Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-01-12

70, clrl.i OF MaIJ idbo,
gr .e,rse suggested oy the geDtiema
81 The s5ooaansylyanls, Mr.. Baldwin, an
h5n 81 TO previous instances IN the his
3dFeI,s ,,,r government, in which that prac
10y abfaned-psnicularly the case o
nee De- 'a,,yy of the Treasury, 10 which
SsS' me chairman OF the committee wa
iaoos .a.adly TO bun, report had beer
Dol IS,gby honorable to his character DC
ps ,1 IN CeoE thought the inquiry ne had pro
altogetb er similar 10 number
1 p9's1 .L,,;ons that bad been already adop,
o. 5n,ing the present session. IL was
sl MS intention 10 aTraign or myestI-
Ssu" 20 motives Of the Secretary OF the
gas,s.gy,-fls principal object was to OBJ
iIse.,rb facts from the records OF that de-
i'l . Loaf as might give the information be
P'.t In order, however, TO try the mind
Honse. ne would. according TO the
.,s.ti9n OF the gentleman from Pennsyl-
s',F e, modify his motion, so as 10 refer the
tin select committee, instead OF
suS iSor on the Secretary OF the Treasury
s-" ,5s information he wished. Mr..
.oJes sugs es,ed, that il the object OF
Z. ,e,olulOn were only to appoint con-
- .;,tse 70 procure the information -equired
rho resolution, it was not an usual or de-
g..bl, course. The information desired,
Ind be obtained in no way so easily. as
~ = direct application to the Treasury
0.oariment. he machinery OF COM
'oiise could not be necessary, unless some-
a..og more than information was desired.
ros ., lection 10 the resolution, in the
Anna which it had row assumed, was
,s,i il adopted, it would convey reheC-
nan On the Secretary OF the Treasury,
d. could not, Tor himself. vote for any
,eeh resolution, without clearly under
.sndiog what il did import. However
unwilling to defer to another day the de-
rslon oftbis motion, b. felt himselt obi
sed under the change of form which the
author Of il bad gwen to the resolve, TO
move now that il lie on the table and be
printed.
Mr.. Tracy was opposed to aging the
resolution on the table. He had heard
no reasun in favor of the motion He
thoughti1 a common resolution for the
ordinary purposes ofinquiry. Hecould
perceive nothing against i. but is pro-
lRity. For himself, he could discover
nothing in it that implied censure of
the Treasury Department, but, if there
was, he thought the reason for it's adop-
ton still more imperative,
Mr Lowndes regretted that the gen
.leman from New York could discover
no reason for the motion he had made,
aud rather thought the gentleman did
10! understand the question now before
The house. 1t was not resolution cal
linz on the head of the Treasury De
IartMent, but a resolution to raise
committee to investigate certain tran
saetiOns Of that Department. Before he
could assent 10 So serious measure re
wished for further time to deliberate s
examine the terms of the resolution:
aNd he thought its prolixity also wa,
sufficient reason why it should be print
ed that it might be better understood
than it could be by the mere reading OF
u from the Clerks table.
Mr. Floyd was of opinion that the
committee ought to be raised, under the
circumstances Of charges being made of
Misconduct against an officer OF the gov.
ernment. If the motion were, as first
proposed, without the reasons which had
been assigned in favor of it, mere call
ioF information, it would have been in
taeuscal and proper course of business.
but, said he, when we hear of corrup
uon, OF improper conduct in the money
transactions Of the government, of IN
pueaclng and eorrupting members OF
Congress-, cannot conceive of any
6ing morS horid to the feelings of ala
honest man; and, he considered it of vast
Importance to the feelings and charae.
s'ot the gentleman who was at the
mead Ofthe Treasury Department, that
se0mmlttee should be raised to inquire
INTO the subject.
At Mitchell said, he hoped the resolu
uOa, as modified, would be ordered TO lie
gu 'as table. He was not himself, from
uedrog 4 read from the chair, possessed
d' rs bearings. Other gentlemen diff
e s'eu among themselves as to what would
Is 'ae effect OF lt,which clearly proved to
=, Sun mat the house was not now prepared
y y act on the su ject, aud that the resolu-
Sua OughttO be laid upon the table for
luther examination.
sh. %r "eld was opposed TO the present
ro aaP1 OF Tue resolution, but thought there
ol SI,u oe 90 improperly III passing the res
D Toi,. IN The form in which it was origi-
S S',5 Introduced. He hoped il would re
is5 Ts u, vs. original shape, and then be adop
lawn. w" WIN this view, he was opposed to
hug 'he resolution on the table; and, il
bin %GSer dld not modify his motion, he
"a ~ would then move 10 restore il