Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-10

But how can the President ascertain xvb.,ber all
'he persons who have received such appointments
were, or were not, Members Of Congress- at the
respective times OF their appointment, or for six
months before! He would ask whether il was
consistent with that decorum anil decencv
winch was due from one branch of the Government
10 another, to ask the President OF the United
States to come TO the records of this House, and
there get certain information, to be immediate civ
handed back by him to the House. All that he
wanted from the President was list of the ap-
poin,ments made within the period embraced bv
the resolve The House has already list ofils own
members. A comparison of these two lists would
enable each gentleman 10 determine for himself the
quesuon oil TACT This too, would answer another
part o. the resolution, by giving the emolumenis of
'he officers respectively ,S also the States from hch
me members came. II, however, the Gent. wish
ed TO get this information in a condensed FORM the
oe'ter way would be for him to ask for the appoint
rnent ct II select committee, to whom the subject
"Sht he referred. Such committee would pre-
sent All the iacts IN report. And here, said Mr.
| Forsyth let me make remark. The gentleman
has stated 10 US in this Hail. that this is great and
growing evil. An evil sir? What evil, 1t is a
constitutional evil, II II be at all; it is one
winch was anticipated and intended by The consti-
'iton' anu which in my opinion, has as yet produ-
ced no injury TO the interests of the country. /
know, indeed, that, in some parts of The United
STATES, the opinion is entertained and no doubt
honestly that this business1f appointment of Mem
oers oil Congress 10 office has gone to very impro-
per Lengths, Is liable to improper use, anu pro-
ducuve OF undue influence Sir, this nav be so:
OUT trust that it will be assumed as fact.
'hat the power of appointment has been thus i'm
properly used. Sthe change is made, lie, it be
individual and ~e hars s pomsr Or to amy sS. either
remedy. We can punish both the corruptcr and
the corrupted Here is the proper place for such
an investigation III any gentleman is satisfied that
there have heen improper practices in this respect
ne can briPg the offender here for punishment.
But, said Mr.. +. would suggest if any inquiry i'll
be gone into, 1t must be gone into still deeper
i2u must inquire, not merely who have obtained
oihces, but who have obtained contracts. from the
GovernmehG whosehrothers, whose fathers, whose
friends have got adyan,a geous contracts: and fur
,'er sift-whose iathers, brothers, and friends
have beek recommended to, and actually received
Offices under the Government. These. said Nj, e
are sources OF corruption equally dangerous with
that now IN; question, and when we begin the in
quiry, these also should be examined ~
Mr.. Webster of Mass. observed that. as the hon
oraoie member from Virginia seemed 10 think this
inquiry OF Importance, and as he presumed there
were none VINO wished to exclude the information
which he sought-the only objection being az to
The mode OF obtaining it, he would suggest TO that
member, that he should move To amend his resoIu
ZION so as TO refer the inquiry which it proposed to
committee OF this House. The records of the
department oil State and those of this House would
De both accessible TO the committee and from con-
sulting them, the committee would be able 10 pv.
10 The House all the information which could he OH,
tanned on this sdbiect
MI Floyd OF Va. said, that, when an amend
ment to the constitution had been formerly propo,
ed TO prevent members of Congress from holdin,
any Office under the Government of the JJni,ed
states LOT certain length of time, after the term
ior winch they had been elected should have expired
he believed he had voted for it, as he thought if a
wise pTecaution to preserve the liberty they had.
and the House free from the imputation of mo,;ves
that we would not attribute any thing like motive
10 the present members, he believed all tn be
very just, and perhaps the times very honest. But
'he tiine might arrive, when we might see a dove
tailed administration claiming all power infrinoing
on what some called, and which he believed 10 be
State rights. He did not wish 10 fight as the Ra
rons OF England had DONE to limit the nrero,,;,1o
oil the Crown, but wished to see so much Move, ex
ercsed as was granted expressly in the constitution
q no more. 10 take away the hope of Office miubt
be useful at future day, VIXEN Office might be more
desirable; nor could he conceive why the genie
man from Georgia, who has so much talent md
wnom all know to be so upright, opposed this re-
solution, as 1t was only cali for information which
certainly could be better furnished bv The pesiJo,
than by committee of the House. and who has
made speech on the subject much longer shan he
Is accustomed 10 do such subjects If tbc,. -;
difficulty with the President and the DeDart,on,
there would, In his opinion, be much more with
committee Tie gentlemen now called on for in,
formation were well paid for little labor, and he
did not think it would be very heavy tssk n
produce The information wanted
The opinion that, at a future dav thinos Nit,
De otherwise than at present, has been formerly
expressed TO this House; for if he was mo, mis-
taken, committee formerly raised In consider and
report upon the celebrated compensation law ,beo
stated That members Of Congress should be well
paid, 10 keep them free from influence Sucb
beheve, TO be the idea, lest, under other circyn
stances, gentlemen would seek seat in CONGRESS
only 90 10 turn it TO advantage
MT. ForSyth said, that the gentleman from Viz
gina had entirely mistaken him, if he supnosed
thar he had opposed this call for information.
Floyd said he had inferred it from the course
of his argument, that the gentleman was opposed
to the call.
Mr.. Forsyth said, that the gentIeman's Inference
was both against the fact and against his cypress
declaration to the contrary.
Mr.. Bartlett then moved to amend the resolution,
so as TO apponta committee to yeport the rec,iri
facts Instead OF calling on the President TO com
muncate them. ~
Mr.. Mitchell OF Ten. opposed this amendment
the effect OF which oud be- he 50 ID, to throw, IN ,be
members labor which would be frnitless bsca',sa
aHier all, they would thus acquire the desired
Ihiormauon' H. said he, we strike at the source at
once we shall obtain the information which is ~
be found on the Executive records onlv. I, could
not be presumed that such records were not ken,
or That copies could not be obtained from those who
were at least as well paid for their labour, as The
members OF this House. he therefore boned the
information would be called for. IL was NOT ,osn,.
ing Tor The members Of this House merely, b, for
the people OF the whole Union; and he could no,
conceive mat any committee Of this House could