Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-02-26

Porter, Robinson Ru2glcs Ss6ee, Tallnadge, Tyler,
Waggaman, Webster, White, Wiigld--I
The other amendments were agreed to.
The qucst'SS was then taken aud carried On the en-
grossmenior third reading
GEoRcE roiSnExrTR.
The Char Ind before the senate letter from the
Hon. George Poiadex:cr in the following terms
WAehINoroS Cry, Feb 2lst. 1885.
SIR: address you, the presiding officer of the Sc
nate, subjeetinyolvng criminal charge, ghly in
furious moral character, and which, II trlc ought
TO cause my expulsion from the august body of which
member. An article, in the form of letter from
person in this city to his correspondent IN New York
has found its way into the public prints and has already
been widely circulated throughout the country, aeg
ing "that the Administration possessed OF deposi
tons taken from three individuals who that Rich
ard Lawrence the assassin, By them in the pri
vate of the Hon George Poindexer, the days
immediately anterior to his attempting the life of Gen.
Jackson"
No one, presume, sir, mistake the purpose for
which these dispositions have been procured. The evil
dent design is, 10 fix the most infamous OF all
crimes that of having been accessory before the fact
10 attempt to take the life OF the Chief Magistrate,
by the hand of an assassin charge monstrous,
and rcpugnant 20 the tenor of my past life resting
simply the authority of anonymous letter, in the
columns OF newspaper, might well be placed To the ge
neral account oil the calumnes of the day. which have of
Late been freely cast and such, would
~ merit contradiction from But the investigation
which have thus far given to the conspiracy against
my character, has enabled me to trace the authority
which the statement in the letter referred founded
20 member of the House of Representatives from
Rhode Island and the dispositions therein spoken of
have been taken the instance of the President him
self Having ascerained these facts deem il 10 be a
duty which owe TO myself MY constituents socie
~ at large, and to the Senate ask the appointment of
special committee, clothed with powers to send for per-
sons and papers, and to inquire into the truth false
hood of the charges imputed me, having relation
the Chief Executive Magistrate of the nation, that if
found guilty, may no longer disgrace the scat which
occupy in this body.
dent servant, G. POINDEXTER.
wAsulScrox Feb. 81, 1885.
Hon. GEORGE PoISnExTER
In reply your note which received this morning.
am at liberty to state in answer to the nterrogatoy which
you have proPounded, in whose hands did you the
nfdavits of which you speak,? that the afdavts
by read at the House of the President of the United
States; they were handed to me- in his presence, by
friend OF his, by returned to the President and
put into his hands by the atlantis themselves have
been informed by him; and am further authorized to
say that other testimony of the kind is expected
Your very obt serv't
DUTEE j. pEARCE.
The letters having been read by the Secretary,
MIR. Clay and said that the communication which
had just been read could inspire other sentiments in
the bosom of every Senator present. but those of the
deepest regret He had hoped when he the article
TO which the letter of the honorable Senator referred in
newspaper, that it without the slightest founda-
ton; and he unwilling yet TO believe in the posi-
bity of the truth of the contained in the
companyng letter That parte alidavitr, mplcatag
the character OF Senator of the United should
have been drawn without notifying hini--without the
slightest ntimaton that they to be akcn-and that
they had been procured at the instance of the Chief Ma
gistrate and put file, to be used by him. when and
how he might think proper not to be believed but
upon the highest and most authentic evidence. He
would say not possible for him yet to credit the
statement, imposing the form which
presented 1t impossible for him credit that any
human being could conceive of such plan for inurng
ctizen-whout notice-without the smallest
opportunity TO him, to procure afdavs from persons
unknown, and put them away to be used sub
sequent OCCASION when it might be impossible contra
dict their statements. to adduce any excupaoEy evil
dence
He reluctant to believe it, and would not be-
Ieve IT. but upon higher evidence than that which
exhibited, respectable it 1t was sufficient how
ever to form the basis of inquiry. And the
nicaton which had been read called upon the Senate
perform most painful and unpleasant duty And this,
when there was remnant OF but seven or eight days
before the termination Of the session. the close ohe
official existence at least for the present. of the Senator
who stood implicated. The time, therefore, within
which the investigation to be made, it much to
be regretted was extremely circumscribed Short it
unfortunately was there could not be two opinions aso
the course which the Senate bound to take. Its du
~ 70 its character dignity, and all concerned
demanded the investigation.
Ii 1t possible to believe and should turn out
the investigation be established that the Senator had
had the slightest participation in the arocors attempt to
assassnate eilowczen, and he the President of the
United States, the Senate would be called upon per-
form the painful duty indicated by the Senator HIMSELF
of purging the body ofsuch unworthy member.
On the contrary if the result of the inquiry should be
he must believe it would be, to establish that there
not the slightest foundation for the charge; it, he
must also hope, there is ground for the allegation that
the President has possession of parte adavits mpl
eating the Senator, he would stand acquitted and be in
condition to discharge the high duties, aPpertaining to
his station.
1t due therefore, 10 the country, the purity of
the Senate and to the ofruh and Justice that the
inquiry should be instituted.
Taking that view of the matter, the spur of the
casion, (for the communication had come upon him at
rather unexpected moment and he could have wish
ed that other Senator had taken charge OF it, he
would move that Committee be appointed, according
to the request contained in the communication.
The Committee was then ordered by the unanimous
vote of the Senate
Mr. Clay proposed that it consist of fve and enreat-
ed the Senate TO forbear extending towards him the
customed urbanity generally shown to the mover Of
proposition, by leaving his Oft the Committee.
The Senate proceeded to ballot for Committee, when
il found that the following Senators elected.
Messrs Smith, Mangnm, King, of Georgia, Wright and
Tyler.
MIR. Webster gave notice that he should, on Monday
the Senate to take up the bill making appropra-
tons for Notifications.
MIR Buchanan with leave offered The following
luton which agreed to:
GThe resolution which could not be procured was
instruction TO the Committee Military Affairs, in
qure into the propriey of making appropriation for
Fort Nlifin, in the river Deaware
The Senate then, at half past O'clock adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr. Cambreleng, from the Committee on Foreign AZ
fairs reported the bill of the Senate
for the adjustment Of the claims of American cit
zens Of French spoations committed prior
1900 Mr. G.. said, the Committee had instructed him
to state that there not sufficient time for its
beFs to investigate question of such magnitude and
quring the examination of so Documents and that
the Committee had therefore instructed him that
1t be discharged from the further consideration of the
bill and that the said bill be laid the table With
of the Committee he also moved that
ments the prepared by the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts (NIr. r. EveretD in favor of the clams-he
other by himself against them embracing much infor
on sides the be printed