American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-01-18

obvious enough That he hdo been highly culpa
bic in the course he had pursued, and they hav-
ing given the clerk every opportunity to clear
his skirts of the offence charged, and he having
failed to appear before them and answer fol
himself, they conclude by submitting these res
olutions, TO wit: That Caleb M'Nulty be dis.
missed from the office ofclcrk. That the Sec.
rotary Of the Treasury be directed to institute
legal proceedings forthwith to recover the
sum due, and finally that the President be re.
quested TO have proceedings commenced at once
against the offender for criminal offence, un-
der the Act of ls4i to punish for embezzlement
ofthe public money.
The question was on the adoption of the res
olution.
Mr. Weller rose, with letter in his hand
ana after deprecating party action, which
might lrretricvably blast the character of Mr.
McNulty, read from the letter statement of a
New York firm, whom he believed to be res
ponsible men, Charles Secor s. Co. that MIR.
McNuIty had on depostc with them, and sub
joct to his draft, the sum of sl5 900. AIR. w =.
said he understood that MI Men. had other
sums IN individual hands, and that the whole
deficit would be accounted for At any late,
the bondsmen were responsible for their portion,
and he would say for whatever excess might
remain.
A pause ensued here.
Mr.. Cave Johnson submitted a resolution that
the Sergeant-at-Arms be directed TO arrest Ca
lcb McNulty and bring him to the bar of the
House, to answer the charges against him, and
that for this purpose, the action of the House
should be postponed one hour.
Alr. Adams moved to amend the resolution,
by substituting the word summon for arrest and
eta tod hplin f a.
House to proceed against an individual charged
with a criminal offence.
Messrs. Saunders, Rayners, Pollock, c. ].
lngersol and others, discussed this amendment
but finally the previous question was moved
luton Of Mr. Johnson was adopted.
Here the Speaker left the Chair, and called
Mr.. Dromgoole to the same, for the purpose OF
making out a warrant, which was attesed by
the assistant Clerk, Mr.. B. Is. French.
The House then proceeded a little while
with It's regular business.
The Uniform Election bill was taken up, and
the amendment of the Senate, fixing the time
of the Presidential election upon the Tuesday
next after the LIST Monday in November, was
agreed to,
The next subject was the motion of MIR. Da-
the House had given to one of its committees
discretionary power to dispose of the plates
used in publishing the history of the Exploring
Expedition. The resolution was finally re-
voked.
MIR. Saunders then moved that the House
should 90 into committee of the whole.
Mr. Thompson asked if the hour had not
expired.
Tho Snea Ear nd - bad
Mr.. c. J. Ingersoll. What is the pending
question;
The Speaker. The adoption of the report
of the committee on accounts.
After considerable discussion on the point of
proceeding until the Sergeant-at-Arms made a
return upon the warrant in his hands, further
postponement of the subject was agreed to for
this purpose.
The House then went into committee of the
whole, and MIR. Hammett commenced a speech
on the Texas question: but had not progressed
far, when a member rose to announce that the
Sergeant-at-Arms was in attendance upon the
House.
The Speaker then handed to the Clerk the
return of the Sergeant-at Arms, which was
read, and simply stated that he had in arrest
Mr. McNulty.
Mr.. Weller wanted fifteen or twenty minutes
to read to Mr.. McNulty the report of the COM
mittee, and explain to him the nature of the
allegations against him.
Mr.. Dromgoole suggested in order to put
the proceedings in form, that MIR. McNulty be
brought to the bar, and informed by the Speak
err of the occasion, that the report of the COM
mittee be read and Mr., McNulty called upon
for his defence.
The Sergeant-at-Arms retired, and Mr.. Nc
Nulty appeared, and walked, with every mani
festation Of self-possession, to his seat in front
of the Speaker.
The Speaker addressed Mr.. McNulty, briefly
informing him of the case in hand and then
directed the reading of the report
Mr.. McNulty rose, and with considerable
dignity of manner, proceeded to reply. He
was at first inaudible, but he distinctly affirmed
that not one dollar of the public money would
be lost through his agency. He had deposited
it with various individuals, as he had right
to do, and he had taken ample security for it.
That if required, he could account for every
dollar of it by ten O'Clock tomorrow. With
regard to his failure to appear before the Com
mittee OIL Accounts on two summons, he had
received but one notice, and that reached him
after the hour appointed in it by the Commit
tee for his appearance.
The Chairman of the Committee on Ac-
counts here made some counter-statements,a and
produced note from MIR. McNulty, which was
read.
The note did not convict MIR. Mem of any
inconsistency; it was statement that his pay
ing clerk (Mr. Kershaw) was absent, and he
expected him daily; that upon his return, the
vouchers and other accounts would be in con-
dtion to enable him to adjust his accounts.
Some further remarks passed, and finally
MIR. Johnson moved that the subject be post
poned until o'clock tomorrow, and that the
sergeant-at-arms retain the clerk in custody
meanwhile, allowing him such liberty as was
neediul to elucidate his accounts.
Mr.. Burt moved to amend by adding that in
the meanwhile the functions of Mr.. McNulty
as clerk be suspended.
Mr.. Petit, Of Ia, made furious assault upon
that part of the resolution which directs the