Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-06-29
DOMESTIC.


WASHINGTON, June give publish to day
the Report Of the Committee Of the House OF
Representatives, appointed to investigate the
charges preferred BY Mr.. Edwards against the
Secretary ofthe Treasury.
This report, it appears, is little more than a
caption to the great body Of testimony which
II Introduces to the attention ofthe American
People. There is nothing like an attempt, in
the report to 60 into particular examine ton
OF all the points presented in the course off the
investigation, but rather disposition to avoid
them, and.to safer the House Of Representa-
tives. and the nation at large, to draw its own
differences from the testimony and documents
accompanying the report, which are of great
length. As this mass Of papers, rather than
the report, exhibits the result of the Iabors OF
the Committee, it is probable we shall feel
the necessity Of presenting the whole to our
readers, as speedily as is consistent with q
due attention to other matters.
II is no part of our purpose, as friends Of
The Administration, or Of Mr.. Secretary Craw-
ford, as Member of il, to exult in this Report
as triumph over the machinatibn of his enc
mics. 1t Is no more than was confidently ex
pected from the Committee, but rather some.
thing less, merely because the COMMITTEES
have left part Of their conclusions Ia be in
ferred from the evidence, instead Of directly
stating them. An attentive perusal of the tes-
timony and documents, however, will leave
MOI doubt, in the minds of an intelligen,
community, as TO the merits of those parts OF
this controversy 10 regard TO which no upin-
ion has been expressed by the Committee.
Nat. Int.
Report of The Committee of Investigation
The Select Committee (ofthe House of Re-
presentatives) to whom was referred the Me-
r;at If sn;a 4
in obedience to the resolution of the House 0f
Representatives,, of the Goth of May, con-
timed to hold its sittings, after the adjourn
ment OF the House, until the 9ist day Of June,
have agreed ON the following
REPORT:
In recommending in their former. Report a
continuance ofthe existence and powers Of the
Committee, it will be remembered, that the
reason given for that recommendation was, the
obvious propriety, before fnal Close of the
investigation, ofihavipg the personal prsscnce
and examination ofth author of the address
which had occassioned the appointment of
the Committee. Such examination has now
been had. MIR. Edwards attended the Com
mittee, in obedience TO lis summons, on the
7th Of June has been examined as "a wit
ness, by its direction, cross-exalnined by gen
tleman attending in behalf of the Secretary
of the Treasury ; and his testimony together
with that Of the other witness. 5, is conmunira
ted with this Report as are, also, various
documents 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, bav e
also been presented by Mr.. Edwards, and
considered by the Committee.
The evidence has run into much detail and
some parts, of it, probably, have not a very
material application 10 the main subject Of in
quiry. Itseemed proper, however, to the Com
mittee, TO allow to those concerned liberal in
dugence in this respect.
After patient attention to all the evidence,
and TO whatever has been urged, in he way
of reasoning the case, The Committee see no
cause to change or modify, in any material
respect, the result to which they came on the
former investigation, and which they have al
ready submitted to the House. On the con-
irary, they find, in this further and fuller ex-
animation, a confederation, generally speaking,
of the opinions which they have heretofore
expressed.
On some parts Of the inquiry, indeed, evil
dence has nov been produced to points which
were not, individually and particularly, taken
into the consideration Of the Committee on
the former occasion. To these, perhaps, some
reference ought now to be made. They may
be considered as new articles, or new speciii-
cations of charge; and although 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 ny the Secretary, in
the Banks of this district, at the instance and
on the solicitation of the Banks themselves,
and as AN accommodation to them, at a time of
considerable pecuniary pressure, in 1919.
In their former Report, The Committee ex-
pressed their opinion in relation to deposites
Of this nature and referred to public com
munication ofthe Secretary. in which the facts
were avowed, and in which practice, Of a
like character, was stated 10 have been Of early
existence and long continuance. The Com
mittee did not deem il necessary 10 call for
proof Of that which was admitted and as it
was of opinion that the practice itself was ir
regular and dangerous, it did not think it
material to inquire, particularly, WHISTLER, IN
the only case 10 which loss was aPprebeDded
from this cause, the probability of such loss
was either greater or less than the Secretary
had supposed. This apprehended loss is IN
the ease Of the Franklin Bank Of Alexandria.
In the letter of the Secretary to the President
of the Senate, of the s5ih OF February, 1898
he says, in regard to this Bank, that letter Oi
Of the District Attorney, Herewith commu-
nicated, showed that there was no danger oil
loss to the United States.
The evidence now offered and received,
tends TO show that there is a probability oil
final loss from this Bank; but 10 other respects
there is no new view ofthe case presented.
The debt due to the Government from the
Bank Of Vincsnnes, has also been brought
for n ard and ,,,ado Tho euh,ecf of innuiry and