The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-21
PRESIDENTS REPLY TO THE CALL.

PRESIDENTS REPLY TO THE CALL
We lay before our readers copy Of the Prosi-
dents message in reply TO Mr.. C. J. lngersoll's
call He declines giving the information which was
asked at his hands. He assigns at great length the
reasons which have determined his course. We
venture to say that on the first blush OF this matter
the first impulse Of almost every man, when ne
first hears the charges which were made by the
member from Pennsylvania against the late Seerets-
ry OF State Is that accusations Of grave deserip-
ton should be freely and openly investigated. II
appeared due to the character Of Mr.. Webster him
self He was charged with malversation and cor
rupton in Office Ii seemed due to the character Of
our country and its institutions The jealous vigi-
lance Of our people in regard to the expenditures of
the public money would seem to demand the freest
investigation. The fact that these secret dis
bursements, and that they were charged by men,
Der OF Congress to corrupt purposes, calculated
to increase the curiosity and suspicious Of the pub
lie. Such were our first impressions on this sub
ect But the course of the President has been cir
cumspect, formed upon the most careful considera-
ton Of the purposes for which the fund was sppro-
priated, upon the reason OF the case, and upon
the practice Of our government. We venture to say
that few subjects could be seriously consider
ed, and more conscientously decided-decided, too,
upon his own CONVICTIONS and then confirmed by con-
sultstion with the members of his cabinet The
message, however, will best speak for itself; and
we are satisfied that the clearness and cogeney Of
its positions viii be felt and approved by all states
men, even IL they do not produce universal con-
vction of their justice and propriety. We are much
mistaken, if the country do not approve and adopt
the principles and reasoning of the message.
The truth Of Mr.. IngersolPs charges, however,
is different question. He yesterday reiter ated
and re-ssserted them in the House Of Representa-
tives. The reader will fnd the general speci6ca-
tons in the speech, which Is reported under our
Congressional head. We will now sec whether Mr.
Webster will notice and contradict them. He owes
it to his own character to come forward and deny
them, if he can. Other specifications are ahoat,
which it is said have been stated by Mr. Ingersoll,
not derived from the remotest hint which he has re-
ceived from the President nor from the Secretary
Of State (who absent at the time) nor from the
chief clerk ofthetState Department, who were unac-
Mr.. lngersol asserts them to be true upon evil
dence on which he implicitly relies. In country
like this public not only be pure, but free
from all suspicious. And il well becomes Mr.. Web
ster, therefore, believe, to sift the whole mat
ter to the bottom, and to spare efforts to vndcate
his name. 1t will never do for man like him to
wrap himself up in silence. The charges have been
openly made. They have been sent forth upon the
wings Of the wind circulated in various letters from
this ci,y-whispered in the circles Of the metrop,
olis-and again publicly proclaimed yesterday in the
hall of the House of Representatives. Mr.. Web
ster cannot, therefore, we should think, be silent
with impunity. The public pauses for reply.
Much to our regret the proceedings Of the House
of Representatives of yesterday were unfortunately
crowded out of our last evenings paper We shall
make every possible arrangement hereafter to pre-
vent this occurrence. We especially regret that
the Presidents message was omitted with the pro-
ceedlngs. This was an egregious bunder. But We
are unwilling to initiate the discouresy Of our origi.
nal progentor, Adam, in the garden of Paradise
when asked about the forbidden fruit, and to lay
any fault upon who acted with the very bes, in.
tentions, -
We now give the whole proceedings of the House
Of yesterday in connection with the message, and
the debate which sprung up after its reading. We
recommend the message to particular attention
not doubling that it will command the cordial re.
spect and appreciation Of every statesman who
reads it.