Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-21
LIBELoUs PUBLICATIONS.
IN sENATE--MAncH 10.


Mr.. BENTON and presented from the Select Com
mitiee the following Report which he read himself TO the Sc
nate, ut the SecTetary's table;
The committee appointed to inquire and report what
any proper TO vndcae the character and honor
Of the Senate against the charges OF corruption, published
newspaper printed in Washington city, called the "D,
Times the 9th, 9th 10TH and It'll Instant with power
examine witnesses and to send for persons and papers, report
That in entering upon the execution Of their duties
prescribed in the order Of their appointment the COMMITTEES
believed that their researches be directed the truth
Of the charges Of corruption made in said paper with view
the conduct of the Senate and lis MEMBERS and with the
view Of aagnng Furnishing the authors Of the publication
Under this Of their duties the committee summoned be-
fore them the editor Of the Daily Times newspaper Mr II.
H. Robinson and the publisher, Mr. J. E. Dow, wit
nesscs who, Of their knowledge, by giving the
Of Others might be able 10 prove the alleged corrupons and
the committee declined to upon limitations that Others
besides the editor and publisher might be found To be connect
ed with the authorship of these publications. The inquiry in
this way avoided all aspect of proceeding against the authors
Of the publications. and became wholly directed the charac-
ter Of the Senate, component part Of republican in
suons, and which cannot be impaired destroyed without
great injury OF those institutions.
To avoid calling persons unnecessarily and improperly be-
fore them, the committee requested the editor and the pub
Usher of the paper in writing the facts they expected
prove by each Witness which done and the statements
thus made being copied into the minutes Of proceedings be-
justification for summoning each Witness and also
guide his examination, and gave the editor and the pub
Usher the benefit Of directing the inquiry to the points which
they deemed material.
the general OIL
communications with the British Minister in relation to the
settlement of the Oregon question, the articles published in
the Times contained three specifications of character su
GENTLY definite admit of specific inquiry and to the truth
these specifications the researches Of the committee
chiefly directed. These specifications l. dinner
entertainment at the British Minister'S at which many Sena
tors said he present. and where corrupt
relation to the Oregon question were supposed to have been
held. 2. meeting of Wing members in a room at the
Capitol the Friday before the sailing Of the steamer Cam
ba which the British Minister charged to be present.
and where said be agreed have vote taken, be
sent off to Great Britain by the return Of the steamer An
admission by Mr. Senator JOHN M. CLAYTON that he was
present the British Minister'S table where the strength
the British Oregon party, in the Senate, as it styled,
" was counted by their noses"
Each of the specifications found upon investigation,
to be utterly and entirely FALSE.
/. With respect to the dinner at the British Minister'S and
the alleged corrupt conversations there the editor and the pub
Usher of the Times paper each declared oath that he had
personal knowledge of any such dinner conversation
The persons named by them witnesses having " a
knowledge of the dinner entertainment and Of the
veaton there held namely, Messrs Samuel Meday and L.
c. Turner, positively that they had knowledge
of such dinner, conversation or entertainment There
remained them no persons for further examination this
head but tho Senators charged with being present at the
posed dinner and the editor and publisher Of the paper hav
ing each refused to that he expected by any mem
her of the Senate any conversations with the British Minister
the character mentioned in the publications; and having,
the contrary, that they did not expect 70
such conversations by said Senator'S appeared to the COM
u ornny Of them testify bat il dScmsd proper "a
make known the Seators whose had been given in
witnesses the facts in relation to the made Of their
names that they might act in relation TO il as they thought
proper They informed accordingly and the Senators
informed each for HIMSELF promptly sent in sworn state
ments, utterly contadicing all that was imputed 70 him.
These statements with the other evidence were entered on the
minutes Of the committees proceedings and leave no doubt
on the minds the committee that the whole story in relation
the dinner and the alleged corrupt conversations, false
and contemplate libel.
q In relation the meeting Of the Wing Senators in tho
Capitol and the cosctng of the British Minister with them,
the Friday before the sailing Of the Cambria and the al
legged resolve en taken have immediate vote the
Oregon question send by the Cambria, the committee,
after full and careful inquiry, find the whole story to be I'm
founded and untrue that there meeting Of such SEN
that day that the British Minister never at such
meeting on any day that there meeting day or two
before the day charged which the OF the meeting In
relation 10 the Oregon question precisely the contrary OF
the resolve imputed in the publications. being in favor Of
delay Of the debate for weeks instead Of huryng vote
be carried by the Cambria. These facts proved by
Wing members present at the actual meeting and urther
that conformity with this resolve to postpone the debate
Senator the meeting M DArroS) appointed to move
the postponement in the Senate, and did and only with
drew his after debate and opposition And thus this
story Of Wing meeting in the Capitol attended by the B-
fish Minister, is proved to be absurd fabrication
3. With respect to the "nose counting at the British
Ministers table, the whole story has had termination so rdi-
culous and contemplate that the committee find difficult to
speak Of in the temperate language which becomes report
nifty when compelled to notice things descabe FALSE and
vulgar Justice however, the character OF our institutions
requires tito be DONE and the committee will discharge their
duty in the fewest possible words
Publications in the Times newspaper had charged this
species of counting the socaed strength OF the British on
the Oregon question the Senate of the United States and
the British Minister'S table made the place OF the emu
meraton On the first day Of the meeting Of the committee
the editor Of the Times (Mr. H. II. Robinson) wrote down
in the OF the committee that he expected prove
Mr. E. b. Schnabe Of Philadelphia, that Mr. J. M. Clay
ton member of the committee then present. had admitted
that he was present the British Minister'S table when this
counting by noses took place. Mr. Clayton instantly de-
Auanded the production Of the witness Fortunately Mr.
Schnabc contrary his intention expressed the evening be-
fore in the presence Of the editor of the Times had not
turned that morning Philadelphia and quickly appeared
before the committee On seeing what was written down as
expected to be proved by him. he manifested perfect amaze
ment declared that he could sustain Mr. Robinson that
he was totally ignorant Of every thing attributed to him that
he had never seen Mr. Robinson until the night BEFORE when
no CASUALLY met him the Of member OF Congress
that he had asked him what proofs he had TO before the
Senates committee Justify his charges and talked with hun
about some Of the ccuaon and that all that was
attributed 10 him was false and unounded Mr. Schnabel
his extreme modification at being called as wit
ness in such case and spoke like Of honor, whose
sensbies were wounded finding himself in such an UNI
pleasant situation.
The next morning communication was received from Mr.
Robinson which he desired have entered the minutes
Of The prceencs as correction Of his previous reference TO
Mr. SchnabeI declaring have been inddperfence
and tina, Messrs Mcday and Turner the intend
ed to be named Soon after Mr. Schnabe himself appeared
and asked to add his testimony Of the previous day what
had occurred since his examination yesterday which
that he had met Mr. Robinson that morning, who had
knoveged his mistake, reactcd what he had imputed to
NJ and promsed To have his rctraxit made known