Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-06-13

find that in the Administration of General Washington the
elder Adams and part Of that of Mr. Jeierson while the Of
fee Of Secretary of held in succession by Mr. JAY
Jefferson Randolph Pickering Marshall and part of the time
that Mr. Madison held that office under Mr. Jefferson, the
whole of this fund under the direction and supervision OF
the President of the United States, received Kept and DIS
bursed by the Secretary OF State
In the early paa of Mr. Jeiersons administration the Sc
crtay Of State without any law requiring IT. seems to have
been relieved from the discharge of this Duty and the keeping
and dbung of this fund.- under the Presidents direction, APP
been passed 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 in the powers duties of the President
to this fund from The time OF General Washington the pre-
day. This change must have been made for the
nence Of the Secretary of State, and from any
confidence which Mr. Jefferson had in Mr.. Madison.
The committee have examined Mr. Tyler tho late Presi-
dent of the United States He testified that when he
to the Presidency he found the foreign relations of the country
IN very delicate condition in certain particulars, which the
committee do not deem expedent to specify, requiring, in
his opinion, the employment of confidential agents and for
assigned by him the committee he regarded his
Secretary of State the test person to select and employ
them Under impression entertained both by him and Mr.
Webster that this the usual and proper mode he suggest
ed that the money should be dsburscd by Mr. Webser and
for that purpose placed in his hands portion OF the foreign
intercourse fund which then lying IN depose with Mr.
Subb the ordinary dsbusng agent This had not been done
before for long time knowledge OF the modern usage In
respect the keeping and disbursng this fund.- Is not i'm
probable led Mr. ngerso into the belief that this
money had Improperly, and without the Presidents
sanction, Mr. Websters instance, into his hands But
there can doubt that the President had ample authority
to commit his Secretary the keeping and dbursng of this
money and that he alone had right to judge OF It's expe-
dency The committee find from the testimony that all the
money put his hands placed there with the knowledge
and sanction and by the order of the President and much
of as was necessary dsbursed accordance with his
views balance needed for the purposes contemplated,
afterwards returned by Mr. Webster to Mr. Stubs, the
discussing agent with whom the testimony shows, there is
usually ep,se larger amount OF money than required
to meet present demands With these remarks the commit
tee dismiss this and proceed notice the second charge.
I'm that charge Mr. Ingersol Mr. Webster with
using the public money corrupt the party presses Among
the agents employed by Mr.. Webster, under the authority Of
the President above explained, Mr. Francis D.
Smith, Of the State of Maine There is in the Department
State, among the papers relating to the secret service fund.-
letter from that gentleman Mr. Webster which contains
expression that unexplained, might justly lead to the impress
sion that he (Mr Smth had used the money of the Govern
ment in that way The committee have fully investigated
his charge They do deem it necessary expedent
specification of the of this agent, who EN-
poyed in secret SERVICE TO inquire into the popey Of
employing agents for secret service within the limits of the
United States and paying them of the contingent fund for
foreign intercourse but will content themselves with simply
remarkng that the testimony they have taken fully explains
whatever is of obscure doubtful meaning in this letter. and
removes every foundation for belief suspicion that
the public used attempted to be used corrupt
the party presses This brings the committee the third and
last charge that when Mr.. Webster of Office he
public detaulser.
he retired from Office there of the moneys that had
entrusted him apparent balance of s go in his hands
stated by Mr. Ingerso The expenditure of this
mained to be accounted for by him. There
been delay in procuring vouchers from the agents whom Mr.
Webster had employed for the moneys advanced by him
them For payment of thousand dollars, which he claim
ed to have made out of the fund in his hands, he alleged
vouchers had been lost mislad procured and has
not been found obtained though efforts made by
him to find procure it. These occasioned delay
in the settlement of his accounts for eighteen twenty
months.
In the of 1884, the period having arrived when il
necessary for Mr. Stubs close his accounts at the
Treasury and Mr. Webster having then procured the
cessay vouchers he proposed pay the apparent balance
against him. with the understanding that the Government
should refund 10 him he subsequently procured the evidence
his payments This proposition, which proceeded from
Mr. Webster acceded by the President Of
States In the month of November of that year Mr. Webse,
procured voucher for payment of $780, and paid in cash
2,09O the residue of the apparent balance in his hands
This money RENTED by him in part from Boston and
part from Philadelphia. In the following winter he visited
Washington and, the ls of February lS45, presented
vouchers for payments made by him while in Office and not
before credited to him, to the of 81 05O which the
President of the United States directed refunded and
| that amount then repaid to him. Mr.. Webster was
urged by Mr. Stubs collect and transmit his and
vouchers that Mr. Stubs might close his accounts with the
Treasury but the committee find evidence of any threat
exposure having been made by the President which induced
the payment OF the apparent balance against him.
II il be assumed that Mr.. Webster was correct in his i'm
preston that he had paid the above mentioned thousand dol
lars out of the fund in his hands, and il to this amount he ad-
ded the vouchers for 81 250 procured by him his retire
men from Office making together 81 $50, and this last
amount be deducted from So 290 the apparent balance against
him. will show that the real balance his hands when he
went out of Office $40 only. On reviewing his accounts
the keeping Of which for the part Ivy him
to Mr. Stubs the dsburng agent, the committee have been
led to doubt whether the final settlement Of $500
not by mistake carried to his credit which had been
fore allowed him. This pointed 10 the commit
tee by the disbursng agent by whom the awn
up and the settlement made He proves that his own
suggestion, and not at that OF Mr. Webster that this
carried TO his credit in the final settlement 1t
to into the particulars OF the history of this item and OF
the of the mistake, if made The committee
deem sufficient TO remark that blame imputed to Mr.
Webster, who they satisfied aware and probably
that thsem had been before credited hm nor is the
dsbursng agent who drew up the items the final settlement
liable the charge of negligence fit be assumed that this
item twice allowed TO him, and that the final settlement
made in all other respects correct then in rending TO
Mr. Webster, he should have been repaid $3.50 ony instead
OF 81 050 But if Mr. Webster was not mistaken in the be-
lief that he had paid the thousand dollars above mentioned
| then the Government still him $500.
The committee deem any comments on the above facts
connected with this charge unnecessary In their opinion
there proof relation Of the charges to mpeac
Mr. Websers integrity the purity Of his in the
discharge OF the duties Of his Office The value ofhis opinion
perhaps TO extent enhanced by the fact that in their
investigation, the committee observance Of the
similar have taken the testimony without notice him,
~ his Absence without communication with him, cxpana
ton from him. In conclusion, they beg permission remark
that their investigation has brought facts (Which
boiled IN the testimony connected with the foreign relations
of the country the disclosure Of which public policy would