New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-06-11
THE SOUTHERN MAIL.
The Anti-webster Investigation.

Tuesday afternoon, and should have reached rs II
time for our Evening Edition OF Yesterday, but ha
not ye, come 70 hand he also gave as an abs;rac
of the Report of Mr.. BRISEERHoFF the only dis
senting member Of the Committee. We find the
regular Report, signed by two Wigs, (YlSTos
and N1SG.) aud two Locos. JONES and DAVIS IL
the Inielligencer of yesterday which we give a
length. M BRISKERHorF's report seem 70 be toe
insignificant for notice i, is no: given by either
of the party papers al Washington. Our readers
will see ,ha; Mr.. WEBSTER comes OUT as bright
as dollar. Even the report of Mr.. BRISKERHory
fails 10 substautiste a single charge asains, him.
The Select Committee OF the House of Represen.
tatives, appointed 20 investigate certain charges
made BY Hon. CHARLES j ISGERsoLL assinst Eou
DANIEL WEBSTER for official misconduct while he
held the Office of Secretary Of State OF The United
States, beg leave to report:
That they have given the subject referred TO them
fl patient and aborious nvesiig alton. snd have col
ected large OF testimony, the resul; Of which
onlv without going into lis details they deem IL nsces
ssry present TO the House.
The Committee, In the rst place. directed their aten-
the arst charge against Nr. Webster that without
the knowledge OF the President OF the United States and
contrary 70 usage he had taken Gu; of the hands OF the
ordinary disoursiug agent, and into his portion of
that part Of the foreign intercourse fund commonly known
The Secret Service Fund, and appropriated Il TO his
own use.
The Committee End that By law this fund Is commit
ted the exclusive control OF the President of the Uo
ted States who may II he hnk proper keep the money
himself and disburse ii from hs own hands; he msy
commit the keeping and disbursement OF such
agents under his direction ne may deem IL expe
dent appoint. In consequence, the Coumee
presume OF the many and inportan, duties which me-
csssariy constantly occupy tie whole time and
ton of the President OF the United States render
|, very troublesome and difficult for him. In person.
keep and dsburse this fund and make up It's accounts
he has always frsm the first establishment of the Gov
ernmen entrusted the discharge Of these duties other
hands.
IA the Secretary of State of the United States pecu
llary the confidential adviser of the President In what
ever the foreign relations of the country he
would to be the natural and appropriate agent for
the discharge OF these duties 1t he could perform them
without detriment other public business OF higher Inn
portauce. Accordingly the Committee find that In the
Administration ofCienera Washington the elder Adams
and part of that of Mr. Jefferson while the Office Of
Secretary of State held in succession by Mr. Jay
Jefferson Randolph Pickering Marshall and part OF the
time that Mr. Madison held that office under Mr. LETTER
son. the whos OF ths fund under the direction ard
supervision OF the President OF the United States
ceived kept and disbursed by the Secretary of State
In the early part of Mr. Jeer.ons administration the
Secretary State without law requiring It, TO
have relieved from the discharge this duty and the
keeping aud discussing of this fund.- under the Presidents
direction appears have been passed over into the hands
Of agents whose accounts after receiving the sanction OF
the President settled the Treasury But change
has been made in the law the powers duties OF the
President respect to this fund from the time OF General
Washington the present day. This change must have
been for the convenience OF the Secretary Of State
and from OF confidence which Mr.. Jefferson
had in Mr.. Madison.
The Committee have examined Mr. Tyler the late
President the United States He testified that when he
came into the Presidency he found the foreign relations
of the country In a very delicate condition In certain par
ticulars which the Committee do not deem It expedent
to specify requiring 10 his opinion the employment OF
confidential agents and for assigned BY him 10
the Committee he regarded his Secretary OF State
the i,,est person to select and employ them.
Under an impression entertained both by him and Mr..
