The pilot. [volume] (Baltimore [Md.]) 1840-1840, 1840-04-13
No. 3.

lnteiigehcer of the I'D Of March, 1916.
The House at first referred this letter to the
! Committee on Public Expenditures and after
| waGds TO the War Department TO have the facts
| investigated there, and then reported to Con-
gress.
| The answer of the War Department, contain
| ing the evidence which completely exonerated
| General Harrison, came in at the beginning of
the next session OF Congress; and the whole mat
Ter was referred TO select committee, consisting
OF Col. Richard NJ. Johnson, of Kentucky, Mr..
Creighton, OF Ohio, MIR. Peter, of MARYLAND,
Mr.. Forneyi of North Carolina, Mr.. Smith, Of
| Maryland, Mr.. Hubert, of New Hampshire, and
Mr.. Thomas M. Nelson, of Virginia.
The result of their investigations appears by
the following entry on the journal of the House
of the 23d OF January, 1917.
"Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky from the COM
miltee to which was referred the letter and re-
port Of the Acting Secretary of War, on the APP
| plicaton of Major General William IL. HarIi-
| son, respecting the expenditures OF public money
while commanding the Northwestern Army,
made report thereon, stating that the committee
are unanimously of opinion that General Harri-
son stands above suspicion as to his having had
any pccuniary or improper connexion with the
officers of the commissarat for the supply of his
army; that he did not wantonly or improperly in
tertere with the rights of the contractors; and
that, in his whole conduct as the commander of
! the said army, he was governed by Iaudable
zesl for, and devotion to, the public service and
interest. Which said report was read and con-
sdered, whereupon, it was
"Ordered, That the committee be discharged
from the further consideration of the subject, and
that the papers be transmitted to the Department
| of War.
All the documents from the War Department,
and the report of the Committee OF the Ho Use,
NAV be found in the American State Papers,
! Mil Aft. vol. j, PIP. GA and 66l.) They consti-
tu!e triumphant vindication of the fair fame OF
General Harrison from the imputations cast up
on il then, and are equally conclusive in answer
tothe insnuations OF censure, which his adyer-
Sares at the present time seek TO extort from the
attending circumstances without venturing to
revive directly the exploded charge itself
Asthese imputations had been the occasion of
suspending the action OF Congress upon the pro-
posed vote of thanks at the outset, subsequently,
when it was thus proved that the imputations
were false and unfounded, 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
f These are the facts, in substance, as exhibited
at length in the journals of Congress and in the
public documents.
might refer to the recollection OF individuals,
f with whom have conversed or correspondent on
the subject, or to the newspapers, to show the
views and feelings of The time, as these acted
upon the events. But prefer TO adduce piece
of authentic contemporaneous evidence, in the
following extract from the published speech OF
Mr.. Barbour of Virginia. delivered the 3lSt Of
March, 1918, on the proposition TO pass vote OF
thanks to Colonel Richard NJ Johnson.
tAs 10 the objectionE oftime it will at once be
removed by rejecting on thai which has Just oc-
Cured, the vote of thanks which has been awar-
ded in favor of General Harrison and Governor
Shelby 1t is not unknown that rumor, the re-
| suit of envy or some other bad passion, had at
/ tempted 10 throw a shade around the character
of that distinguished commander. He felt as he
ought and sought an investigation, to vindicate
his character from the foul asperSionS which had
been, cast upon it. 1t, after some delay took
place. and resulted in an honorable acquittal-
In The mean time the venerable Shelby was, at
his own request withheld from the notice of the
nation assit is regarded the distinguished servi-
ces he had rendered-Shelby name which can
, never be mentioned without awakening, in every
American bosom, emotions OF gratitude. l see
in This illustrious character display of that love
of country and chivalIous spirit which conceived
and effected our independence; and unabated by
age it reappeared to vindicate those rights, to the
establishment of which, in his more youthful
DAYS he had so essentially contributed. But he
: is as generous as he is brave; and he refused 10
accept tribute of respect whose indirect conse-
uuence might have been reflection on the COM
man der-in-chief 10 whose zeal, patriotism, and
capacity in conducting this campaign he always
bore cheerful testimony. Col. Johnson lnfiuenc,
ed by the same sensbility peremorily refused
to his friends the permission OF bringing tins
subject before the Representatives OF the People.
l. however will barely remark, in regard TO the
/ commanding General, that, with the regrets
which the delay ofiustice to this citizen must mes
| cessarily create, will be mingled some consola
tion in the reflection that his character has been
f entirely purified from the censure which had
: been improperly cast upon it; and that the NEED
f now dispensed has the sanction of the deliberate
judgment of the nation, unbiased by passion or
r the false fire Of the moment. He will now re-
ceive it with grateful feeling, as the highest re-
= ward which freemen give, or freeman re-
ceive.n Nat. Istetigencer of All april, 1918.
: For me to enlarge upon the eloquent truth OF
A plain and simple facts ofthe case, as have col.
: iected them from the journals and debates OF
2 Congress would be the vain attempt to giid re-
. fined gold, or to hold light to the sun:
Twill, therefore, only add, that while it is very
common for exalted services to encounter calum-
; ny.-and in this respect General Harrison mas
$ oniv shared the ordinarylot of greatness-it IS
not in every case that the groundlessness OF
: calumnious charge can be so amply proved, as
: il was in 1917, when his conduct as commander
in-chief of the Northwestern Army was inairect-
" called in question. All Congress gave us 50,
lemn judgement in his favor, not only by us Vo'e
on the charge ITSELF but also in then passing inc