Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-07-01
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
OF INVESTIGATION.


of Representatives to whom was refer
red the Memorial, or Address, of Mn
ian Edwards, having, in obedience to
the resolution of the House of Represen-
tatives, of the Goth of MAY, continued
to hold its sittngs, after the adjournment
ofthe House, until the 2ist day of June,
have agreed on the following
REPORT:
In recommending in their former Re-
port, continuance ofthe existence and
powers OF the Committee, it will be re-
lmembered, that the reason given for
that recommendation was, the obvious
propriety, before final close of the
Investigation, of having tie personal
presence and examination of the author
of the address which had occasioned the
appointment of the Committee. Such
examination has now been had
Mr. Edwards attended the Committee,
in obedience to its summons, on the
7th of June; has been examined as
witness, by its direction, cross-exam-
med by gentleman attending in behalf
of the Secretary of the Treasury; and
his testimony, together with that of the
other witnesses, is communicated with
this Report; as are, also, various docu-
ments and papers, which have been re-
ferred to, and produced, in the course
of the examination.
A paper,in reply to the communication
heretofore received by the Committee,
from the Secretary, and another, in the
nature of an argument on the whole
case, have also been presented by Mr.
Edwards, and considered by the Com
mittee.
The evidence has run into much de-
tail, and some parts of it, probably, have
not a very material application to the
main subject of inquiry. 1t seemed
proper, however, to the Committee, to
|allow to those concerned a liberal in
diligence in this respect.
After patient attention to all the evil
dence, and to whatever has been urged,
in the way of reasoning on the case, the
Committee see no cause TO change or
modify, in any material respect, the re-
suit of which they came on the former
investigation and which they have alrea-
dy submitted to the House. On the
contrary, they find, in this further and
fuller examination, confederation, ge-
morally speaking, of the opinions which
they have heretofore expressed.
On some parts of the inquiry, indeed
evidence has now been produced to
points which were not, individually and
particularly, taken into the considera-
ton of the Committee on the former
occasion. To these, perhaps, some re-
ference ought now to be made. They
may be considered as new articles, or
new specifications of charge; and al
though not very definitely or formally
made, yet as evidence has been taken,
intended to support them, they become
subjects OF consideration.
One of these respects the deposites of
public money, made or allowed by the
Secretary, in the Banks of this District,
at the instance and on the solicitation of
the Banks themselves, and as an accom-
mediation to them, at time of considera-
BILE pecuniary pressure, in 1919.
In their former Report, the Commit
tee expressed their opinion in relation
to deposites of this nature; and refer
red to a public communication of the
Secretary, in which the facts were avow-
ed, and in which a practice, of like
character, was stated to have been of
early existence and long continuance.
The Committee did not deem it necessa-
ny to call for proof of that which was
admitted; and as it was of opinion that
the practice itself was irregular and
dangerous, it did not think it material
to inquire, particularly, whether, in the
only case in which loss was either grea-
ter or less than the Secretary had sup
posed. This apprehended loss is in the
case of the Franklin Bank of Alexan-
dria. In the letter OF the Secretary to the
President Of the Senate, ofthe 25th of
February, 1923. he says, in regard to
this Bank, that letter of the District At
torney Herewith communicated, show
ed that there was no danger Of loss to
the U. States.
The evidence now offered and recei-
we'd, tends to show that there is proba-
bility of final loss from this Bank; but
in other respects there is no new view
ofthe case presented.
The debt due to the government
from the Bank of Vincennes, has also
-heen brought forward. and made the