Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-03-24

any propositions. The gentleman from Iennes
see and myself ere appointed 10 call on tn,
fos'haHeI oeneral, 10 learn If he will no
conrict hima} without more proof aud as IA,
Mr. Hfundy has stated IN debate here, W hen
lever requested him 10 &C, he always inform
ed me me Postmaster General pns sex ana
could mol see rs. So we did not 20. In th,
mean time II became useless 10 send for the
witnesses We were within a few days of III,
end OF the session. aud thus, By slight ersrcis,
Of ingenuity his part of the investigation wa:
etfectualy suppressed
MIR BENTON here called Mr.. c. 10 order, anC
inss'ed that the proceedings OF the COMMITTEE
should not be stated IN debate
The CHAIR decided that Mr. c. was not GU,
of order, and that he had right TO show the
proceedings which had been so often referred
10 by all the members OF the committee who
had spoken before bin.
| All. BENTON appealed 10 the Senate
Air GRrSuY said, he aud all the other
members OF The commute had commented
fully as they pleased upon the proceed.
ings.
MIR BESroE Withdrew his appeal
! Mn. CLAYTON proceeded ltwomlI he well
| Mr.. President. for al such as " ish to suppress
debate as well as inquiry TO bear in mind, be-
fore they attempt ii again, that the whole dis
cnsson is not Que Of my seeking, that, like
! the resolution he fore US which oil nseIfdisrloses
| some oiIhe pro- erdings Of the committee, il
had its origin with those only who desire TO ar
rest hese proceed nss. And will add, that
the attempt is but another evidence OF that dis
| position TO prevent information on these sui
jects. which was proceeding to expose.
| IL has been stated hat when a proposition
WAS nude IN the Committee 10 send for MIR.
! lIand, the Solicitor OF tie Department, TO give
| testimony as TO the state of The tuhd., the
| ID tlif..r Ia.
collection of all tho outstanding balances, q OF
course could have sho@uus better than an,
| II her person what part of these funds
avaldblr lie could have produced his estimate
ofthose funds al the time o. the resignation OF
the late Postmaster General, aud we should
then have beea enabled to judge whether the
statement in the late reports oil losses on these
balances be true or false. But there was danger
sir. What WAS the result al the apprehension.
It excited WAY II was deiermmeI by the
gentlemen from Tennessee and New llamp-
sb,r ,hat Nj Hand should mind his
business, aud tnat ,Le Information ought 10
come from the Postmaster General himscli
NJ T.. here read the journal OF the Committee
I'll his subj { Thus you see, sir, while the
Postmaster General Is Withholding all iniorma-
ton from us unll spme few days before the
close ofthe session, when we cannot even ex-
anime his communication, we are by the votes
Of these getlemen prevented from seeking III
formation II ON other sources.
| shall not dwell air, on the rejection of Mr.
Bradley's lelteT---on the opposition ot these
gentlemen TO his examination the numeT-
Gus objections which they have taken 10 bis
evidence at different stages OF the inquiry, aud
which will prevent rs from ever closing his tes
tmony, OF taking any part of that of many
other witne sses who iemaln t. be examined.
But | will venture to predict that at tho close
of the session, and at a moment when II will be
impossible for any one TO examine his cnmlnu-
nicntion, Mi Barry will report, aud not uli
then Bot il is my duty, foreseeing as do
this result, aud having observed all the shut
1ing which has occurred to soy now that as no
man can be condemned without a trial, SO too
there can be 10 soqulttal without it.
Il has been told us by the gentleman from
Tennessee, that should this inquiry proceed,
Mr.. Barry will refuse 10 answer u. IT may be
SO, sir.-Ne have indeed fallen upon evil
times. Yet doubt much whether any Chief of
a Depar ment dare refuse an answer to the
Senate while that body retains the spirit to
ymdiCate It's rights. And II he day has
indeed arrived when our power eau be so
contemptuopsy sighted, w hen we can be
b aVed by every chief OF Department or petty
Executive officer, il ID lime that we should
!eaye our seats and suffsr the people 10 send
men W SuIlCieHi ~ W AcIiitstbt merit
who Wit ascertain the means by which every
pnny whipser gets The sword aud deGes them
To take il from him. Sir, | Cannot yet believe
That We have fallen SO low. Ii is true that the
Postmaster General did for nearly one whole
year oIiit 10 notice the resolution Of the Sen
ator from Ohio, (Mr. Bmuet J nquirng into
the mater oil tue mail contracts. But after
Ills debate arose, and h refusal 10 present
his answer became the subject OF Conplalnt,w We
fod tbat IT has been paraded with much Of
stage effect on the table before ", The ten-
lleman fem Tennessee po'nls TO It as very
monument Of human industry II contains,
he says, work enough to make yolnme.-By
examining il, it WI be found thai three
iourihs of tue whole mass consists OF printed
bonds anj contracts and the residue OF the
answer to the inquiry Which The Senator from
Ohi0 mnde, might be performed by tolerabe
clerk III siA weeks. Ii bas not b.. en- decided,
yoa observe that the inform atom as to thu coo-
| tracts of Nh Mclean was last year inserted
in the r, solution by the request oil the present
| Pos master q. neral, and his own answer 10 his
own question, made with view TO excuse his
| own allowance by the example Of his predec,s
soT, has caused by far the greater part OF the
labor which that resolution has imposed. Sir,
The Postmaster General may safely send here
any nforma ion, while the gentlemen from
| Tennessee and New Hampshire stand ready
| to protect II from examination. 1hls very
mass o labour which it has taken nearly n
year to prepare, as the gentleman would have
US to believe, alter undergoing the careful SUI
peryision OF all concerned during that time,
comes here, aud when h motion is made to re-
| Ter il 10 this committee, which Is examining tue
| subject Of The Sc contracts, the gentleman move
its reference o another committee which It
was well known did not mend to examine ii,
and the Whole subject is thus snatched from the
investigating committee. Strange indeed that
an apprehension should be entertained that III
three weeks inpeacisable matter "'ght be dis
covered among a mass Of papers which they
say il required nearly year TO prepare lhls,
sir, is what term sitting ln9m 9 aud with
what countenance these gent emeh can com
plain of a charge made here that they