Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-02-15

=; r, ib,i one is sure 10 b.. ara"iued To Office
Who Is ! :Itt hes i:iir-' = s-!': ~ - 81 ST.
l.r T.; mat F.1iy Gi; .:c.i ..r gentleman i."' .'"
ac,s HI. hoped the charge ra.ht prove |" De un'f
hul he hope there not one other gentleman oi '
par,y wlu in all probability was implicated that wou'u
hesitate about making this inquiry Hhat Is Tue ""'I
or This inquiry: 1t is ~ make that certain ana h"'u
which IS no% uncertain and doubtful. H. IS 10 as
certain the of the member oi Congress anu
I'M, rbrad and front oil his offending, Thai si''s III
ouiry is ashed-and he trusted that no pleas ~ spec
,r y,arnes would now be urged against it. lie con-
s;d.red this charge sufficiently SPECIFIC; ana lie "Hu'n
Tell those gentlemen who alone con'd be Implicated oy
it, that they had better pause before they voted against
this inquiry They could on, and II they chose v"'c
uuv on this occasion but he would tell them at t'y
need not try shield themselves undrr cover o lie ree
dom and iceno;sness OF the press, because the lpu-
ta,ion would rest upon lem If they refused to Institute
the inquiry, and clear the matter up me member
ouot 10 be known, be he Senator or be he representa-
tive The Editor of the paper alluded TO- was RESPONSE
Bile for The Charge he had made and although me el'e
IN which the Editor referred anony mous, Sill IL was
over the signature of The Spy in Washington, ana
that letter. rer is well known here as The Edor Of
the Courier and Enquirer This letter writer reierrP"
In documentary evidence prove The fact winch he as
s,rs so that the OF the member OF Congress nsl
be to this agreement or whatever 1t may be, and he
should like that gentleman ssgnature who ~ou!d
place il such an instrument as THIS
Mr. !;Dndin said he under considerable suspense
n, TO what he should do when he first heard his col
League announce this subject, and lie was struck with the
great indenileness Of the charge. Ills colleague now.
ever had since rendered il a little more SPECIFIC, ana
now charged that II was some one among Tue rehus vi
the Administration.
Mr.. Wise explained that the presumption was That II
was some one who had influence TO sell.
hlr. Boudin said whoever was alluded 10 was I'M
known to him, perhaps much more 81 ll!an 10 Inc gen
t!eman himself for il impossible Tor Mr. IS TO know
ANYTHING about it, But when the character and honor Of
the urmbers of this House thus Implicated, IN The
first instance all being involved and then again one SIDE
taken OUT and all that side unfortunately involved,
while the other entirely excluded and he himself
member Of the side included, he could not remain alto.
aellier silent Mr. knew what was the effect OF such
matters and he had witnessed, previous occasion,
the imprudence Of gentlemen saying any thing when
these round charges made In the Instance alluded
to- the whale House generally charged with having,
been drunk on certain OCCASION and q man underak-
ing say something for the House was condemned so
far Us Mr. B. knew, throughout The u S, drunkard,
though Mr. T. him take glass in his Life
So wonld he again it, when any Of their brethren got
IN and made 4 charge against the whole House. or
against halt of it, The member who would get up to re-
pei would hGIsef run tie risk OF being held guilty
Of it.
Mr. g. said he never felt much at a loss in his life
10 know hat of vote TO give though lie was al no
loss to know the effect The resolution would have upon
the House and every member OF 1t a. menbcr Tor they,
none Of em could, by any sort Of exception, so con
l.ive 10 except themselves In SO much, ara as iar
as the House itself disgraced by being lndsc'IIn
na,cY charged with this that, or the other offence,
no man, member Of it, could possibly be excepted no
man could help involving himself. lie you'd mol make
hundred and fifty men, without some Of them being not
quite good they might be- and were they I" set about
irrrrling the truth Iaschood Of every malicious
and lying paragraph of the newspapers that chose 10
publish these things They wpre however, IN tins po-
sillon that il they refused 10 investigate, 1t would be
in month Of that they afraid 10 60 into 1t,
and if they did go into investigation oil tins KIND,
they would have little character 10 investigate
Mr. Boon said, that he understood that another Com.
