Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-02-18
MoxpAr, February Ia, isia.
In SENATE.


In SENATE.
n, motion Of Mr. PIERCE, the resolution intro
d,osd by him a few weeks ago, and subsequently,
mosised was taken NJ for consideration. The re-
.olutian was read as follows:
R,rsd Th. the ssers,sry Of the TressnI, be dlr.s,
800 ohsr authority ..seI for the pSrsss o. 60
Ss M sa .seh The Same Ais. copies Of all 10.
,~ on other documents accompanying the sad ecmms-
,,sac. when they respectively entered ugSn ner dulles,
csfwhrre said ducs were .na hoy long .,sy
nc, whether the commissioners FIRST appointed made
,sGI Sss sss Se 9 1s. a .eSS ~ said
or rrs ny art which OF them forths spro,naent OF
as tvh cories of the vouehersI that have directly or IN
d'eey arsen n tas ssss%.n a. ss1 .n1 ,s
ss-,c ma. csch i,cladns al itcIns Of Incidental
AZ, tAs number and names OF Witnesses examined by
- CO rg.scncts, whether ,he eomn.slon SUI son,,
r- Sso ere now employed by them. And also TO
-, ~ f'c,s,ry pcpartmenf or on tic file there in
y'r &c OF 10 any manner affecting the coarse ef proceed
=, ~ ra or the acts aefcdto have beer
eas bg them or any OF the persons In their employ
AR PIERCE said, he did not propose to take up
the resolution with view Of consuming the time
c. the Senate. On recurring TO the report OF pro-
,,eJinss when the resolution was taken up, an I'M
rrcs.on was Jeff from reading it calculated to pro.
ures an erroneous impression. IL was inumatec
that he va. opposed to obtaining information Ear
from l.. lie had no desire to suppress Information.
Nth. Nov York custom house. de was anxious
that all corruption should be exposed, whether per-
tainios 10 tho preceding Administration or the pre-
sent. Tns commission bad been ten months IN eS-
isicaee, AMI all the information eeo'd nov DC 81
ven he no cd that such as was ready msht be pre-
serted. There undoubtedly much Information
in the Dep:rtmen; valuable to the eouniry, and I'M
port,nt in the progress of business IN the country
II any p,rtnl information was IN the Department,
l. wolld doubtless bc withheld by the Secretary Of
the Treasury uniil 1t was full enough 10 90 jus
ts-c 10 an parties. He hoped no objection would
be offered TO the resolution, which was simply one
O. inquiry.
MIR CLAY called Tor the reading of the resolu-
ton and il having been read, he said that he was
ve-v glad 10 hear the Senator ffen New Hampshire
esy t11i he WIS in favour Of bringing out ali the
m tie connected with the New York Gus. ON house.
He did not mean 20 say that The worthy Seuat
WAS opposed 20 cttunins the Information connected
with the New York custom hoIse; but, with great
Difference 10 the Senator, he must say that his reso
luton implied some objections 20 the Investigation
which had been otdeIed IN the case OF The New York
custom house. In regard TO the authority by
which this investigation was asked, he sought
information. In regard TO the authority relied upon
IN appoint commission, he did not concur with
rome hat this authority was found IN the power and
outy TO see the laws executed. He believed il e
be upon the contrary, and he made the remark
without any reference 10 the present Executive
for there had long been a precedent for ii-a gtea
abuse of power. IL was, he thought, Cros
abuse of power 10 allow the appointment Of com
mission when the effect nigh lead, il there dis
position To abuse power, 10 the worst consequence,
He had learned last night, in n conversation
with friend, that a late Secretary OF War had sen
young officers to France TO improve themselve,
in the art OF horsemanship. fLaushter.l II they
had oeen sent among the Cumanches he should moi
have bsen so much surprised, but 10 appoint young
men go 10 France to learn their style Of hcrseu;an
chip he thought was n stretch Of power little De-
yond any thing he had before heard Of
TINS very commission, now under consideration
he believed was instituted by man whose me mo.
ny was dear to US NIL, and who probably acted with
out sufficient reflection. What he said, therefore
had no particular reference 10 IL. He spoke of hi
exercise OF such a power as being unwarranied by
the Constitution and liable TO great abuss. IL
would advise the Senator from New HAMPSHIRE
10 come back 10 the resolution and the n. Y or
commis9icn-not 10 hailoo before he was out Of tn
woods. The gentleman should remember that hi
friends arc still in otice-that they have the powe
10 hold in impenei:able darkness the corruptions
his own political friends.
