Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1846-06-18
REPORI OR THE INGERsOLL
CHARGES AGAINST MR. WEB
Err

SER
The following il. the report, IN Toll, Of The
Commhiee appointed 10 Investigate the
charge, advanced IN the House Of Repre-.
,eutai s,' Of Congre. by ChArler J In.
getsol against the Hon Eauiel Webster
for a ni.sapplIcalion Of the s,ctc, service
fund, while he was Secretary OF Stale Of The
Unncd States
The committee selected by ,hcHouse OF Rep.
resenlaIives 10 Iuyesug atecertAin charges,
made by the Hon Charles J. logersoi a.
galnsi the Hon Daniel Webster, cor Off
cal misconduct while he held the office
OF Secretary OF State Of the Uulled States,
big leave to fcpof,
That they have given to the suhjec, re.
terred 10 thema paiien, and lsborous n.
vss,igatiou, and have collected large mass
ofIe;,Inony, the result Of which, only. with
out going into details, they deem It neces.
slry to prescnt, to the House
The committee in the first place, drec.
ted their aueutlon TO the f,fst charge agains,
Mr. Websl,r thai, without the know ledge Of
the Pres,deul Of the United S,nles, and con
unry to usage, he had taken out of the
hands OF the ordinary discussing agent and
into his own n portion Of that foreign in.
tercourse fund, commonly known as The
Secret Service Fund " aud appropriated ii
TO his own use The committee fud that
By law this fund is committed to the eIclu.
ave control OF the President Of the United
States, who may, II he think proper, keep
the money himself and disburse it from his
own hands; or he may commit the keeping
ind disbursements f it to such hgen, or a.
gents under his Objection as he may deem
expedien, 10 appoint In consequence. as
the committee presume VI the many and
importan, duties whichpece'sarly constant.
ly occupy the whole Tins. and attention Of
the President of the United Ssa,cs, so MS to
render j, very troublesome ADD Difficult, for
him, in person, TO keep and, ,disbur'e this
fund and make up ii accounte. he has al.
ways 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 ndvser,
OF the President, 10 whatever concerns the
foreign relations Of the country he would
seem to be natural and appropriate ngen
for the discharge of these dutirs, IL he could
perform them without de,rimert to other
public business Of higher importance Ac
cordlugly the committee find That in the ad
minisiralion Of General Wasblnp'on the
elder Adams and pau of ,hstRof Mr. JET
frrson, while the office OF thee Secretary O
k.li IN h, ~ la
Jefferson, Randolph, Pickering, Mhrshall
and part Of the time that llr Madison hcI'
that office uncer Mr. Jee rson the whole o
this fund was under the direction aud super
vision Of the President az the United States
received kept and dsburscd by the Score
tary Of State.
Ia the esrly part OF Mr. Jrfrrson's ad
|/mipisrntion, the Secretary Of State wilhou
S~any law requiring II, seems to have bee
relieved from the discharge Of this dot
and the keeping and discussing OF this fun
under the Presidents direction, appears I
have been passed over into he hands Of {
gents, whose accounts, after receiving IN
sanction Of the President, are sellled at IN
I-casury But no change has been mad
4 IN the law or IN The powers or the duties
the President Ia respect 10 this fund froT
the time o. General Washington To the pre-
IN d-y TINS change must have been mad
for the convenience OF the Secretary
n State, and not from any want Of con6aenC
which Mr Jefferson had IN Mr. Madison
The committee have examined Mr. r.
b Ter, the late President Of the Unued State
He tesif,d that when he came into 4
I'll Presidency, h. founl the foreign relation
OF the country m very delicate cJndriC
~ 10 certain particulars, which the commits
Isl do not deem e1ped ient to specify, requI
III ing in ms opinion, the employment Of co
hdenlial agents and for reasons assign,
by him TO The commute he regarded
Secretary OF State as the fites, person TO 9
Iecl aud employ them Under an imprt
son entertained both bv him and Mr. We
ser, that ihis was the usual and prop
mode. be Suggested tina, the money shou
be disburssd by Mr. We5sler--and for th
purpose placed ia hi. hands the foreign
lcrcouse fad which was then lyiag IN q
post with Mr. Siubbs, the ordinary d
bpning sgent This had boi be
dose before for long lime a know'e I'd
Of the modern usage 10 respect 10 the kc'
ing and disbu rs.az lsis fund, 10 mol }
probable, led Mr Ingersoll into the er
neout belief thai this money hsd come 3
properly, sod without the Presidents 81
uon, al AT NsbKer's instance, Unto
hands Bot there can be no doubt bu, q
the Pfes,donI had ample authority 10 co
NIT 20 be Secretary The keeping and
bursng Of ,bis moosy, aai ,hI he al,
hsd q right 70 lodge Of ~ sSpedleney
The COMMITTEES nod from he t-suDony /
N all The money pul IN bis hands was pla
there With ,kn khnwl~dge snd sanction
n byosdsl sfise Pres,dent md 30 moch
R nss was Decatsry 10 Be disbursed Ia aecl
IA sses wat RS vhys A balance DOT %
# ID for the gurposes cRnismpIsied vas Of
ia wsras rsgrnsd byfhf Webster to