Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-02-15

appointed ON the SuoltCt vi she WET ie Siue"'
made the following report, which was ordered
70 be laid on the tabie, and ordered to be print
ed.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The Select Committee to whom was referred
the communication Of the Vice Presiden, of
the 29th December last, respectfully report:
That, Immediately after they assembled,
they informed the Vice-P resident Of their be-
ing organized, and Of their readiness 10 receive
any communica alton which he might see TIT TO
make On The receip. of his reply, dated the
Sd OF January, and which accompanies this re
port, Mr. McDufhe, as the friends and repre-
sentative of the Vice President, was admitted
before the committee, and attended throughout
the examination which followed.
The first object Of inquiry, in proceeding 10
business, was to ascertain whether any charg-
es agains; the Vice President had been placed
among the public records Of the War Depart
ment. And after an examination on this point
the committee became satisfied that no such
charges were, or had been, among the records
or papers of that Department But, as the let
ter from Elijah Mix, addressed Major Sa-
terlee Clark, under the name of "Hancock,"
had been published in the Alexandria Phenix
Gazette, Of the 2Sth December, which publica-
ton the Vice President had particularly refer
red to, in his note to the committee, they felt
bound to examine fully and reely into the
truth or,falsily OF the matters contained in that
letter.
From the nature Of the duties imposed upon
COMMITTEE ofinquiry, especially when con-
nected with the distinct visa, as expressed
by the Vice-President in the present instance,
for the "freest investigation, iii has been impos-
siDle for the Committee TO give 10 their pro-
ceedings the conDeSion and conciscness incl
dent to trials, when the testimony is ascertain
ed and arranged ,efore il is presented They
have, however, diligently applied themselves
TO the subject referred 10 them, and sftera long
and laborious examination, they are unanimous
ly Of the opinion, that ,hereIare no facts which
will authorize the belief, or even suspicion, that
the Vics-President was ever interested, or that
he participated, directly or indirectly, in the
profits Of anv contract formed with the Gov
ernment through the Department of War,
while he was entrusted with the discharge OF
Its duties, or at any other sine.
They are also OF opinion, tina, the conduct OF
Mr.. Barbour, the present Secretary OF War, In
regard to the letter of E. Mix, is not, in the
slightest degree, deserving Of censure. The
accusation contained in the letter was regarded
by him as base calumny upon the Vice Pres
iient, penued by man wholly unworthy Of no
tiee; and the Committee have no reason to be-
lieve that the supposed truth of that accusation
was at any lime the basis Of any act of the War
Department. The publication Of the letter APP
pear. to have been produced as follows:
In the month of December last, Howes
Goldsborough and Elijah Mix were competi-
tors for contract with the War Department:
Goldsborough, soon after his ARRIVAL in Wash
ington, obtained from Major S. Clark a copy
of the letter, with view to use the same a
gainst Mix, should he find it necessary. From
this copy transcript was obtained by VIM.
F. Thornton, the junior Editor Of the Phenix
Gazette, ca the 9th December, which he pub
lished the next morning in that paper, accom-
panied by his editorial remarks. In this pub
LEGATION Mr.. Barbour had no agency, either di-
rect or indirect. When he heard that the let
ter had been made public, he requested Col.
X. NJ. Johnson, of the Senate, to call upon the
Vice President as mutual friend, and inform
him Of the manner in which the letter had
come to his (Mr Barbour's) hands, and that
the same had been subsequently transmitted
through the post Office In an envelop TO Major
Clark, to whom it belonged. This information
was given by Col r, NJ. Johnson to the Vice
President, in the morning Of the 2eth of De-
cember, Just before he transmitted his COM
munication to the House.
The letter to Hancock" as published, and
TO which the Vice President bad referred, con-
tanned among other things, the following as
sertion: "And have written letters OF Vande-
ven,er's, which most positively mention that he
(meaning Mr.. Calhoun) was engaged, and re-
ceived some portion of the contract" AS such
letters, if they existed, might lead to further
evidence, and be important to aid the Commit
tee IN their inquiries, they thought proper, In
the early stage of their proceedings, to issue
subpoena both for Mix and vsndeventer, with
q clause therein contained, commanding them
to produce any papers in their possession,
tending 10 prove the accusation which Mix had
made in his letter to Hancock. In obedience to
this summons, the witnesses appeared, and Mix
having been first called upon to testify, pro-
duced, during his examination, the letters from
Major Vandeven,er, dated August 7th, 1919,
September 10th, 1918, July 9TH, 1870, March
Gath, 1891, & the letter from Col w K. Armi.-
,ead, dated March aA:h, is7l. On his seesad