The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-06-26
REPORT
Of the Select Committee
On TIE CHARGES OF CHARLES JAR
ED INGERSoLL AGAINST DANIEL
WEBSTER.

w EDS Elk.
The Selec! Committee Of the House of
Representative appointed TO investigate Ger.
tain charges made by the Hon. Charles J.
lnge-solI against The Hon. Daniel Webster,
or official misconduct while he held the Of.
flee Of Secretary OF State of the L. States,
beg leave 10 report
That they have given TO the subiec, re.
lerred TO them a patient and laborlous in
vestigatIon, and have collected large mass
If testimony, the result Of which, only,
without gong into is details, they deem ii
necessary TO presen, to the House.
The committee, in the first place direc.
ted their attention TO the first charge a.
gains, Mr.. Webster that, without the
knowledge Of the President ofthe L. States,
and contrary to usage, be had taken OF, of
The hands of the ordinary disbursing agent
aud into his own a portion OF that part Of
the foreign intercourse fund, commonly
known as "Thc Secret Service Fund, +" aud
appropriated It TO his own use. The com.
mittee find that, by law, this fund is CON.
mitted to the exclusive control Of the Pres.
ldent Of the UuIted Slates, who, may, if he
think proper, keep the money himself, and
disburse il from his own hands or he may
commit the keeping and disbursement Of It
to auch agent or agents under his direction
as he may deem ii expedIent 10 appoint
In consequence, a, the committee presume,
of the mony aud important duties which ne
cessatiy constantly occupy the whole time
and attention of the President Of the United
States, so rs to render il very troublesome
and difficult for him, IN person, TO keep aud
dlsburse this fund and make up lis accounts,
he has always, from the first establishment
of the Government, entrusted the discharge
OF these duties TO other hands.
As the Secretary Of State Of the United
States is peculiarly The confidential adviser
Of the President in whatever concerns the
foreign relations oil the country, he would
seem 10 be the natural and appropriate q.
gent TOT the discharge Of these duIlesi il he
could perform them without delrlment 10
other public business Of higher Importance
Accordingly, the committee fad that, in
the 4 Administration Of General Washington,
the elder Adams, and part Of that OF Mr..
Jefferson, while the Office of Secretary Of
State was held IN succession BY Mr.. Jay,
J fierson, Randolph, Pickering, Marshall,
and part of the time that Mr.. Madison held
that Office under MIR. Jefferson, the whole
Of this fund was, under the direction aud
supervision Of the President OF the United
States, received, kept, and dlsbursed by the
Secretary of State.
In the early part Of MIR. jetitr son's al
minislration the Secretary Of State, with
out any law requiring ii seems TO have
been relieved from the discharge Of this du-
ty, AMI the keeping and distressing Of this
fund under the Presidents direction, ap.
pears 10 have been passed over into the
hands OF agents, whose accounts. after re.
celvlng the sanction OF the President, are
settled at the Treasury. But no change
has been made in the law or in the powers
or duties Of the President in respect TO this
fund from the time OF General Washington
TO the present day. This change must
have been made for the convenience Of the
Secretary of State, and not from any want
OF confidence which Mr.. Jefferson had 10
MIR. Madison.
The committee have examined Mr.. Iy-
Ter, the late P,esiden, of the United States
He testified that when he came INTO The
Presidency he found the foreign relations
of tho country in very delicate condition
IN certain particulars which the committee
do not deem it expedlen1 10 specify, requIr-
ing, in his opinion, the employment OF con.
fidentlal agents ! and, for reasons assigned
by him to the committee, he regarded his
Secretary of Stale as the fi,test person to
select aud employ them. Under an i'm.
preston entertained both by him auc Nj.
Webster that this was tic usual and proper