Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-06-13

Reuben NJ. Whitney.-We ext ract the fol.
lowing history Of This notorious individual from
speech delivered by Bale Ptyion Of Tennos.
sec, at the last session Of Congress. Thouqh
Roubens occupation is, we trust, now gone,
we are not at all confident that it is not contou1.
plated by Mr. Van Buren,, 10 mix him up with
some Of the schemes now Matching al Wash
I'M ton in regard 10 Treasury Bank, and il il
therefore desirable that the people should DO
kept alive 10 full sense Of his iners.-- Car.
g. Eng.
"Mr Chairman, have but ono other queatipn
10 ask, and then take leave Of Il. NJ. Witt
ncy forcver,-and that is, Who is ho2 How
came he in The Treasury Why is he posses.
sed oil so much powerl Why, sir, gentemep,
under the 29th nterrogatory, have gotten u
lew favorable responses, go far as the witness
scs kneiC, individually, as 10 his character for
integrity ond capacity" They got hold Of one
man, director in the Moyamensing bark, who
would not trust him with his private affairs,
from his general character. When we asked
Levi Woodbury. whether, from his gene,at
character, he would believe II. NJ. Whitney On
his oath, the majority of the committee would
not LEI the gu, son be put, even TO him. WHY.
| Sit, Whitney invited an investigation into his
character; lie went to Canada, Philadelphia.
and Washington, and challenged the world TO
inquire into his conduct aud standing. Yet,
sir, whenever, in the committee, approach
ca MS character, SCnllcInCn snfuHk DaCE, ana
! proclaimed that we had no power to ascertain
whether this secret Treasury agent was on
honest man and patriot, Or rogue, bank
rupi, and traitor.
l. sir, propounded the following interroeato.
Tics, which were rejected
1872 Do you know II. NJ. Whitney's gene
raj character Ifyeo, what is his character as
an honest, Trustworthy mani Would you,
from his general character, believe him on his
81. -. l.
great pecuniary temptation, 10 err?
Z" Mr Giliet objected to this question which
was decided in the negative by the following
vote:
"Ay-Mr Peyton.
"Noes-Messrs. Martin, Pierce, Fairfield
Gillet and Garland.
1888. Has or has he not, borne tho general
character at and about Philadelphia, oflaying
been traitor and one Of the British emissa-
ries who were engaged in smuggling gold from
the U. S. Of America, TO pay the Bitish troops
In Canada, during the late war; and or having
acknowledged and made boast of tie same
TO gentlemen in Philadelphia Did he act
sustain the general character in PhilddsIph,a,
after the ioar, Of being the keeper Of a gambling
, house, or faro bank, in that ciiy1 Does he hot
n wv sustain the character of a bankrnpi, who
is defrauding lis just creditors while he is liv-
j ing in the prison bounds of this city in style
r of princey extravaganza
! "Mr Get objected to this question which
was decided in the negative by the following
vote:
"Ay-Mr Peyton.
0 "Noos-Messrs. Garland, Pierce, Fairfield,
q Martin and Gilet"
Now, sir, il Reuben NJ. Whitney I'll 10 BIZ
u trusted with the management of your treasure,
= Is he not notorious bankrupt, now living
within the prison bounds Of this cltyl have
flied with the minority report transcript,
n which the committee rejected, but which OBJ
tanned myself from the records, Showing the
II amount Of judgments NOW in damages ogainSs
d him in the court Of this District TO be tPuards
10 ofS95,000. Sir, offered 10 prove, not only
that Whitney WAS a bankrupt, but that he was
!. guilty of the most dishonest practices to de-
ir fraud his Just creditors. We also offered IN
at prove q declaration Of Whitney himself, tha!
. if his creditors would not compromise with
him upon his own terms, he would take th,
benefit OF the insolvent act. We could havo
re proved that all that splendid and prncely es-
Enlistment Of his belonged, or had been u.ode
orer 10 others, and that he did DOT own dol
lar in his own name. And yet, sir, he gives
diplomatic dinners. His Britanie .uajestr's
m Minister lives not in more costly and mag
nificent manner than docs r. M. Whitney,
VI Yes: you who have sat at his board, & feast.
ne ed at his table, ate the meat and drank the
be wine OF honest creditors. Yes, sir, on The We.
ho ry night Of that day when Whitney took hi,
stand in contempt Of the authority Of TIM
10 House, in defiance Of its power, he gave
&C. splendid dinner, and many, | know, Of th,
members Of this House attended. The Presi
w. dent elect, tie Vice President elect, and al
the heads of the departments, went up 10 dc
him reverence Why, sir, he greatly surPo sr'
81 I'd your ten dollar Secretary. Nine hundre,
he invited guests: $500 in champagne no
H. Woodbury's sort, but the best which the pub
n. lie money could command. Sir let me ash
IN you, If The committee had then reported hin
IN for contempt, what condition would thl
W " House have been in the next morning 10 pas
" on his case7 Would gentlemen here, witt
~ Whitney's wine humping IN their heads, wit
u his beef eaten the night before still undisestod
py have been prepared TO send him 10 prison, as
ry court of Justice would have done, there to re
10 main until he was willing 10 answer interroga
lily tories Reuben, perhaps, thinks, ne mao
os others do, that the shortest way 10 mems afcc
IA, tons is down their throats
he Now, Mr. Chairman, it is little remarkabl
to that even gentlemen who were on the ban
he committee OF 1882, where his perjuriss and hi
10. treason were proven, and who could not, con
-, sequently, have been ignorant of his character
~, wee of that party. Many gentlemen doubt
less went without knowing his character
i'S some went by the force Of example others be
nc Cause, perhaps, they liked good dinner NOR
40 than they hated r. NJ. Wlitncy, though the
knew his character
o. Mr. Peyton here read from the minority re
cir port of the bank committee Of 1852.
CT "There was one occurrence, do ing III
n transactions OF Thomas Biddle Co. with III
m bank, which merits particular notice:
vi can niormer and witness, by the name
n, Whitney, who had formerly been director
a., the bank, was produced, who declared spo