Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-31

Mr.. Benton, after some inaudible remarks
said, if gentlemen would look into the state Of
the question as to the Post Office Department il
related, as far as the Post Master General was
concerned, to his removal or the crimnality OF
his conduct and every criminal question ofthis
kind belonged in its origin to the House of Re.
presentatives Mr.. B. was therefore for LEAVING
| il with them. The Senate had nothing to do IN
the case till it should be presented before them
| in their character of judges. Now whether or
not Mr.. B. had got two measures, one for the
Bank and one for the Post Office, it would be re.
collected that for six years he had possessed the
right to ask the committee for an expression in
| regard to the bank, and there were periods when
tie committee would not have been denied him.
During eight years he had lifted his voice against
the bank, and yet he had never asked for such
! an expression, on the general ground that the
question on the conduct of the bank properly O.
| riginated in the House of Representatives
For that reason, he never should make such
motion, unless he was driven to it, and there
should be no other alternative.
| Two difficulties have been started by gentle
men. as TO the eXpurgation of the Journal one
of theory and another of fact; but in State adj
Joining South Carolina, the journal had been
burnt by order of the House. And portion
was expunged, in the case of Wilkes, not by
sending out for the differ emf copies, but by tax.
ing what was the journal, in parliamentary Ian
| d.
There was a total cessation Of business; dead
calm; the clerk OF the House obliterated the pas.
sage with his pen, from one end to the other,
not with st. Andrews cross, but by an entire
obliteration. There was no difficulty at all in
the nodus operdndi, and when the time should
come il should be done, as Mr.. B. had intimat.
ed at the last session. But the evil of the day
was sufficient the Post Office was now upon U.s.
and why should he go ahead on question Of
expurgating the journal? Still nothing should
throw him, Mr.. b. from his track; he would move
on the iourna if not with the precision at least
with the certainty OF steam engine.
Mr.. b. had one remark to make for the bene-
fit of the Senators from South Carolina. When
he referred to what they said yesterday he al.
ways had in his eye the Senator (Mr. CaIhoun)
nearest him, when promising To introduce re.
solution, and to apply test TO Senators, as to
the corruption Of the Post Office Department
Mr. Calhoun said he rose TO renew his motion
to Law the resolutions on the table, which he
should not again withdraw; but ne could assure
the Senator from Mo- that he had no such
thought as that Senator had supposed. He con.
sidered it due to the American people that some
brief expression should be made of the contents
of these volumnous documents, which not one
in a hundred Of them could ever have an oppor
tunity Of reading, and that the people might I'M
derstand how they were received by this body.
If the vote should be unanimous, as he supposed
it would be, the American people would see the
abuses in one department of the government
which was yet sustained by the Executive
The gentleman from Mo- had indicated his
consistency in relation to the Bank and the Post
Office Department, yet there was this striking
Idifference-he had succeeded in enlghtening
the President against the Bank, but had not yet
Succeeded in enlightenng him against the Post
Office Department. The responsibility as to the
Post Office was with the President; that as to
the Bank, with Congress, between which and
their duty the President had interposed; yet he
had done nothing in most fragrant case, where
the respo visibility rested on himself and II the
Senator had indicated his own consistency It
rested with him to say whether others also should
De vindicated in theirs
The Alabama resolutions were now laid on
the table, without division
Mr.. Clay gave notice that when these resolu
tons should be again disturbed, he should also
offer resolution.
Mr.. King Of Alabama, moved that the reso
lutions just laid on the table be printed.
He said when it should be necessary, he would
bring forward a resolution in accordance win
the instructions which he had received. He
thought the Senate had the power to repeal re-
solution which they had once adopted they had
the power to retrace their steps. The democra-
cy Of this land had spoken against the resoIu'
ton Of the last session CensuTing the President
and the Senate should go back as far as they
could. Notwithstanding the disclaimers OF par
ty influence, by the Senators from South Caro-.
lna Mr. X. despaired on this point after what
he had witnessed yesterday and to day. These
resolutions were got up by democratic spirit
and Mr.. X. had no expectation Of the difficulty
which they had to encounter, much less, that the
deep corruptions Of the Post Office Department
would smother them entirely. lift was corrupt
let the proper measures be taken to expose and
punish the frauds, and Mr. X. would assist; but
it was improper that it should be denounced al
most before the reports had been read. When
the proper time should come Mr.. K. would 20
as far as any man to stamp il with deep reproba'
ton, after the investigation had been broughtto
close. Let the disclosures be placed before
the Chief Magistrate of the nation, and MIR. n
would vouch for him that he would not hesitate
to apply the proper correction, to do justice IN
| the case, and serve the country by Furnishing or
dismissng every individual asccrtained TO be
guilty.
Mr.. Calhoun said, the Senator just up had
made personal alluson to him. which demand
ed a few remarks, in his statement that he, Mr..
G. still retained party connexions If the Sen
ator thought that he (Mr. c. desired to promote
the success of any party, in elevating any man
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