Webster that this the usual and proper mode. he sug
gested that money should he dshursed By Mr.. Web
ser and that purpose placed in his hands portion OF
the foreign intercourse fund which then lying de-
posit with Nr. Snbos the ordinary dsbursing agent,
This had not been done before for long time. know
ledge Of the modern usage in respect the keeping and
dsbursng this fund, is not improbable led Mr. lngerso
into the erroneous belief that this money had come i'm
properly and without the Presidents sanction at Mr..
webser's instance. into bis hands But there bc
doubt the President he'd ample authority commit
his Secretary the keeping and dssbusDg OF this money,
and that he alone had right 10 judge OF It's expedency
The Committee Ind from the testimony that all the
money put his hands placed there with the knowl
edge and and the order President and
much OF necessary discussed In accordance
with his views balance, not needed for he purposes
contemplated afterwsrd returned by NJ Webster to
Mr.. Stubs the discussing agent, with whom, the esti-
mouy shows there Is usually on deposit larger amount
OF money than required TO meet present demands With
these remarks the Committee dismiss this and proceed to
notice the second charge.
using the public money corrupt the party presses
Among the agents employed by Mr. Webster, under the
authority Of the President as above explained was Mr.
Francis o. j. smith, the State OF Maine. There Is in
the Department of the State the papers relating
10 the secret service fund.- letter from that gentleman
Mr.. Webster which contains expression that,
planned might Justly lead 10 the impression that he (Mr.
SMITH had used the money OF the Government in that
The Committee have fully Investigated this charge.
They do not deem Il necessary expedent 10 go ntoa
specification Of the acts of this agent who was employ
n q
employing agents tor secret sarvice within the limits Of
the United States and paying them out OF the contingent
fund for foreign intercourse but will content themselves
with simply remarking that the testimony they have
taken fully explains whatever Is Of obscure doubtful
meaning 10 this letter and removes every foundation for
belief or even suspicion that the public money was
used attempted be used 10 corrupt the party presses
This brings the Committee third and last charge
that when Sr. Webster went out OF Office he was public
defauer.
From an examination Of the accounts appears that
when he retired Office there Q: the moneys that
had been entrusted 10 HIM apparent balance OF S2290
in his hands stated by Mr.. ngerso The expenditure
this remained he accounted for by him. There
have been delay procuring vouchers from the
agents whom SIr Webster had employed for the moneys
advanced by him to them.
For payment OF thousand dollars. which he claim
ed msde Of the fund in his hands be alleged
vouchers mad been lost misad procured aud
IL yet been found obisined. though efforts
made by him to ind or procure IT, These causes
occssoned delay In the settlement of his accounts for
eighteen or twenty months.
In the Of l5i4 the period having arrived when
Il necessary for Nj Subb. TO close his accounts at the
Treasury and Mr. Webster not having then procured the
necessary vouchers he proposed 10 pay the apparent bal
ancc against with the understanding that the Govern
ment should refund him Il he subsequently procured the
evidence Of his payments This proposition. which
ceeded Mr. Webster acceded TO by the President
Of the United States.
In the month OF November Of that year Mr. Webster
procured voucher for payment of 1900 and paid in
cash 81 O90 residue OF the apparent balance In his
hands This money RENTED By him 10 part from
Bo.,on and 10 part from Philadelphia In the following
Winter be Visited Washington. and, the LIST OF Feb
ruary l5i5 presented vouchers for payments made by
him while Ia Office. and before credited to him,
the of 050 which the President OF the United
States directed refunded and that then
repaid to him.
Mr. Webster was urged by Mr. Stubbs TO collect and
transmit his and vouchers that Mr. STUDIOS might
close his with the Treasury. but the Committee
find evidence Of any threat exposure having been
by the President which induced the payment Of the
apparent balance against him.
II it be assumed that Mr. Webster correct in his
impression that he had paid the above mentioned thou
sand dollars the fund in his hands, and 20 this
added the vouchers for 81 $50 procured by him
his from Office making together 81, $50