Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-12-20

cept to actual settlers, "!id ~ HIuieQ 9laftlcs
On motion Of Nj Cruz -, tl'e Sena'e proceeded 10
the consideration &c Ekei.d.sc busi.irss, after which II
adjourned until Monday.
HOUSE OF REr3ES ENTATIVEs.
1h,tssdGa Dec Is. 1886
CONFEDERATION OF TIE POST 81. or ~ ~, Os;coa
Mr.. Conner, from the COMMITTEE on t'e '7t ,a,
and Post Roads, leave reported
ing that committee inquire into the cause - W
ng's contiaC,aton Of the Post oicc departments a"
also 10 inquire what losses Ihe .,"'et''ne 80 ,;.
!a..on may be necessary which was cohcu'eu ~ y '
House. =. ;.
Nj p,rler on leave submitted resolution, TO print
5000 extra copies OF the account CT 'IG epr LAS for
The nee of the members Of the House; which. under the
rule, lies over one Day 80 .. .. W.,
Mr. Owens. on leave, from The Committee on ways
and Means reported bill entitled act to amend an
ac, entitled an act to establish branches OF the n OF
th. United States which read twice and referred 70
a Committee Of the Whole House.
On motion Of Nix, Manu. Of y. Y. the House resumed
the consideration OF The resolution suomitte" ny VIZ
Wise on Tuesday la4 as follows:
Rssoired That so much Of the President Message as
relates to the condition o the various ENeeuire e
par,nents the ability and integrity with which they
have been conducted the vigat and ialthtu! alScaf
or the uubIic business in all Of them aud the causes OF
complaint from any quarter, 1T the manner IA when
they have fulfilled the objects Of helr creation, Oe re
ferred 10 Select Committee, 10 consist OF nine he"'
hers with Bower TO sead for persons and papers, ahd
with instructions TO inquire into line condition OF the va
1ious Executive Departments, the ubIl!iy ana integrity
with which they have been conducted INTO lc manner
in which the public business has been discharged III Ill
of them and into all causes Ct complaint, i!on any G.a
ter at the manner in which said departments, .! thei!
bureaus Offices any @! their officers or agents q
every description Whatever directly or no!!rc'y con
necled with them in manner, ohcGi!y or ui"tiCial
in duties pertaining the public Interest," have iulhled
o. failed 10 accomplish the uhjec,s uf their crcaion o!
have violated their duties, have injured ard impaired
the public service and interest; and that SAID committee
in inquire may refer 10 such PERIODS OF Tune Us ~
them may seem cXpedient and proper.
Mr. Pearce Of Rhode Island went at some hngth INTO
all argument in opposition to The resolution he res'
luton he said pedcacd on clause III TIE fIess-
dents message which not usual &n0 perhaps IL was
gratuous the part o! the Prssient !! ne qnesu"h
was whether was necessary because the President, IN
his last annual message, with overffo" OF ee;g TO-
wards the heads Of the Executive Departniehis-as lie
believed him have the k;TGrSt feelings towards all men
llving-had thought proper &c compliment iEr II was
necessary to have investigating committee TO uscer-
tain whether be spoke the truth Although II was not
the usual course, still the PRESIDENT had precedent
Many years ago, MIR Monroe stepped out OF me uSuai
course 10 commitment the then head OF the War Depart
ment (Mr Cahorn) But because he did this, no com
itee raised TO ascertain whether or not the conps-
meat was deserved lie opposed to the resolution,
because the direct object &! 1t WAS to ascertain "Eeer
the President spoke the truth lie then "enton 10
show that all the subjects contemplated 10 be investigated
BY this proposed select committee was provided tor by
the House in the appointment OF line standing commit,
tees Among these Committees was tnat on ays 1a
Means and the duty a! MAT committee 10 lake ILL.,
to consideration and report upon all such reports OF the
Treasury Department. and all such propositions renl'e
to the revenue, might be referred to them by Tie
House. inquire into the state ut The public debt or lAe
revenue and oil the expenditures and to report from
time to time their opiiiuu thereon to examine into he