Dir CLAY thought, too, that there was some i'm
patience 10 regard TO the information in referenc
TO the New York commission. The report wou
be made soon enough, he believed, and If gentle
men wonld wait awhile they would have the repor,
and, II he was not much mistaken in the informa
ton he had received, they would have more OF
than their stomachs could bear.
MrPIERCE said he was not acting with no. haste
nor ives he the man TO resist the inquiry 10 get O
the information.
Mr. CLAY. Nor ami
Mr. PIERCE continued. He had great respeo
for the veto.s OF the President. But he was moi III
President OF his friends. They had as much a
they could DO 10 be responsible for their own acts
IN regard TO this subject, he had high objections
When tie power was in the hands OF the party op.
posed TO him, was Il not proper that such inorma
ton should be given He soush, the truth, and
nothing but the truth. IL the report OF the COM
mission was TO come, and was, as the Senator said,
N the course OF preparation, what possible objection
could there be 10 his resolution. He saw none
Whatever, and seemed strange 10 him that il should
meet with opposition from any quarter Whatever.
Mir MANGUM could not perceive there could be
Lny dife encs Of opinion in regard 10 this matter:
and therefore, before he closed, he should move &c
ay nc resolution upon the table ios the present
lie hid rad resolution in his drawer for ten o.
we've days calling for the information desired in
The resolution before the Senate. He had however
opposed it would be better await III. reception Of
The rspcrt from the commissioners, which might be
7ecessa:y TO cvscera.e the truth and the whole truth
upon The subject.
In regard to the auth orty by which the commits
zion was appointed, he thought there was no unne-
-ssary exercise of power 10 the appointment II
was desirable that the commission should not be
continued to an extreme length OF time, and he had
understood that oil the Information desired had not
Csen obtained by The Commissioners. 1t might be
that they had been thw ared in their investigation
and that il would be necessary 10 continue the in
yesiigatOn under the authority Of the two Houses Of
COngress-unthwarted by any Influence from any
Department whatever. He had no reflections e
make upon the head Of the Treasury Depar,men nj
Further this deponent saith not.
For the purpose of obtaining the result of th
action OF the commissioners, he would move TO ls,
The resolution upon the table.
The motion TO lay upon the table was wi.hdra W n
q, the request Of MIR Buchanan who wished TO con
time the debate.
MIR BUCHANAN said, in reply TO the Senate
from Kentucky, (Mr Cay,) that he concurred wit
him ne 20 the authority Of the commission or an,
commissions. There was no such power vested i
the President under tho exercise Of his duty 10 a.
tho laws executed. The Senator from Kentuck
admonshss us not 10 haloo before we &c, out Of Nh
woodf. Are wo 10 remain in the woods forever
We had been calling spirits from the vast deep +,
nearly ten months, but no spirit had made its ppe
arcc NO specification had been made affecting ii
Administration of MIR Van Buren, or that of Gen,
raj Jnckton. No hing tangible had been give
in regard 10 the New York cuslom-hou he be
lovcd for ten months il had been n hot. bed Of cor
rupiion, and lie wished for nlorms alton in regard
il. Tho New York custom house was now undo
the control Of the friends Of the Senator from Nor
Carolina, from Mr. Curtis down. What neec
therefore, for an investigation, he would ask
In regard TO the Statement, Of the Senator fror
Kentucky, (Mr Clay.) that the Departments an
offices were IN the possession Of the opponents Of III
Administration, he thought that such was no, tb
fact. lie had called for information upon This no;r
NJ the extra session Of Congress- bot had not 90
the information which was desired. lie intended a
move again in this matter, and when the informa
ton was received, IL would be known who held IN