Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-21

pe of this country they have heretofore done, in all
proceedings affecting then lives, their property or po
llcal rights. will not be guided by the rehnemen's OF
learning bet consult their understanding and be 90
verned by tie plain dictates OF common sense. 1he
evidence the subject Of money spent for party pur-
poses has reference TO the time of S~artwou as coec
Tor The general conclusion derived from IS that The
piac,ice is confined to party, but Pervaues al
nar,es in New York. That i, is the general II not UNI.
vesa practice the best evidence is afforded og Inc WI"
ness David S. Lyon who, according 10 his own adns
sion, belonged TO both parties, arc IS well qua''eu
testify 10 the fact. $500
That the paymer! wac not compulsory but voluntary
is evident from The answer OF Iepeyser who says'Io
three years out Of FIVE, he contributed no'hng, cav
there is evidence he was prescribed by H"a!"'
With view of putting stop TO such inquire 90
70 enable Witnesses particularly ignorant men, |" KNOW
their rights and obligations, one OF lie an"e'''e
ltred the following resolution .,,J .,
"R.so'ccd That every witness upon pe..s Iav" ~,
testify shall be normedby the Chairman tnat lie Is MOI
obd 70 answer any questions upon bis private stllIs
or the private affairs OF Others
Which was re ;ecied
The examination Of this Hi,nccs, David 5. Lyon, an
Officer who had been discharged Ivy hr. toyt iron. the
custom house. lad progressed iar before II was evil
dent his intention was to eliminate the collector. ne
unLpr. cned considering the planest principles OF JUS
tee were violated by allowing the character ana repna
ton of an important officer oil the Government 10 De al
tackled as il were in the dark without his knowledge
aud without the OF asceanIng The charges maze
against him, one Of them moved the following resolu-
ton: =,
"Resoirsd, That Mr. Hoy collector, be furnished, by
the clerk with copies Of all the heterogeneous and an
swers Of David S Lyon, witness examined IN ihs IN,
vesiigation fac he has made answers 10 tneI a"u
having relation 10 the conduct OF said 5esse foyt'
Which adopted.
Blu, this being considered too great indulgence,
reconsideration moved and carried, and an amend
lnent offered as follows:
aResolred That Jesse t}oyt, the collector OF ~ YORK.
be jorthtonh summoned ciness, and that before ne
be examined tue undergraduates submitted 10 Davd D
Lyon, q witness examined this morning, ana MS an
swers thereto be read 10 him II desired, or ne be ao"
I'd 10 read them and thai he bave liberty TO attend Inc
committee during the examination o! any witness VINO
may be called upon TO testify concerning his official
conduct
The amendment was adopted, and the resolution as
amended was voted 70: by the undersigned as 0efhT
resort, or the same would have been lost.
They beg leave to call the attention OF The House ana
the country 10 this amendment-to N,s boon gwen 10
Mr. toy in his position of collector, surrounded as he
was by open and secret enemies The shape OF officers
discharged by him under mperous sense OF duty 10
the public and himself from their places in the custom
house, and foreign importing merchants, who 1ancieo
they had been injured by him in the discharge oil his
duty as collector. They beg The House and the county
TO look it in Its tcoOkd aspect as subpoena and as an
indulgence giren american citizen who had his re-
pu,aon, dearer TO honorable than life ITSELF al
stake and say, f these things pass US like summer
clouds and attract special wonder.
Mr.. Hoyt summoned 10 APPEAR torthtrtth not as
an ordinary witness, but the double character Of U
ness and party accused For apldty Of movement and
Guickness Of execution Il was more Ike ,oGrrant than
subpoena. 1t was no sooner served, than MIR. Hoyl
was in the committee room. Lyons testimony, far
i had gone read 10 him, aud he instantly
placed in the eructbe Of OF the members OF the
mitee, who examined him for consecutive hours.
