Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1839-03-16
CON GRE SSION IL.
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

whose labors the country has been looking with
deep anxiety for some weeks past, made a re
port to the House. through their chairman, Mr.
Harlan. The report is voluminous, but SO re
duced to system in its composition and arrange
ment Of facts will render it most convenIen
for use, as well easy of comprehension. VIZ
have the pleasure Of presenting to our readers
in the subjoined extracts, the PREDATORY remarks
Of tho report, and the conclusions which the
committee deduced from the testimony takeI
by them. These speak in terms OF alarming
apprehension in regard to tho manner IN which
have becn of late, executed the duties OF sever
al Of tho primary Offices OF the government
upon the efficiency Of whose administration the
security Of the national treasure must ever de-
pend But, not having had time TO read atten
lively the body of the report, We cannot attempi
TO say how far, if at all, the conclusions exceed
the strength Of their premises. We consequently
cannot do more now than promise a recurrence TO
the subject at an early day.
The Minority Of the committee also submitted
report, the leading features Of which, far as
they fall short of clear implication of officers
Of government, embody, We understand, some
singular positions, we'll worthy Of notice here
after in columns.-Nat. Int.
PREDATORY REMARKS OF THE COM
MITTEE'S REPORT.
Tho Select Committee, chosen by the House
Of Representatives on the 18th and 10Th ultin,o,
won't, late collector of the customs at the port OF
New York, and of other officers, have devoted TO
the faithful discharge of the duties assigned them
the limited time allowed for tho purpose by the
shortness Of the present session OF Congress
Il was most obvious, however, that the whole
field Of inquiry presented by the resolution aP-
pointment of tho committee, could not be proper
" trav ersed TO report thereon, either satisfactory
" to the country or to the committee, during the
short remainder Of the present session. Tins
IMPRESSED upon the committee at once a resou-
ton, which has been rgdly adhered to, of limit
ing the investigation to such branches OF the sub
iects referred TO them as had most deeply excited
public anxiety and alarm, and to undertake only
much of these might be thoroughly OK
hausted within tho allotted period OF the COM +
mitfee's researches. But the important results /
which have been attained not wHhstanding The
disadvantages adverfed to, cannot fai! to inspire
the country with confident hore, that the high
obligation which will upon tho successors of
tho present Congress in the Legislature Of the |
nation. to resume and complete the great work
of investigation and reform of the alarming con-
diion and abuses Of the Executive departments
of the government, from the highest 10 the low
est, and from the nearest to the remotest func-
tons, will engage the prompt and efficient at
tsnton which its magnitude demands.
Guided solely by the character of the devel-
opments which the investigation imposed upon
them by the House, has elucidated, the commit
leo cannot resist Inc CoD'lCtiOn t1tt a. ho Peti-
cd in the history of the federal government has
there been deeper better founded cause than
exists at the present moment, for every patriot
heart to desire prompt consumation OF that sig
nal .'task of reform" ,riich public sentiment
many years since inscribed on the list Of EIcca
tire duties, in characters too leg5e to be overlook
cd requiring "particulary, the correctio OF those
''abuses that have brought the patronage of the
"Federal Government into conflict with the free
"dom Of elections, and tho counteraction Of those
causes phich hare disturbed the rightful course
"of appointment, and hare placed or continued
.porer in unfaithful or incompetent hands,
The first procedure of the Committee, after
erganizng itself for business, was to visit the s.
city ofNcw York, TO inspect there, i'll person, the
original records and papers Of the ustonhouse,
conjunction with the examination OF such wit lie
nesses might be capable of shedding light upon n
the inquiry involved by the defalca,ions of Mr.. d
Swartwout. Thsnceforward this branch of the tr
investigation pursuant to the resolution of the
House, VIZ: to ascertain the and extent m
OF those deaications; tho length Of time they te
have existed the correctness Of the which
have been made by Mr.. Swartwout and bv the a
naval officer Now York, and bv other officers II
with the adjustment of his accounts. ia
Concurrently with the investigation of Mr. I"
'wartwouts defalca,ions, those of William NJ a
rice, late district attorney in New York, were
kewise kept in view and the fullest practicable e.
xtent Of informa ton respecting them has obtain u
"a, and Will be adverted to IN the sequel OF this !"
eport. ~
The correctness of the returns which have O:
zen made by the present collector of customs &C
nd tho naval officer at the por, ofNew York, was
iso sought to be examined by tho committee So
rhile in that city. considering that the Gus 10
'ms collected at New York equal nearly two on
l'rds of the whole amount in al the United
tates,"-a stated in the special report of the
scrotary Of the Treasury on Me- Swartwou,'s re
'iacafions House doc. Is, p 6, of the present pa
ssion ) the committee did no, suppose tina,
ey should faithfully discharge their duty to s,
% House, pay proper defence to that pa,ri- he
&c dis,rust which prevades the country at the m,
resent time in regard to the affairs of the Gus ba
'mhouse at New York, were they to limit an
elr inquiries the returns of the late collector mr.,
ID naval officer, and neglect entirely those of n,
's'r SUCCESSORS, which must at all times be 10 de-
. country OF equal interest with the former of
e, 1t the present time, Of even more immedi- he
y Importance to the security of the national 70
,.sssury. But, in the execution Of so much of -;
ns part of their inquiries related to the pres
~ collector Of New York, they were compelled no,
encounter most unexpected obstacles, inter 9th
'sed oy the collector himself, and setting at de-
nee the authority delegated to the committee inf
we House. The facts connected with the -.