state Ct the SercrG rubitc departments, ana particularly
into the laws making appropriations OF money ana 10
report whether the moneys nave been dlsbu!:ed cp"f-
mably with such laws; and also report from time 10
tinpS
sary to add TO the OF tie departments ana the
accountability Of their officers That committee was
required 10 do al! that any select committee however
raised could do Besides This, there were other Commit
tees whose duty it 10 examine INTO the condition ol
the departments, and the expenditures thereof Eve
~ gentleman must recoec that at the las! SESSION OF
Congress- gentleman from n Carolina, (Nlr Shepperd)
chairman u OF these committees, invest gated tie
affairs of SEINE Of these departments; made port ard
the report acted by the House; aud coHiG hot lal
heretofore done be again done: he submitted TO lie
House. then whether this resolution was not Srd-
tuitcus uncallcdtur and had nothing to justify H. except
the paragra alluded the President Ano-
tIe objection he had To it was that gentlemen sad II WAS
nendrd 10 be raised out OF any ,s,lleteeg to The
President OF The u $ Ne what the Secretary OF
State, Treasury, War, Navy. &c: They were The mere
ices Of the President; selected ~ do what
he cOuld not 60 himself Mr.. T. read the law relating
TO the Department OF State, showing his duties, and
showing that the head Of tina! Department vas created
to do for the President uncrT he law, that winch Inc
tlemcn say that the President not duplicated, when
the OF his ministers notng more nor less than
his Let gentlemen take the bull by the hnrns
they had any allegations 20 make against the tfcscr
let them do in lorl.- While passing the acts o his
principal public officers they necessarily passed on Inc
acts OF the President himself He then proceeded 10
show that the laws Of The land threw around individuals
certain guards; !hcy not TO be rraIsncG without
notice, &c. But how the heads OF these depart
Inents BE- heard and svd under the reSouiIph lhey
to have hearing and no trial, ana were 10 Ut
ds:ranchsed and div"scd OF their rights, upon Tie
mere runcrs OF newspapers, and gossip Vi oa "0n'en'
There nc yer u as committee raised upon mere suggtS-
ton and gossip, without something like charge or an
allegation. Then let tic gentleman from Virginia. oar
W. or any other gentleman make out charge against
the PRESIDENT and he might have as large ce'!tt' c,
and have il clothed with what powers he pleased put
until tins course should be adopted, he was. and sbouu
be, opposed 10 'hr adoption oi The resolution Hho
could lei what powers tits committee might assume !;
II might require the Departments to submit 10 II all mat
tiers connected with renewal, it might assume any
other authority 1t pleased The resolution clalcd 4
greater scope or The CunIntce than was ever granted
to committee Of that iiurse, any other !eg!sa.
tive tribunal When was lis powers 10 cease; " ~"
could tell this From the or o! the resolution never,
because they take cognzace Ut al matters:
from all quarters e the Union; from every town, village,
city and hamlet ali causes Of compliant tror resp"'st-
bic and irresponsible sources OF all the ten thousand
charges which cd lady, who had charge al paper
in this city, had made, ard the ten thousand mere which
she probably would make.
But sir, said MIR. p, this was 10 be somewhat an CT
pats proceeding Suppose the heads Of some Of these
Departments s!ia have done conlnentable acts
The committee wi! moi lac bound to Jock INTO It. NO,
sir their object will be urraign thcn anu bring them
to trial. and n0ic punishment upon them Perhaps the
committee might wish Inquire into the causes which
take of the heads OF Departme hts home to- their
native States ascertain whether they wan. 10 operate
the politics of such States. Well, sir the Secretary
of State went home during the last summer; and II his
object was to operate The politics OF Georgia. he met
with but poor The Secretary OF The Navy aIsu
went home but his gung if he did 60 for political effect
only added Tie sien 9Th Of the party opposed hun.