Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-05-02
HOUSE OF REPREsENTAr,yEs.

y Ingersoll rose and asked leave TO make per.
sonal explanation.
Objection being made from several qnarters
he moved suspension of the Rules, and the mo
lion prevailed yeas iO2, nays 25
Mr. lngersol then repeated what he had said
ona iormer occasion in relation to the unexpect.
ed discoveries he had made at the State Depart
rncnt, relative TO the peculations of Mr. Webster
Upon the reception of the Presidents Message,
declining to give the required information, he,
Mr.. lngersoll had contented himself with mere.
ly stating that the charges could be proved by
the evidence in the Department. lie did not
then proceed further because he was SO advised
10y his friends, under the impression that Mr.
Webster himself would demand an investica-
had denied the truth Of the charges, he now felt
II his duty to come forward with his proofs
Mr. Irgcrsol then briefly reiterated his
charges, which were -
lst Unlawful use of the secret service fund
cd. Misapplication of said fund to corrupt the
party press.
3rd Leaving the State Department as de-
(,ultcr.
Mr.. lnsersoll then proceeded to show that the
Secret Service fund was always kept in the hands
OF the "dsbursing agent" of the Department, and
that, contrary TO all former usage, Mr. Webster
during the first twelve months ofhis administra
hon ofthat Department, drew payable TO his o,cn
o'der, the sum of fSl5,000 Also that there was
evidence IN the Department to show that this
proceeding did not meet with the appreciation of
the President.
Ofthis 900, Mr. Webster returned $4,000
in June 1872 and $3.50 was settled by presi
dents certificates in July 1912, the greater rart
"i which was applied TO the corruption of the
public press, through the agency Of Mr.. +. O. J.
smith. After crediting snndry other items, Mr..
Webster was still defaulter when he left the
office to the amount of above two Thousand dol.
lars, and although repeatedly written to by the
President he did not make up the amount until
ten days before the Inauguration Of Mr. Polk.
The evidence ofall this, Mr.. Ingersol said could
be found in the Department.
In the Department of State there is now a let.
Portland, the 9th OF August, ls4l, addressed to
Mr. Webster, Secretary of State, substantially as
follows:
1t begins by congratulating Mr. Webster on
his settlement of the Maine boundary question,
10y ne'c mode ofabproaching the subject, after
forty years of diplomacy, without which nev
"odc another forty years of diplomacy would
have come to nothing.
Mr.. Smith informs Mr.. Webster by his letter,
that he had occasion to resort to services and in.
Guences, in order to adjust the tone and direction
Gf tie party presses, and through them of public
sentiment, to a purpose so desirable of accom-.
plshment under Mr.. Webster's administration.
The sums Mr. Smith vouches as got by him
from Mr. Webster are $4,000 for services con-
nected with the northeastern boundary and two
years after he vouches $500 more, as will be
shown.
Thirdly. Leaving the Department OF State in
A'bt te the secret service fund, S229O.
The records Of the Department show this de-
fault beyond all denial or question.
They show, furthermore, that it was neither
paid or accounted for during nearly two years
after Mr.. Webster's removal from office
They show several letters sent to him by Pres
ident Tyler's direction, urging payment, and eva
slve letters ofexcuse from Mr.. Webster lor non
payment.
At length, peremptory letter that exposure
would OF might be the consequence of more de-
Law cal al; ,,bn 4. -
not take place till the lst of February lsi5, ten
days before President Polk arrived in Washing
ton, to be inaugurated, when Mr. Webster pro-
d"ced another voucher from Mr.. F. O. J. Smith,
for an addtianal $500, and other vouchers one
from George Smith for $500.
The rules were then by vote of 1876 to %,
suspended to enable Mr.. Ashmun to reply. lie
did so in very severe manner, pronouucing
the accusation Of Mr.. lngersoll as false, and
that the respectable portion af all parties would
he disgustcd at the course he had pursued. lie
reviewed some portions of the former course of
Mr.. ingersoll, and said it was evident that had
MIR. Webster been present. and a member of
the House, Mr. ingersoli would have bitten his
tongue off before he would have dared to make
the charges. He said it i'll became man to
charge another with peculation, who had him
self been turned out OF office by President, Jack
son for peculatioa. Mr. A. then referred at
some length TO the particulars Of the accounts
of Mr.. lngersoll, when, in ls.,9, he was tried as
defauler.
Mr. J. Il. iugersoi stated that as hew as en-
ployed on that OCCASION as Counsel for his broth.