Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-05-02

Of the country the very question which every man tina
loved the reputation of his country Immediately put this
Ills true r II the gentleman had heard his trul
called in question BEFORE he must prepare himself to hear
now.
In what character did the gentleman here appear HI
was both accuse and witness And he had taken upoI
himself TO prefer charges against Mr. Webster and
refer to himself Tor the proof Of hem did il become i'm
poant TO the House to know who this accuse and who THU
witness was The gentleman had brought here from tn,
State Department Of certain documents which, h,
said, existed there which the House take
his personal veacty That the evidence, and all the
evidence which the House had in support Of the charge
TO the genemans proof OF his accusations he gave the
House his he said he had found among
the records Of the Department of State What had
the House the other side II had an official conmunica
ton from the President of the United States in reply
lemn call from the House for these very records
which he declared that they kept under seal of
loo sacred for him TO break the solemn requon
of the House Of Representatives Meantime here stood
gentleman from Pennsylvania, who there in his place,
and did not blush TO to that House that though this
cy too sacred to be invaded by the President he had
found out to get at these secret archives and making
statement to the House of what they contained he asked
the House to receive this proof the solid and mmovea
BILE ground OF his personal veacy Was then aside from
the purpose to inquire what is this witness and who is he
On the 9th Of February the gentleman had brought forward
several distinct specific charges against Mr. Webster His
manner IN doing SO had been imposing and omnous he had
uttered them with shake Of the finger significant nod OF
the head and solemn gravity well calculated to produce
the impression that he knew well what he saying and
was perfectly ready to meet any responsibility it might i'm
pose upon him. According to this solemn accuser, Mr. Web
ster, when Secretary Of State had written letter marked
private, and dispatched by express the Governor Of
New York. with view to interfere with the administration OF
justice in that State He had also paid the of S. 900
fee to the former District Attorney Of New York, in
the of Mcleod These specific charges and they
were all falseuery false II true that private letter
had besn written the Governor Of the State of New York
but it was not true that this was attempt to ncreSc with
the Of justice the courts of law in that State Nor
had il been sent by express Why, then, did the gentleman
say SO
MI. INGERsOLL. Did say SO
Mr.. ASHMUN. You did. Presenting that there might
be such want of recollection the part Of the gentle
man, Mr. A. had referred the report of his speech in the
Union in which the expression would be found. He pre-
sumed the reporters had told the truth
Mr. INGERSOLL was here understood to say that the
report in the Union not correct that he did not remem-
Der using any such expression.
Mr. ASHMUN. Was it to be supposed that the reporters
of tho Unon the gentlemans paper would fasfy his
words Mr.. A. had heard it. All the House had heard it,
Yet the gentleman with the most chdke simplicity could
look that House in the face and that he had known
his character for truth to be questioned Did not the gentle
state that Mr. Webster had paid fee of 900 to the
District Attorney of New York, and that false
Mr. INGERSOLL. Not is true.
Mr. ASHMUN. True There is not one word of truth
in it, If the gentleman thought bolster up the charge by
such sort of proofs he had brought here this morning. he
would find that instead Of establishing he had completely dis
proved it.
Here some confusion arose. and Mr.. ISGERsoLL made
remark not heard by the Reporter Some gentlemen
demonstrated against interruption
Mr. A. said he did fear the effect Of these interruptions
The gentleman had said that Mr. Webster had given So 1000
TO the late District Attorney of New York in the of Nc
Leod He would appeal every in the House whether
this not the fact
Mr. INGERSOLL did not say it had been paid by the
Administration.
Mr.. AsHMUN. did not appeal to you. appealed to
every honest man in the House. ask every gentlemen of
honor and veracty here, whether the gentleman did
express himself as to be understood saying this
Again the gentleman had said that Mr.. Webster wrote
note, or sent written communication to the chairman OF the
Committee Foreign Affairs proposing appropriation to
cover outfit and salary for special minister London
tic the Oregon question Now if this So what would
it amount to He presumed that every 81 40 in the
House, instead of blaming Mr. Webster for this would rather
be glad to find that he had moved early that question.
Mr. Webster had replied by saying he had recollection Of
ever having written such letter. The journal Of the Com
mitee on Foreign Affairs contained proof of and the
venerable chairman of that committee denied having
ceived written communication the subject The
mtees Journal indeed did refer communication
that subject, probably verbal And far this went,
Mr. A. did cheeruly admit that the gentleman had in sub
stance, subanated of his positions He gave the gen.
enan from Pennsylvania credit for having told pretty
truth And this part Of the subject reminded Mr. A. of
the weknown anecoe of the Indian, who, coming the
door of Western settler told him that he had just from
brook by where, by the side of large whteoak tree,
there stood noble deer and the would go quickly he
might shoot him. He then closed his communication BY ask
ing for dram reward for the intelligence The farmer
readily gave the liquor and snatchng his rifle, down
the place appointed but deer track Of deer to be
seem Coming back he met the Indian, and accused him of
having deceived him. Why," said the red man. did you
go TO the place " "Yes" "And you find the brook ?,
!" Yes" "And the tree ;" eyes; hut didn't find the
deer" "Wel replied the Indian, 81 told you truths
to one lie, and that's pretty well for an Indian" The gen.
eman had hardly up the Indians mark though he
did not apply to him the word ellie because that would not
be parliamentary.
Mr.. BARCLAY MARTIN here appealed to the Chair to
know whether this was in order }
The SPEAKER replied that, in like this where the
rules had been suspended for the purpose Of allowing the gem
temsn to make personal explanation, and another gentle
man TO reply to it, very difficult TO say with precision
what exactly in order and what The House
had suspended all its rules Of orje but gentlemen would be
governed by their Of propety in avoiding offensive
language.
did not intend to apply the offensive word TO the gentleman
from Pennsylvania These charges Of his his mistakes
and the gentleman had been happy to exhibit case
Of accuracy against five mistakes and that pretty well for
the gentleman No attempt had been made by him TO prove
the residue of his accusations 10 be true, and under
bad gone into the State Department to seek for further mate
rails Of accusation. II very natural IT, the gene
sad he had the free Of the State Department that
he should go there to what he could find out The gen.
eman whole showed that he had been engaged in
strenuous effort 10 get something which would enable him
with greater show Of evidence to rsduce Mr.. Webster
Now then, the question came before the House, by what
means did the gentleman get that which he had brought and
read to the House With what fairness had this pretended
Of his been extracted from the State Department
he asked by what had this been accomplished
The House had made solemn call the Executive in rea
explicitly refused to comply with the CALL and had stated as