Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-14

inc demanded that the papers II cohu,eu souiu o
ra This was before the committee submitted Their
49,. =. ,ho Housr but, after it had been prepared
In snc.lnr of the member, however, ne did not say u
was ttbc gentleman from New York, MI SMITH the
same gentleman who called HIM TO oraef LOT referring
10 what took place before the coni:'Pe; but ne was
of opinion that the gentleman from t,e" 10Th "au
Joined in desiring that the papers should DC opened ana
read
The SPEAKER, in reply to question from mem.
her here stated that the papers III questoh were ae
vered TO him by Mr.. Campbell, the chairman OF the
committee: they were enclosed IN sealed envelope,
and were directed to INN as oPedhei' nat "a' nc
first time he saw them
Nj TIfRNEY said he would like TO know from the
chairman of the committee how ana III "hal way nc
came in possession OF them
Here scene of great confusion arose, many mem
bers attempting to speak once, and which rendered
, ,r,ss;he for the Reporter to hear with dstlnctncss
AIR SMITH of Connecticut having with some dIfh-
Guilty obtained the floor, said that ne had not called tc
gentleman from Ohio to order Tor alludng TO any thing
1Ter.onal 10 him as a member of the committee but on
H. nnd that under the resolution of the House, il
was ont of order To refer to the proceedings OF the
committee With respect TO the suggestion that some
o,b,r NJ the committee had held very improper COM
| municaton with of the parties, (clamans,) he
knew very well that the gentleman alluded to hni-
Ne knew that that he was the person alluded to, be-
cans, 4 was himself who delivered the testimony TO the
cI,;rmon Of the committee, and the gentleman, if so
disposed, might make as much oil mat TACT as ne
| pleased
| On this admission there was some auS"'er from va
rious parts of the hall.
| Mr : said that If gentlemen supposed what he had
.,id ;unlicd any conscious guilt, they were much mis-
taken but if they chose laugh, they could do as they
pleased.
; s;npulor circumstance He said that while the gen
eman from Ohio had been dcnouncing the alleged I'M.
nroppr communication with one OF the parties, he naa
acknowledged lha, he himself had been holding such
| communication. The denuncIation was all on one
side When The gentleman rises and throws lmputa-
Enns IN others he at the same time, tells the House
that he has letters from of the parties informing
| him of what going on
Mr. S. went on to state, the dispositions IN question
were sent to this city, under cover, to the Hon MIR
oborne and under the envelope there a letter d.
: rcctcd 10 him, Mr.. Smith, and which any member
m;uht read The letter was of a polltIca! character
and merely mentioned that the dispositions forwarded
had reference TO the illegal votes The superScrplor
on the envelope containing the testimony, was lo the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, care OF the
Hon Mr. Campbell: dispositions on the New Jersey
case. ~
Mr. S said that, at the request of Mr. Osborne, he
took the paper and gave il TO the chairman OF the com
mjt,ec surprising that the committee had power tc
send for persons and papers, he had right to open II
He Mr. s. had been merely the instrument OF taking
from his room and giving II To the chairman oil th'
committee. There was nothing IN the whole t'n!
which could cast the least lmputatIon on HIM MI ,
concluded by complaining that the previous quesloI
had been moved before time had been gwen INN &c
make the above explanation.
Mr. MEDll.L said, that so far as the gentleman
explanation had represented hun as acknowledging
; when IN, tha. he himself had been holding CON
munication with the parties, or either Of them, It wa
wholly untrue. lie had made no such admission OF
Acknowledgement What he had SAID was that he llit
been shown letter received by an individual in tl
. city and which then lay before him, confirming th'
susplcons that he had previously expressed IN ciaol
/ TO the imperfect nature of the testimony III question
and the injustice that might have resulted from lis con
sideration These suspicious were freely expressed u
,lr committee room, and N presence oil The gentleman
= from Connecticut ilr Smith! himself He was take
. by no surprise this floor, he very properly acknow
+, ledyes lie (llr VI had held communication WI
either of the parties would he consent TO consIde
= any testimony not received through the ordinary chan
ncs prescribed by law and the rules of this House, u
= less the party whose rights affected had hTst a
opportunity ofbcing heard He had never intended
II refer To the matter this floor, but had been driven
II il hy the nnustabc attack Of the gentleman from Ne'
ID York, Mr.. Fillmore.
!, Mr. CAMPBELL asked leave To ntrodYcc resolu
=, ton that the journal Of the committee and all the paper
in its possession, relation to the New Jersey comics
\ ed election, be printed for the use othe House Nh;
70 had passed to-day in the House rendered, he though
.. such measure proper, and almost necessary.
n Objections beng made by Mr. RICE GAi'LANl
IA and several others,
:. enable h!m TO nia:c such motion. - ''"S
n. rhc noise was very great, and The Chair nrr"ste
is 4ss R;%G9""'"s' "'' ~ ~
: After much confusion, and without coming to an
IN decision the House proceeded to the orders Of the da
&c (privue bills)