Inec Of hrcsiicdOn asked for TO inquire into the
alleged dishonesty and coruplions OF members OF Con.
gress brought before the country By irresponsible spec
taclrd letter. rers who have been permitted to lounge
about this ball. Willy and SANDER the members Of ts
House Sir these lctter-wrers charge that certain
member of Congress offered 10 sell his influence To lhc
Administrations and by another OF these letter." rlters
is alleged that sum of money was lately stolen IRON
the Sergeant, al Arms by Members ct Congress. S!r,
knowing do. that neither Of these foul charges apply
TO me Individually shall not by my vote give import
ance to these base SANDERS Of the reputation OF honest
men. Sir, let OF these leer-wrtcrs dare 10 apply
their false charges to myself personally and will settle
the by applying my isl TO his spcctacles SIR,
repeat that if Of these specialized letter writers Will
dare TO apply such bascy false charges 10 myself person
ay and will himself to be the author oil The ca.
lumny, will, so help God, punish him out OF this
House, with those weapons which The God OF Nature
has endowed me with
Mr. Whil,lesev of Ohio was understood to express
his rrrret that this resolution had been introduced, but
nasnc the charge Implicated every member of the
House, and affected the honor and character ut the
House itself its reputation demaIscd that ms lnresl'
cation should take place The plan proposed was in his
opinion, the suitable one, and the history Of this
country repe,e with presidents, number OF which
were cited by Mir. w.
MIR Pone considered that the House Of Representa-
ycs was bound TO institute this investigation, and re-
iered TO proceed TO show That inquiries had
been instituted Into charges OF similar character.
Mr. GIascock said, that although this charge was not
az definite MS lie could wish it, still he thought the
luton ought to be adopted. He should, however, like 10
have it modified. to state whether It Was member
Of this House which charged, because lie thought
titufp in
alion TO CHARGES against members OF the other House
If, however the charge was against member OF this
House lie thought due 10 the character OF the House,
and the character of the individual, whoever he might
be- that the investigation should be had. lie was I'm
willing that this iaputuon should rest against any
member Of this House, because he did believe That
wonld turn out to be unounded, or, II the language
used should to he true. that would be so Sa.
sfacorly explained that the individual will be eSoner.
aled from all criminal intention, intention Of doing
corrupt act.
He hoped however that the gentleman from Virginia
would make the modification he had suggested so as to
make the resolution point 10 the fact, whether 1t is
member of this House which may be implicated
Mr. Wise said this made as though he was max
ing the charge. The charge was made by another and
responsible person. and all he asked was that the House
mint inquire into the facts, and see if the charge
true. lit found 10 be Senator, instead Of Rep
resen,ative the committee could report that fact TO the
House, and it can do no harm.
Mr. Dawson would suggest 10 the gentleman 10 make
his resolution joint resolution.
hIr. Glascock presumed it WINS known by some one
here whether This charge against Senator, or mem
her Of this House. and whom il made against. 1t
had been said 10 he sure that the letter alluded TO was
Anonymous hut it must be recoIcctcd that the "Spy in
Washington is well known here and he presumed that
person would no, hesitate moment 10 give the name Of
The individual referred 10, al least 10 60 so far as 10
say whether he was member Of this the other branch
of Congress and if this individual, (the Spy) who
now within the hearing of his voice, would come down
from his present position, and say whether it is men
Der of this House he believed this resolution would be
| agreed 10 by overwhelming majority.
! Mr.. Wise. Suppose il is member of the Senate.
Mr.. Gascock. Then | would move 10 lay the esoIu.
| ton OH the table.