We know not how others fc!; at The passing
around them; but, for ourselves it sub al deep
humiliation and has left an impression on the memory
not easily erased In the progress Of the investigation
into the official conduct OF Mr.. Hoyt, ntnlatons were
thrown occasionally in the committee that the
time had nearly arrived for the departure of The commit
tee from New York These limitations were warnings
not to be neglected. The evidence against Mr.. Hoyl
was in manuscript though not printed it would, as a
matter OF course, appear the journal All that he had
to oppose 10 1t his testimony and that of
other witnesses Justice demanded that he should
have full and fair opportunity 10 introduce rebutng
evidence Propre'y aud the pccuarty of his position
required this opportunity should be afforded him in the
city Of New York. One Of the undersigned therefore
moved the following resolution:
by reference 10 the testimony of David S. Lyon, a
witness examined IN The course Of this investigations II
appears charges of q serious character brough,
against the present collector Of New York Jesse Hoyl
and intending mplcae Benjamin +. Butler The dis
.Sici attorney of New York; and justice requires
neasd iuily IN relation 10 THE euu rrsqseg should BE-
snnsn Ia shrsad nnnn iha issvnsf
hat as the Journal conta tho poison, the antidoe (
line testimony furnishes ~ oso should appear for the
instruction OF The House and the information of the
people Of America
"Be TcSolrcd, That The committee vii! not ad;ourn
It's sangs IN The city Of New York. where the parties
reside and the evidence most likely 10 be found until
inc SAID Jesse ioyt and Benjamin +. Butler have full
and ample time 10 prepare their defence (f any they
haVe) 10 The charge against them as officers of the Go
vernment ci the ni,ed States
1t was moTed 70 lay the resolution on the table until
Tue examination OF witnesses completed and wa,
so laid the table
hs Hoyt himself, under circumstances more particu
iary developed III the Journal sent written connuni
catioh making The same demand. ,oas neither reac
TINS application was based, the refusal of MIR Howl
10 respond 10 question prOPounded him until hi.
communication was acted on. On the same day at hal
past four o'clock, Z. M the following resolution wa,
proposed:
" Resored, That this committee having nccomnlisbe,
us principal object, to inspect The books and papers
the custom house. in coming 10 the city Of New York
and desiring to inspect the books and pa pers in the Urea
suIy Department, at the City OF ashinron during th
short period OF time left The further prosecution,
OF lis inquiries viii adjourn this day ut ten o'clock
+. NJ I" meet at twelve NJ, Tuesday The 18th inst
al Inc room OF the Committee Commerce. in the Ca
Pito and that The witnesses henceorlh be summoned
appear at that place ill further ordered"
1t was moved by one Of The undersigned TO amend tn,
resolution as follows:
"Whereas III the course Of the investigations of hi,
committee, witnesses have been introduced aud sworn
whose testimony has tended 10 charge the present col
lector OF the port of New York IS ilh official misconduct
and whereas tine said collector has applied to this com
mtee tor permission to BE- heard relation thereto aRr
10 go into iul investigation thereof BY witnesses TO b.
produced by him; aud requesting such full investigation
may be Ind here, lin The city of New York; where he
alleges that the witnesses whom he wishes to introduce
resde and whereas is due 10 the fair and full admins
raton Of justice that the said collector should have
full opportunity TO rebuff the charge thus made agains,
him; and whereas several witnesses are now under OK
animation before this committee the testimony OF whom
Is not yet closed and whereas from the fact that seye
raj witnesses have been under examination at the
same time, the testimony Of several Of whom is
not now before the committee either in manuscript, or
in print "a portion Of the manuscript, being in the hands
OF Inc pnter the committee have not at this lime the
means OF ascerlaning the eiec, 10 be given to that es
timony, or the nature thereof and individual members
OF the committee consequently unable (un better
opportunity should be afforded 10 mine said testimony
10 determine how much further the examination Of the
witnesses should proceed what other witnesses ough,