The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-08

origin Of what has since occurred. |, being second
upon the list Of the committee, fell painful delicacy
in my situation and in consequence of what hes rd
said about The House, and in all the streets, had
conversation vii ID my colleague, in which stated TO
him the facts, far they were pertinent 10 the sub
! ject uusl that while my colleague is engaged in
defending himself he will abstain from gratutous and
unjust assaults upon others, at least upon me.
| MIR; ADAMS, resuming My colleague has said
eveyT thing but what | asked of him. and what it
| imports this House 10 know ! asked him from
whom he obtained the information that il was con-
emplated TO appoint him to the chair of the commit
tee, and what il that made him feel himself in
very delicate situation that he was induced to che
IRISH purpose TO resign his seat in the Committee
that account That surely was not from what was
said here by the member from Albemarle in his con-
yersation with the Speaker. / did suppose that,
| the member from Albemarle was the individual who
made the communication here, that il was he who
had presented to the mind oil my colleague the pros
| pect of his rise by my fall. | now ask him from
whom that communication Gamer The Member from
| Albemarle and the gentleman from Indiana (Alr.
| ProfiD have both disavowed it; il could not have
been gathered from the motion of the member from
Albcmarle and the conversation about the streets.
| 1t was from something stronger than that that my
colleague had felt himself placed in situation so
embarrassing that he contemplated resignation, AS
to reference here to private conversations, hold
ing placed in the situation stand in, justi-
| fed in repeating them for my own defence. The
| member from Albemarle has read here a letter
written by thirty years ago, and of the most pri
yate and confidential character. do not complain
| of that
| " Let envy jealousy or cankered spite
Proclaim what have done by day, or said by night
No man shall find me shrinking from the disclo-
| sure. say do not complain of the member from
| Iattar
of mine, written in the most confidential manner and
| in very peculiar times If the gentleman will send
me the latter, will thank him, and will take an OPP
portunity of defending what then wrote.
IA voice I" 1t has been printed in the report 1t is
| in the paper."]
If my colleague thinks proper, after my disclaimer
of all charge upon him, to take what | have said as
offensive himself, cannot help it. never charged
| him with having encouraged the tamperlng OF which
| | spoke. What he said to me, the contrary, was
equivalent to declaration that he would have no
thing to do with it, If the gentleman resigned his
seat the next on the list OF preierment would, UNI
derstand be the member from Albemarle himself.
do not charge that my colleague ready to resign
| in order TO make way for that member, and when
private conversation takes place to facts which
vital to my defence an accused party, hope my col
league will not consider me as ntruding upon the
| House when do refer to such conversation. again
| ask him to name the men that did give him
| the information of which he spoke to me.
Mr.. CUSHING. My colleague saw fit to conjec-
ture thing injurious to the gentleman from Vir-
ginia, Mr. Gilmer) and on that foundation proceeds
| to affirm it, and over verified fact. He
| now changes his ground. He first made an accusa-
ton against the gentleman from Virginia, which does
not necessarily affect me- though 1t involves the gen
| teman from Virginia, viz an improper attempt to
'tamper' with But he goes farther, and states
another thing fact, which does invole me, VIZ my
going to him and stating that such tamperng had
taken place; thus placing in the dishonorable at
ude of having been the subject of an improper APP
plicaton very delicate subject, and then going
as an informer and communicating the conversation
to my colleague My colleague assumes that such
proposition was made to me- and now calls on me TO
! state who made it !, Now, if any communication had
been made to me, in the injurious sense meant by
my colleague though he may assume the right OF re-
peating private conversations, do not and still less
what is said to me in strict confidence. But my col
| league can readily attain his end by calling success
sively on the members of the committee for the
cusation is against some one OF them do not choose
to be put in the position of witness here So far as
| know there has been no tampering no proposition
/ certainly ever made to me.
Mr. GILMER (the floor being yielded,) asked
again MIR. Gushing to say whether he had made any
communication to him on the subject referred TO by
his colleague, directly or indirectly
Mr.. CUSHING. None, whatever.
/ MIR. RHEET and sad | not in the
House when the facts alluded took place, but have
since the report of them, it is given in the In
telligencer Not acknowledging the prolrety amongst
gentlemen OF pTlVale anu CONVERSE
ton this floor, must ask the permission of the gen
tleman from Massachusetts Mr.. Cushng) to narrate
what occurred between relative to this matter, espe-
cially the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr
Adams, after assang SO many others, seems now TO
i have singled out Tor his tomahawk, and the House
knows with what Iemorseessness he goes to work n
his victims.
/ Mr.. Gushing having expressed his assent +
Mr. Rhet sand After the gentleman from Massa-
chusetls had submitted his motion to the House,
| hat the( m m EorpiUn fairs shouIu
choose new chairman, if they thought it proper 10
do so, was passing the Clerks table where the
gentleman from Massachusetts Mr.. Cushing) was
standing, and said to him ELL Mr.. Gushing, as
you stand second the liz. vf the committee, sup
pose shall have TO elect you chairman which
that gentleman replied "No sir; | neither nor
will serve" "Bul suppose" replied, 1--WE cleo you,
what can you do p he answered, " he House may
appoint a chairman cannot and will not serve, If
el.cted.h
And now, if the gentleman from Massachusetts, can
make any thing of this, either against or his col
league, or beneficial to himself, he is welcome to
do so.
/ Mr. ADAMS Will the gentleman be kind enough
to hand me pamphlet he quoted to us day or two
j sincei
Mr. RHETT. After assaling half dozen other
| gentlemen on this floor, suppose he means now to
lift his tomahawk upon me as every body knows the
ferocity with which he makes his attack, suppose
must prepare myself for the consequences. | now
inform the gentleman that sent the pamphlet tenn
porary to the public press, that it is not now in
my possession.
Mr. ADAMS shall be much obliged to the gen
tleman for the use of it, | do not know that shall
want it to-day. A taught But in the defence ofmy
good name, and of all hold DEAR and all | have to
leave to my Children may possibly want to make
use of that pamphlet.
Well now all is disclosed The facts are sufficient
! for me. | will not ask the gentleman from South
Carolina on what premises he founded the conclusion
that if was removed my colleague would be elected.
Mr. RHETT. have already stated that his name
stood second on the list.
Mr. ADAMS That was nothing at all, if chair
man was to be elected. The gentleman himself might
have been chosen to fill the vacancy or the very last
name on the list, just well as the second He is
! the man who hammered with my colleagie he has