The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-21

object Of which would be defeated by publicity
Some governments have very large amounts at their
disposal, and have made vastly greater expenditures
than the small amounts which have from time to
time been accounted for on presidents certificates
4 In no nation Is the application Of such sums ever
/ made public In time Of war, or impending dan
ger, the situation of the country may make IL neces
sary TO employ individuals for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning information, or rendering other important SER
vices who could never be prevailed upon to act ifthey
entertained the least apprehension that their
heir agency would in any contingency be divuged So
| may often become necessary TO incur an expendi-
lure FOR an object highly useful TO the country for
example, the conclusion Of treaty with barbarian
power, whose customs require such occasions the
use OF presents; but this object might be altogether
defeated by the intrigues of other powers, if our
| purposes were 10 be made known by the exhibition
OF the original papers and vouchers TO the accounting
officers OF the treasury. II would be easy 10 specify
! other cases which may occur in the history of q
great nation, In its intercourse with other nations
wherein II might become absolutely necessary to in.
cur expenditures for objects which could never be
accomplished, If il were suspected, in advance, that
the items Of expenditure, and the agencies employ
| ed, would be made public.
kind, Congress provided such fund, coeysl with
the organization Of the government, and subsequent
y enacted The law OF 1910, as the permanent law Of
the land While this law exists in full force | fee
bound, by a high sense Of public policy and duty
TO observe its provisions, and tbs uniform practice Of
my predecessors, under IL. With great respect for
| the House OF Representatives, and an anxious de-
sire to conform to their wishes, am constrained to
come to this conclusion.
| fCongress disapprove the policy Of the law, they
| may repeal its provisions.
La reply to that portion Of the resolution Of the
| House which calls for SCOPES of whatever commu-
nicauons made from the Secretary of State du-
1 aI IF he
larly February, lS43, to Mr. Gushing and Mr.
Adams, members Of the commit ee of this House on
Foreign Affairs Of the wish Of the President of the
United States to institute special mission to Great
Britain" have to state that no such communica.
TONS or copies OF them, are found in the Department
of State.
"Copies of all letters on the books of the DEPART
ment of State, to any officer of the United States OF
any person in New York, concerning Alexander
| Mcleod" which are also called for by the resoll-
ton, are herewith communicated.
JAMES X. POLK.
WARRINGTON, April Goth, 1886
The reading Of the accompanying conespon dence
| was dispensed with.
Mr.. JACOB THOMPSON moved that the mes.
sage and accom- pan ing documents be laid on the
table, and printed but, after brief conversation,
waived the motion at the request Of
! Mr.. G. J. INGERSOLL, who said if the House
wished to hear the further reading he had no objec-
| ton. But he presumed, from what he had heard OF
| the communication, that the reading would take
some time. II related only to the Mcleod case,
and it will undoubtedly be much better understood
| when printed
| Mr.. |. wished to say very few words upon this
question OF printing, which opened the debate this
time, but 1t was duty he owed the House, and
perhaps himself, TO say few words on this occa-
| sion. ....
The President (sad Mr.. IL has answered the res
| oluuon submitted, In way that to me is unex-
peced, and therefore, and only therefore, it is that
! ! deem 1t necessary 70 say anything. He should
premise what he had to say by this statement Some
strong expressions have fallen from members here
taken, in this matter by me. A member from Mas
sachusetts, Mr.. AsHnus,l spoke of a conspiracy
and membes from Connectieut, Mr. DtNoN1 in
| the course of some impairment observations men.
toned the other day---l do not recolect what, nor
do care--that other persons were combined with
| me in the movement. II is proper that should
say, therefore, that if there ia a conspirator, am
the only one. That neither the President Of the
United States nor the Secretary of State, who was
absent, the acting Secretary of State the time
Of the adoption of the resolutions which submit
ted, with whom | had some slight intercourse,
which will mentlon,) knew anything at all of this
matter. Among all the hard things that have been
said of me, am not aware that my truth has ever
been called inaueston; but when the coarse con-
tradction to which was subjected from another
place, instead of being sur,g, the gentleman from
Massachusetts Mr.. WNrHRor] has said, | was at
least stimulated to an effort to vndicate my truth
and for that purpose went to the Department OF
State with no idea of discovering what did
went for the purpose of ascertaining what cores
pondence there was upon the subject Of the Nc
Leod case, (Which the President has thought proper
to give to-day and what correspondence, or letter
| was there to the gentleman from Massachusetts,
| Mr. ADAms,] and to Mr.. Gushing, flor they are
named in the same entry on the journal,) respect
ing special mission to England | say no more
than this: that in looking for these papers, in par
ticular for that letter, could not be found; and in
some extent of research which was required upon
it, to my great amazement, | came upon other pa
pers, which led me the next day in this House. with
! out taking counsel of any human being, to move
the resolutions, and state what did state. took
no counsel but Of my own pillow that night, and the
next day came into this House without the know
ledge Of human being, and moved the resolutions,
in which it would seem from the Presidents answer
there were words-to wit: Presidents cerhcates''-
which | was not sufficiently acquainted with the
subject to have omitted--which were Objectionable.
| will speak Of that before sit down. "
But first, as to what the President has communi-
Gated. | stated that special mission had been called
for for the purpose of settling the Oregon question;
and appealed 10 the gentleman from South Caro-
lima, Mr.. HoLMEs,] who was sitting near me, and
TO the venerable gentleman from Massachusetts,
| mr. ADAMS, who were both members of this
House, and Of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
at that time for the proof of what said neither Of
whom denied il:
When this subject was mentioned in this House
by the member from Connecticut Mr.. DrxeN,]
he said that it had not been denied by Mr.. WEBSTER.
Sir (said I,) that is not the fact. II was grossly
denied. The reported language is "this is another
faisehood;;" these are the very words: "Mr. l.
says, nobody disputes it. ! dispute it, said Mr.
WsBsrER If he refers to the venerable gentleman
from Massachusetts, Mr.. ADAMs,l for confrma-
ton of his statement, I fancy he win not get that
conformation" will thank the clerk to read the
entry of the journal, (Which the House has author
lied me to bring here,) and there they will find in
the handwriting Of the venerable gentleman from
Massachusetts, all said upon that subject.
The clerk here read the following
| Isi3. SATURDAY., 90 February
Present. Adams, Cushing, Everett Granger Caruhers,
Meriw ether, Holmes.
| Meeting called by the chairman Yesterday. He
BILE to notify Mr. Stuart; MIR Shepperd absent from indis
Resolutions relation to the Oregon territory of the le
gisIaires of Missouri and Of Illinois read with refer
,,oa which to n the Secretary