Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-21
THURSDAY, yN.sRCg FL, 1899.

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whom no charge is made. however innocent. must be
blind, indeed. II he DOES not see-his sens bity must
be bluned if he does mt feeihat the inquiry anne
casts ahade OF suspicion his Character that in pu5
lie opinion he Is more than half condemned by the act
OF The House. Such proceedings II tolerated, calu.
lated to degrade the officer in his esteem and in that
of the public and The inevitable consequence is to drive
! from the service Of the State every honorable
TO allow either House Of Congress- BY IFS action alone,
n direct lis scrutiny into the conduct Of this that par
ticular officer whou, charge allegation suggestion Of
misconduct, would be to usnrP an authority not recog
Missed by the Constitution and liable in high party times,
10 great sbuse II woud be arbitrary exercise Of
power of ordinary character Similar 10 the SIC colo
of the Roman lady, it would he the
Of despotsm For the pupose of testing this great prin
ciple, and asrertaning the sensc Of the cnIs~tee it,
one OF the Undersigned submitted the following resolu
| ton
"Uhsre0s doubts appear exist 10 the mower con
ferrcd the committee by The resolution of the House
of Representatives; and as it is important that distinct
expression Of opinion should be given the subject for
the information of the House, under whose authority we
act, and The people OF the United States:
BE IL rcsOlctd That ii is the deliberate opinion Of
this committee, that the authority conferred on them by
the resolution Aforesaid is limited in its character; that
II Is confined to the investigation Of the late Cralcatuns
and 10 the actngs and doings Of the officers Of the Go.
yernmenl therein contained against whom any charge
is made suspicion Of misconduct rests but that they
not authorized by virtue ot The said resolutions
call upon all any OF the officers aforesaid exhibit
their books papers, accounts and coespondpn unless
some foundation IS laid for the inquiry, by distinct
charge, general rninnr, the suggestion "f some
Der oi the committee upon his responsibility, that there
is cause 10 believe there misconduct in the manage.
merit of the Office; that any other practice would be dan
gerOus 10 The rights Of Individuals arbitrary in it's cha
racler, and in direct conflict it'll the genius and prnc
pies Of our Republican Government. The committee,
far from considering such power eve! intended
to be conferred them. of opinion that the
Of such uniimed auko,ty, by The House IF Repre-.
ssnares a0ne, would BE- violation of the Constitution,
and the common principles OF justice.
Which was rejected.
Al Il subsequent meeting Of the committee when the
reading OF the journal was 10 progress the Of the
resolution proposed to amend it, by striking the last
sentence, and substituting The following:
the committee, lar from considering anv other
power nded TO be confer RED, Of opinion the
delegation, by The Iouse Of Represe natives done Of
unlimited amhOrty to call all officers, rthOut reStric
Hon would be violation Of The Constitution, and the
principles of common Justice
II IS evident the obrct of the not TO change
the nature Of The pr0poson but TO express. in dis
unct language the idea intended 10 be conveyed This
reasonable request lneI"raby refused and the pro-
position itself no, allowed be inserted the journal
Ii is submitted. without further commentary, to the
calm Judgment Of The House, and the intelligence OF the
people The "latter being seldom wrong III their OPT
Mons; in their sentiments never"
BY the of that resolution and the pur
sued by the majority OF the committee, ii manifest
common observer, the of Swartwout and Price
To b., partially, al least abandoned and field
OF discovery opened and entered upon.
The Undersigned, fully impressed with this idea deem
ed it duty they owed House md the country 10
have distinct expression Of opinion by the committee
the subject OF the deia'calions OF Swarwout and Price
Constituting the undersigned supposed the principal
object of The House in raising the committee.
