Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-02-16
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1927.
prpoRro OF MR.. FLOYD.


The Selec, Committee to whom was referred
The communication Of the Vice President OF
the eeth of December last, have had the same
under consideration, and reporG
That the Committee convened, as soon alter
their appointment as could be done with con-
yenienct, 10 consider the subject referred TO
them. The FIRST step which they thought it adj
yisable to take, was, to inform the Vice Pre-
sident tha, the Committee was organised, and
would receive any communication he might
think proper to make. This was accordingly
done on the Cd of January last; in reply TO
fwhica the Committee received letter on the
Sd, stating, tina, his communication to the
House, Of the goth December last, would make
known 10 the committee his motive Tor solicit
ing an inquiry, that ne had nothing further 10
add than 10 reiterate his desire TO have iull IN
vestigation; and thai, in order to avoid the M
convenience and delay OF communicating by let
ter, he had requested Mr. McDutlie to act as
his friend before the committee. Upon the re-
eeipt OF this letter Mr.. McDuGie was admitted
accordingly.
The committee then proceeded TO enquire
whether there were any charges on hle IN the
Department Of War, or any paper or document
which went TO show that the Vice President
had been. whilst Secretary of that Department,
which he in any way participated. The result
ofthis inquiry was, that there were no charges,
or other evidences of any kind, against him.
Yet, as a confidential letter, signed by +.
Mix, and addressed 10 the author OF" Hancock,
who was known to be Major Sa,terlce Clark,
Paymastei, who had been dismissed from the
service, whilst Mr.. Calhoun was Secretary oil
the Department Of War, for not settling his &C
counts, as will be more distinctly seen by refer
ence to the testimony ofCol. Towson, had APP
peared in one Of the newspapers, printed IN this
District, and the Vice President, in his com
munication to the committee, OF the Sd OF Janu-
ary last, having referred to it, and desiring
full investigation the committee felt 1t their
duiy TO examine the whole subject fully and
freely, as containing the foundation oil his letter
to the House Of Representatives.
From an inquiry into this subject, it was as
certained by the committee, that Howes Colds
borough aud jah Mix, were competitors Tor
a contrac, with the Government OF the United
States in December la.I--aud, on 6 oldsborough
arriving in this city, he procured from Major
Satterlee CLARK, the author OF the publications
signed" Hancock a copy Of the confidential
letter from Mix TO the author of hancock, 10 be
used, i'm de priyiag Mix of the contract, should
he find il necessary
From this copy transcript was taken by
VIM. F. Thornton, the junior Elitor OF the
Phenix Gazette, and published by him in tina,
paper .he next day, watch was the 28lh oil De-
cember last, accompanied with his editorial re-
marks.
This letter Of Mix to the author oil Hancock,
is an exhibit among the flies Of the committee,
aud was acknowledged by bin to be in his own
hand writing. The motives which induced him
al; stion he has himself
developed. To extort money seems TO have
been his aim, without any scrup,es as to the
emeans BY which his object was TO be accom-
plshed.
y From view Of the whole evidence on this
part Of the subject, the committee are unable
TO find any thing warranting the belief, that the
officer at the head Of the Department OF War
had any agency n,the publication Of the letter
in the Phenix Gazctle.
Its due, however, 10 Mr. Calhoun, that the
committee should state, that his communca-
ton TO the House OF Representatives was found
ed exclusively on the public alton IN the Phenix
Gazette of the 2sth December, and tina, the
facts assumed in that communication, viz: That
the letter Of Mix to the author oil Hancock, bad
heen made the basis Of an official act, and
would of course be filed among the records of
the Department, were professediy stated; the
FIRST uDun the authority OF thal paper, ana Inc
second as an inference from the s,atemen, con-
tanned in il.
In the early stage Of this investigation. the
committee discovered, from the letter oil MAYOR
Vandeyenter 10 Z Mix, datet the 7lh OF Az
gust, 1918, and to which they refer, thasa per-
sol whose name was TO have beer kept secret,
was interested in the contract, commonly Called
the Mix, or Rip Rap contract.
On making this discovery, the committee
felt bound, il possible, 10 bring to light this hid
den associate: and in following up their inqui-
ries, they have oeen led into much wider held
than could at frs, have been anticipated. They
have, in short, found it necessary TO go tho
roughly into the origin and history oil the Rip
Rap contract, which involved the necessity Of
summoning numerous witnesses, from distant
parts, who were believed TO possess knowledge
of this contract; consequently requiring much
time for their examination.
The committee, are, however, unanimously
Of opinion, tina, there is nothing in the evidence
70 warrant belief, or even the slightest suspi-
cion, tina, the Vice President was interested 10