Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1837-02-14
TUE PRESIDENTS LETTER TO Ma wjsE's
COMMITTEES.

pufpofilnr in have bern adopted hv . .o.,,.,,,.-
/ ihe lioose 81 Representatives of which von 49,.
chairman and rcques, ;hai Won will law hca,,.-,h,,
committee this my reply which hasten to make.
II appears by the published proceedings If the
iioose of Representatives, That the con mi,iee n,
which you ere cbairmsn. was appointed on your
motion. The resolution offered by YOU and ansllv
adopted by the House. raised a direct issue with
hot part OF my annual messagc in which held the
following language;
Before concluding this paper think it duo In
the various Executive Departments TO bear ,es,i.
mony to the prosperous condition and to the ability
aud integrity with which they have been conducted
1t has been my ain' TO enforce IN all uf them viz
liant and hlhtol discharge of the public business
and It Is gratifying to me 60 believe ,ha. there !. ~,
just cause of compliant from nay quarter n, The
manner IN which they have fulfllej the obicc, of
their CREATION"
ionr resolution Is 10 the following words
"HesoIvcd, That 30 much of the Presidents
Message as relates 10 the condition of the various
Executive Departments, tho ability and integrity
WIN when they have been conducted, the vgant
aad faithful discharge of the public business in sll
OF them and The causes of complaint from nny ou,r
ter at the manner in which they have fulfilled tho
Objects OF their creation, be referred to a select
committee to consist of nine members, with bower
TO send Tor persons and papers, and with ins,ruc-
u"ns 10 inquire into the condition or the ,ariou,
executive Departments, the ability and integrity
WIN winch they have been conductcd-,nto tho
manner IN which the public business has been dis
charged III all of them. and into all causes COM
plant from any quarter at the manner in which
said Departments or their bureaus or Offices or INV
OF their officers or agents Of every description whit
ever directly or indirectly connected with them in
any manner officially or uaoicay in duties pertai-
ming TO the public interest, have fulfilled or failed
to accomplish the objects of their creation or have
violated their duties, or have injured or impaired
the public service aud interest; aud that said COM
miiiee in its inquiries may refer to such periods Of
time as to them may seem expedient and proper"
1t also appears from the published proceedings
Of The House that this solution was accompanied
and supported by speech Of considerable length
IN which you preferred many severe but vague char
ges OF corruption and abuse in tho Executive De-
partmen,s. The resolutions adopted by the com
Bitiee, a. well as that adopted BY the House ITSELF
must be taken in Connection with your in,roducto-
ry speech, which gives character to the whole
proceeding. When thus regarded it is obvous
TINT by the resolution of the House an issue is
made with the President Of the U. s., MS he had
alleged in his annual message that the Heads of the
Executive Departments had performed ,heir official
duties with ability and integrity. In your speech
corruptions and abuses of trust as you had done
in former speeches to which you beforehand YOU
demanded an investigation through the medium of
a committee. Certain other members of the IIouse
ms appears by the published debates, united with
you IN these accusations and for the purpose of
certaning their truth or fhlsehood the committee
you demanded was ordered to be raised. md vou
were placed at lis head. The first proceeding OF
the Investigating Committee is to pass series Of
resolutions which though amended in their passage,
49, oS u"ue' s'oou' introduced by you; coDg on
the President and Heads of the D.partn.n, -,
to answer TO any specific charge-not to give ,otor.
nation as TO ATTY particular Transaction but assun.
ing that they have been guilty Of the churgcs NJ
legged calls upon them to furnish evidence against
themselves
Alter the reiterated charges you have made, it
was to have been expected that you would have
been prepared to reduce them to specifications and
that the committee would then proceed to inyesti-
gate the matters alleged. But instead of this YOU
resort 10 genernlities even more vague than your
original accusations, and in open violation OF the
Constitution and of that well established and wise
maxim, Clint all men presumed 10 be innocent
until proven guilty according to the established
rule Of law" You request myself and tho Heads
OF the Departments to become our own accusers.
And this call purpors to be founded on the sutbor.
ity OF That body IN which alone, BY the Constitu-
ton the power Of impeaching us is vested The
Heads of Departments may answer such request
as they please; provided they do not withdraw their
own time AMI that Of Inc officers under their drac
tion from The public business to he DJory thereof
To that business shall direct them TO devote them
selves in preference to any illegal and nnconsttu-
tionul call for information, no matter from what
source II may come, or however anxious they NAV
be 10 meet IT. For myself shall rcpel all such
attempts as an invasion OF the principles of Justice
Ms well as Of the Constitution /; and shall esteem
1t my saered duty to the people ofihe U. States to
resist them as would The establishment Of Span
ish Inquisiton.
If after ali the severe accusations contained in
the various speeches Of yourself and your associates
you are unwilling of your own accord. 10 bring
SPECIFIC charges, then request your committee to
call yourself and associates and every other mem
Der o. Congress, who has made the general charge
/ OF CORRUPTION TO testify before God aud 9nr ooon-
try whether you or they know Of any SPECIFIC cor
/ ruptinn abuse ~ IN the Executive depart