Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-03-07

utation of an excellent citizen and an innocent
man, to refuse to give any publicity to documents
which all can see, and all now admit to be spu-
rious and mutilated. Ifthey be printed even with
the evidence which proves them false, still injus-
tice may possibly result from it; for it will ap.
pear tn the world as il the Senate had some con-
6dence in these papers; and it may happen that
those who shall hereafter sead the calulnny, will
not among such mass Of papers, also advert to
the REPUTATION of It. At the time these papers
were sent in, Bradley was witness against the
Department, and under examination before the
Committee. All here know what an effort was
made, in public discussion. to impeach his vera
city, and trust all will now admit how entirely
that effort failed. But will not stop to inquire
into the motives of those who directed these al
terations to be made. With motives we have
nothing now to do. But the past is uncontro-
vertbe, that these documents are unworthy of
credit 1t is, therefore. unworthy of the Senate
to publish them, and hope the order for their
publication made in an unguarded moment, may
be rescinded.
Mr.. Holmes said that when the present ques-
ton was first laid before the Special Committee,
thew had thought 1t the best plan 10 appoint Sub
Committee to go to the department and investi.
gate the matter. As one of the Subcommittee
abstracts which had been ordered to 90 out to
the public. they had found to be completely in
correct. Yet he had no objection to their being
printed, provided that any alterations which it
was necessary to make, should be put in brack-
cts, so that they would at once be seen by the
reader, and also that they should be accompani-
ed with resolution appended in a note, express
sive of the cause. Mr.. Holmes said, that it bad
been matter of surprise to the Special Commit
tee when their attention was first directed to IT.
to see so large sum-a sum amounting to some
$4,000, charged for extra allowances in the
short period of a few weeks (he believed from
the tenth March only to the 9TH April during
which Mr.. Bradley had charge of it's affairs, in
the recess on Mr., McLean's leavinslthe Depart
ment. That this to them was unaccountable,
particularly as the principle item in this had
formed one of the specific charges against Mr..
Barry himself in Mr. Bradley's letter to the pre-
sident. Mr.. Holmes then went into a detail of
the proceedings of the Subcommittee, and con-
cluded by saying that the report went to fix per-
jury on Mr.. Bradley in placing those extra allow
ances to his account. iDasmuch as Mr. Bradley in
his former memorial had sworn he had nothing
to do with them. which ii was admitted on all
hands was the fact
MIR. Grundy replied that from the manner in
which the error in substituting Mr.. Bradley's
name had been accounted for. he did not think
the gentlemen themselves believed any fraud
whatsoever was ever intended. To him it was
plain there had been none AS for the substitut-
ing Mr. Bradley's name with regard to the grant
Ing of these extra allowances, until it was proved
that these allowances were wrong and uncaled
for he did not think that the imputing to him the
having done so, involved any charge. When
they dld 90 to make inquiry on the subject they
met with every facility from the Department;
every book and document were thrown open for
their inspection. On investigation it appeared
that those abstracts had been made out 6y Mr..
Taylor and MIR. Dundas who were but Young
men in the office, and had had but little expert.
ence in it. When they came to the making out
those abstracts which are now referred to, they
found they had no record whatever to 20 by. 1t
was matter of dispute between them to whom
to charge those allowances in question. Mr.
Brown the Chief Clerk. was then confined by in.
disposition, and he alone, if present, might have
been able to set them right. They applied to
him nevertheless, for directions how to act, and
he instructed them to place them to the name of
the person who had control of the Department
for that time being. as was The usual course in
makingup the quarterly returns. Thus they had
gone to the day book as the only guide left them.
for they had well said, five months would scarce
~ suffice to make the necessary investigation in
to letters and documents to gain sufficient light
on the Subject. And thus after they had, in the
first place, written down the name of Mr.. Barry,
pursuing the plan suggested by Mr.. Brown. did
they IN his absence erase that name, and subst-
tute the name of Mr.. Bradley, believing that in
ST. doing, they were doing what was correct
The books they found were completely deficient
on this subject, and that those clerks had thus
erred was not at all strange. He mir G.. was
satisfied that an error had been committed in
charging those allowances to Mr.. Bradey-he
was equally well satisfied that iu making
out those abstracts in the manner which had been
done, the Postmaster General had no blame
Under these impressions he would now vote for
the printing of the report being suspended till
next session, in order to give time for those cor
reotions to be made in regard to Mr.. Bradley.
and for those other individuals to clear their
characters of any SINISTER design.
Mr.. Clayton said he understood the gentleman
from Tennessee to say, by way ofexcuse for these
mutilated documents, that IN some cases Mr.. Nc
Lean had made the allowances. Sir an inspection