Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-12-07
DOCUMENT

Accompanying the Report of the Committee
OF investigation on the Memorial of Ninian
Edwards.
10 the Hon. John Floyd, Chairman, sc.
Deeply impressed with the impor-
lance ofthe presen, investigation to my
sell, personally, beg leave, with un-
feigned Difference and respect, TO submit
to the consideration of the committee
the following remarks.
Sensible | am that the statements of
my Address TO the House, 10 use IT. G
language OF the committee, are such as
should not be "llghtly made !" and re-
solved lam, thai, if they are "superh
cially examined" it shall be in spite Of
my utmost exertions.
] 6 is obvious 10 the common sense OF
mankind, and apparent from the reason
ing of the committee, that, from The ac-
tive nature Of responsibility, both moral
and Official, in this country, upon him
who undertakes to arraign the conduct
OF an important functionary, mus, the
weight OF his charges recoil, if he fail to
establish them. This consideration,
while it furnishes motive for zeal and
perseverance on my part, is calculated
TO Cypress me with modification at find
ing that the commitee have given tits
decided and injurious direction to- the
statements, which they think fit 10 de-
nominate charges, contained in NY Ad-
dress, after they had commanded, and
before they could procure, my appear
ance for the purpose of explaining and
enforcing those statements.
This having been done, trust shall
be pardoned for endeavoring to shew, to
the satisfaction of the committee, thai
the course of reasoning by which it was
effected is not authorized, either by the
facts admitted by themselves, or by the
evidence which was presented 10 them.
10 relieve this subject, as far as may
be, from the completely of words and H.
ferences in which il is involved, | must
be permitted to define, beyond the pow
err of misinterpretation, the character
and import of the statements which
made; and 10 claim, if | shew that they
are sustained by the facts and evidence Of
fered to the committee, relief from the
culpable responsibility with which their
report has a tendency to burthen me,
and from the onerous task of jnsestga-
ting motives, which my address does
not assign or of abiding, in the account
able gposition indicated by the commit
tee, the result Of a moral inquiry, which,
however it may conport with the par
tlalities Of Mr.. Crawford's friends, is
certainly exclusive and gratuilous, in re
ference to the statements which had
the honor to advance. These the com.
mittee, not adverting to the document by
which they were occasioned, have de.
nominated charges; and, as such, they
are fairly and conveniently susceptible
OF division into two general heads,
each of which may be supported by
maintaining the specifications upon
which they depend.
According to this arrangement, the
first is to this effect, viz: That the Sc
cret0-y Of the Treasury, The Hon. Nm.
IT. Crawford, has mismanaged the na-
sional funds and the second amounts
to this: That the Secretary of the 7rea-
sury has been guilty Of neglect Of official
duty.
In order to sustain these charges,
shall follow the example of the commit
lee, and shall, in the FIRST place, recite
the resolution Of Congress of 3oth april,
1916, which declares, +" That the Secre-
tary of the Treasury be, and he is here
by,required and directed to adopt such
measures as he may deem necessary, to
cause, as soon as may be, all duties,
taxes, debts, or sums Of money, accru.
ing or becoming payable to the United
States, 10 be collected and paid in legal
currency oft United States, or Trea.
sury notes, or notes Of the Bank of the
United States, as by law provided and
declared, or in tho notes of Banks winch
are payable and paid on demand, inthe
said legal currency of the United States
and that, from and after the goth day of
February next, no such duties, taxes,
debs, or sums Of money, accruing or be- Z
coming payable to the United States, as
aforesaid, ought to be collected or receiv-
ed otherwise than in the legal currency
ofthe United States, or in notes of banks
which are payable and paid on demand,
in the said legal currency Of the United
States"
By thc terms Of this resolution it is
not only plain to the understanding OF
every man, but expressly declared by
the committee, it was m tde !" obviously
Imperative" on the Secretary ofths Trsa- !,