The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-11

" the alleged fact of letter by him having been write
III 10 the Committee on Foreign Affairs Of this Hous
a recommending special minister upon the orego
question He did not recollecl that such a letle
had been written. Now, what. had the geptlsma
from Pennsylvania done' He had passed over all In
others, and in his resolutions merely alluded 70 On
question whether that letter Was secret Now
whether IL secret not seemed immaterial. Blu
would il not have been more becoming TO the gentle
man himself il instead Of attempting 70 prove wha
was not denied he had attempted 70 substantiAe hi
charges as TO what was denied But he repealed III
other charges in manner which the honorable gen
! teman from Alabama, Mr. YAscEr, thought I'm
Z dignihed. That IL was most severe, most scathing
most crushing, Mr.. ID. would willingly admit; ba
that il was undignhed, he could not assent 10. 81
far from il, it was the most dignihed he had eve
witnessedj not one word phrase was used tina
might not proceed from the mouth Of any gende
man. 1.-THE language used was Objectionable, wha
were they TO say Of the attack Yesterday, the gen
ueman from Pennsyly&ni9 There was isngssss
used in his written attack mech morn offensive
much stronger, than any used by the gsatlsmar
from Massachusetts Mr. d. here made some al
fusion 70 the prediction which they had heard had
been made with reference TO "scarfyingn process
and his opinion that the prediction had been proved
true. ......F... "
He should not blame the gentleman for being of.
Tended; he had right to be offended but know.
ing as he did, that gontemsns powerful eloqnenee,
brilliant wit, and effective sarcasm, he expected
DISPLAY Of these qualltles in his denial of these
charges; but he confessed his surprise 10 find that
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, instead Of deny.
ing any Of the charges or rather of attempting ts
substantiate the charges he had before made, came
into this House and told then at least that the hon
orabie senator from Massachusetts, was great pub
lie defauiter
But the resolution of inquiry was offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania, and Mr.. ID. confess
cd, he for one, felt II his duty at the time 10 vote
in favor ofthe resolutions He thought il was due
| TO MIR. WEBsrER, that after such an assault, and
charges OF so grave "a character, every examina-
lion, every scrutiny, and every investigation pro-
posed by his enemies should be afforded and he felt
the most perfect confidence, that Mr.. WEBSTER
would come out OF this inquiry entirely unsullied
and untarnished in every respect.
| He alluded TO the amendment he had proposed 10
that resolution, and which had been rejected by
the House, calling for the same information con.
corning the use of the secret service fund in set
Ting the Texas matter; and showed that those gen.
uemen who were foremost in urging the resolutions
of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, did not vote,
and dared not vote TO make this inquiry. He said
dared not, he had a right to- because they voted
against It, and they could not shield themselves
with the claim that the inquiry was-(the remain
der Of the sentence was not heard.
Mr.. FARAN (Mr. d. yielding) said, with refer
ence to the charge OF the gentleman that those gen.
tlemen who voted against his amendment, were
afraid to make the inquiry, asked whether there
was not public document yesterday read in this
House, that not one cent Of the secret service mo-
ney was expended between 1899 and ls42
Mr. DIXON said his amendment asked pnrticu-
ariy for the manner in which il had been expended
since that period.
Mr. FARAN. If the gentleman will make a
charge in relation to that matter will vote as readi-
| ly as any man in this House to made the inquiry
Mr. DIXON resuming, said he did not rise to
make charges He was not one OF the favored few,
who were permitted to prowl around nrnd the se-
eret records OF the executive department, aided by
the underlings Of that department or any BODY
! He was not permitted look ihers sod IL Ae was
permitted, he should blush to take that means OF
information; if he had enemy he would not 20 TO
the secret archives Of the nation for means Of attack
against him. .|"s p.
As he had before said he did not stand here as the
defender OF the honorable from
but he wished to reply Of the charges against
him, brought, among others, by the honorable gentle
man from Alabama, tMr, YANcrv.1 For that gentle
man. he had before entertained the highest respec and
he did say but that he still entertained that
respect, though he confessed he was sorry to hear
him make the charges against the senator from Mas
sachuses, which he had made in the heat Of debate
The gentleman alluded To the course of the senator
from Massachusetts, during the last war; as having
been adverse to the interests Of the country during
that war Mr.. ID. could see no occasion for going
back to the political divisions which existed at that
time, and singing that gentleman out, and making
personal charge upon him for the position which
he held at that time, in common with many others
But It seemed to him peculiarly unfortunate con-
slderng the other names which were associated with
that of Mr.. WEBSTER at that period. He would
Ike to ask the gentleman from Pennsylvania, mr.
Z. }. lNGERsoLL, whether it was true that he him.
self, Who together with the gentleman from Alaba-
ma, was attacking Mr. WEBsTERs conduct during
the last war, had ever said, was reported of him.
that If he had lived in the time of the revolution,
he should have been tory'
Mr.. INGERSOLL. Yes
Mr.. DIXON, The gentleman had right to-
Mr.. lNGERSOLL. Ceetainly had the right
Mr.. DIXON (continuing) repeated that the gen.
teman had right to that opinion; but under the
circumstances, he thought this allusion of Mr..
YANcEY peculiar unfortunate. He wished to ask
of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, whether
certain other distinguished gentleman, from whom
the gentleman expected to get his information, had
ever SAID as was commonly reported, that If he had
a drop of democratic blood in his veins, and knew
where It was, he would cut the vein and let it out.
Mr.. 1NGERSOLL was understood to say, no;
believe not
Mr.. BRoDHEAD (Mr. d. yieldng) begged
leave to say to the gentleman, and the House, that
that distinguished gentleman denied having uttered
this expression, and always had denied it. and it
was proved on the floor Of the convention which re-
formed the constitution Of Pennsylvania, by gen.
teman from Lancaster who (Mr. B. was under
stood to say was whig, that it was not true.
Mr.. DIXON was very glad it was not true. But
if it was not, he presumed it would not be denied
that that gentleman, the present Secretary Of State
was, at that time, acting with the party with whom
the senator from Massachusetts, acted, and as guilty
as that senator was. He should like to know Of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania, whether or not Mr..
Buchanan was member of the federal party at the
late war, and member Of the Washington benevo-
lent society. l,a. ,,,.. ...E .s. .... y t. r.
Mr.. INGERSoLL said he was present, a
member of the convention of Pennsylvania,
when the charge was made to which the
gentleman had at first alluded was met and
completely refuted. He believed that at the
time of the late war Of 1912, Mr.. Buchanan, who
was then very young man, belonged TO what was
then known as the federal party, and he desired to
add that there not federalist in Pennsylvania
who ever burned biue-fight, as they did in Con-
necticut, in any respect traitor his coun-
try, and that Mr.. Buchanan, with his muslet on his
shoulder, turned out to fight the British.
Mr.. DIXON supposed at the time Of the late war
and Of the revolution the great body Of the people
Of Pennsylvania were on the side of the country