For tins purpose, one OF the Undersigned submitted
the following resolution ,,,.. NJ Re.
uher"s "n@e! The s,5 5Ts%"iiHa"c Snnea 10 York
was To attain that object the persons and papers ot"g
there TO enable them make the necessary examination
IA nd
greatly exc,ted on The subject, and 10 ks I" thus commit
tee Tor thorough investigation "lo 'ie acuns' ""' w.
ipps of the persons above mentioned:
BE il rrso!rcd, That this COMMITTEE Will proceed
r;h all p,ssible despatch to investigate the case oil
Swortwnrt in which they have made considerable p'n
prpss; and when that is complete and ended, they vi"
lake up the case of Price, and give that thorough IN
ves,igatlon.
The call under the resolution before aiaded 10, was
made on Mr. Hoyi the present Collector ior papts anu
documents IN rririor 10 his osh;la conapct. ne re-
sponded in a written communication hno Among o'"e
,,,ers asked if the committee considered HIM as De
Caul,er and embraced in the resolution OF the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES The replication was by a resolution
in the following words go
.ResOired That il the response to the letter o MI
lIoy, NJ, The 2Sh inst, the chairman be Instructed 10
cali upon him again, to furnish tins committees VIII Az
le,srs not heretofore furnished, from the RVern o!ces
NJ The Treasury Department. To The late and present COZ
i,r. a, NV York and from said collectors 10 SAID OIL.
or the Treasury Department, since the Isl cay OF
January 1887 up to the l1ih day OF January lSo al"
alec with all orders and instructions from SAID cicefs 10
s,id collectors and the answers OF SAID COLLECTORS hs'e
" r. anu no heretofore furnished, since the fst day o
Io,n,Iy 1887 M to the l7h day ol January, lc"9
- 1,6 he II further rsS0rsd That this committee can
no, recognise any authority or TIghl Whatever h any
,occor receiver dIsbursPr OF the pubic money W
II rnon she committee, or amy 0f lis members to
nrefer or to d,saruw a charge OF his being oeiaupr
before such officer sends the correspondence OF MS "
flee when required under the auth"i!'y Z" 'e iiousc "
snn -.
b ia committee to inquire into and make report OF airy
dcCaca,ions among COLLECTORS RECEIVERS and oiSoorSes
,r The pubic money which may now exist NOT can
this committee, amy oil It's members, report "heh
Mr Hovt is or is not nOW defansr, unh oy eShHHh',
49,, r he .persons and papers for winch has sent and
~ send il shall discover who are The deIau'ers Tue
n, III AFFILIATIONS the length OF time they have tx
;.d and the causes which led TO them And when Inc
mn,tcc shall have found the facts embraced by these
ss or closed It's investigation 1t will make reIofl
Thereof to the House OF Representatives
r. This resolution the House will perceive the OPT
n;n entertained by the majority OF the committee, az 10
The tXient Ut Their power, anu Tic n''ee o"S '"1'
! carving 1t into execution r.
The doctrine here avowed IS, mat an oifcer o, 70
| r,,,ment against whom charge is made OF deiaca
,;r and no suspicion expressed Is called upon 10 e2n
hin the pnpers OF his Office not IN compliance WIN me
eop,si,ions of existing laws, but the ipse di1n com
mes protesting TO act under The order oil me House
Gi0Rc and whn say 10 MN they cannot
,erort whether he is not nOw dcduiter, un by
rrri,,,ion Of the 'persons and papers, for Which II
las spu, and will send il shall discover who are the de-
| fau,ers" .
If the political doctrine contained in The resolution is
tho doctrine Of The House Of Representatives, 1t Is I'M
pnr,ant should be known to the people II De wrong
hov will nh, their mark Of disappEobatien on H. II IL
is roht they will give it The sanction OF 'heif OPINION;
Bul unit! they do give il their sancon the undersigned
will consider The doctrine at variance with every pilnc
ole of liberty and individual right
Mr. lloyt complied with the resolution, and furnished
, r,r.rs. but Demanded Of the committee as on act o
;,;c. and matter OF right, that they would 60 into
thorough investigation of his oicsl conduc, prior Ia
their departure from New York The blouse WI see
hereafter what attention paid 10 ib's reasonable re
J quest ,u,. o,,syed in the
;.a1inn nf iun and snnlpilines q greater numoer %