The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-04-02
by the following entry en- the Journal o.
the House of the ed Of January, 1877

w va 'f~
the House of the 23d Of January, lsl7;
"Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, from the CON-
mittee TO which was referred the letter and report
of the Acting Secretary of War. on the apphca-
ton of Major General WILLIAM III. HARRISON
respecting his expenditures ofpublic money while
commanding the Northwestern army, made re-
port thereon, stating that the committee are unan-
imously of opinion that General HARRIsoa stands
above suspicion as TO his having had any pecuni-
ary or improper .ounexion with the officers OF
the commlssarial for the supply of his army that
he did not wantonly or improperly interfere with
the rights of the contractors; and that, IN hs
whole conduct as the commander OF the SAID ar.
my, he was governed by laudable zeal Tor, ana
devotion to- the public service and interest,"
Which said report was read and considered {;
whereupon, it was
Ordered, That the committee be discharged
from the further consideration of the subject, aud
that the papers be transmitted 10 the Department
of War"
All the documents from the War Depar;
men,, and the report of the Committee Of
the House, may be found il he American
State Papers, mil. Aft. vol. i, PIP. 64l and
669.) They constitute a triumphant vndi'
cation of the fair fame Of General HARRI
son from the lmpu,ailons cast upon II then,
aud are equally conclusive in answer to the
insinua,ion Of censare, which his adverse
ries at the present time seek 10 extort from
the attending circumstances, without yeDtur'
ing to revive directly the exploded charge
itself.
As these impu,alions had been the occa
sion of suspendIng the action OF Congress
upon the proposed vote Of thanks at the out
set, subsequently, when It was thus proved
that the imputatops were false and unbound.
ed, the resolution was again taken up IN the
Senate, and passed by that and the other
House, With the unanimity which has been
above stated.
These are the facts, in substance, as ex
hibi,ed at length in the journals Of Congress
aud in the public documents.
nigh, refer to the recollection OF ind
yiduals, with whom | have conversed or
correspouded on the subject, or TO the news.
papers, 10 show the views and feelings Of
the time, as these acted upon the events
But prefer to adduce piece OF au;hentic
cotemporaneous evidence, IN the following
extract from the published speech OF Mr..
BARBOUR, Of Virginia, delivered the 3lst OF
March, 1873, on the proposition to pass
vote of thanks to Colouel RICHARD NJ.
JOHNSON:
GAS TO the objection Of time, it will at once be
-, oh ha. ms M
CURED, the vote of thanks which has been award
ed in favor Of General liARRIsoN and Governor
SHELLEY. 1t is not unknown that rumor, the re-
suit of envy, some other bad passion, had at.
tempted 10 throw shade around the character
of that distinguished commander. He felt as he
ought, and sought an investigation, TO Vlndicaie
his character from the foul aspersions which had
been cast upon it, IL, after soae delay, took
place, and resulted ia an honorable acquhtal--
In the mean time the venerable SHELLEY was, at
his own request, withheld from the notice OF the
nation, as il regarded the distinguished services
he had rendered-SBLBY, a name which can
never be mentioned without awakening, IN every
American bosom, emotions of gratitude. | see
in this illustrious character a display Of that lore
OF country and chivalrous spirit which conceived
and effected our independence and, unabated by
age, ii re.appeared TO yindicate those rights, TO
the establishment Of which, in his more youthful
days, he had so essentially contributed. But lie
is generous as he is brave and no refused 10
accept tribute Of respect whose indirect conse.
queuce might have been reflection 90 the COM
mander.in. chief, to whose zeal, patriotism. and
capacity in conducting this campaign he always
bore a cheerful testimony. Colonel JOHNSON, in
huenced by the same sensibilI,y, peremptoSy re.
fused TO his friends the permission OF Bringing
kaf.. ha ertf at NJ fIa
People. /, however, will barely remark, in re-.
gard to the commanding General, that, with the
regrets which the delay of justice TO this citizen
must necessarily create, will be mingled some
consolation, in the reflection that his character
has been entirely purified from TIE ccnFure which
had been improperly cast upon It ; and that the
need now dispensed has the sanction Of the de-
llbeTate Judgment Of the nation, usbiased By pas.
sion or the false fire Of the moment. lie will
row receive il with grateful feeling, as the high.
oct reward which treemen can give, freeman
receHe."-Nat, Iateihgeaeer Of An APRIL isis.
For me to enlarge upon the eloquent truth
Of the plain and slmp;- facts Of the case, as
| have collected them from the journals and
debates of Congress, would be the vain at
tempt to gid refined gold, or to hold light
to the sun.
| will, therefore, only add, that while it
Is very common for exalted services 10 en-.
counter calumny,--and in thus respect Gen
cral HARRISON has only shared the ordIna.
~ lot OF greatness,-lt is not IN every case
that the groundlessness Of calumuious
charge can be SO amply proved, as it was IN
1917, when his conduct as commander in.
chief Of the Northwestern Army was ndI
rectly called ID question. All Congress
gave its solemn Judgment in his favor, mol
only by It's vote on the charge ITSELF but al.
so IN then passing the resolution OF thanks,
as il were, by acclamation.
| ren!ain, very respectfully.
C. CUSHING.