
| ject for TO his knowledge the chairman had
called it twice, and OH neiter occasion would he
| house take up the subIect-and ne presumed be.
| cause the more pressing concerns o. the nation
were before me house II that was the reason, or
what ever reason, it's impossible, sad Mr. IN {
justice can be done 10 the parties concerned ar
this time nor Cold members express their sen.
| tments, which he was DESTROYS 60 do, al The
close Ofthe session. Thisvi alone would PIE.
vent mm from voting to take up he subject
| now. Some Observa tons had been made IN -
! latiun to- three of the clerks beng d,smtssed
Mr.. hnson said, h the necessity exrsied a..
such dismissal, I've regretted that necessity. n
hey were dismissed without necessity, he wouid
still more regret the circumstance, because de-.
served or not, the dismissed clerks would n
doubt, feel it in relation 10 their avocs tons
But Mr.. johnson said, who was he iudpe ON tIis
occasion Who had The power OF appointin,
clerks in the various executive offices, from il,s
foundation Of tire government Was IL Congrase
or the heads ofD partmehts Would IL De proLe
for Congress % appoint the various clerks 1
so, they would then have the right 20 dismiss
Have we ever had an enquiry mo tie causes of
the dismissal Of any officer Of the goveruuIe,, b,,
the Executive or the smissal of any clerk bv tl[
head Ola depar ment' tie believed mo- such
case could be adduced of course. Mr. ). san |,
whether be considered these clerks worthy 81 I
confidence or not, he was not the Judge Of he
continuance in employment it was the Pc,
Master General. But say genuern IN. shau
clerks be turned ont for giving evidence IN IN
enquiry into the conduct Of The Department a.
which they belong Mr.. Johnson So ID no tn,
should not be turned Out for speaking the truli
but It they made false accusations, It WIS viii
the mead OF Tue Department TO judge of theirl
conduct, and retain them or disniss toe,n ss Ee
thought proper. In saying this, Mr.. johnson d,d
rot intend % give any opinion ON the 60. -