The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-09
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
The journal Of yesterday read and approved
The SPEAKER announced the unfinished bust
ness TO be the resolution offered last evening by the
gentleman from Illinois, Mr.. MeCLEasARp,l grant
ing the uss Of tho Hall this evening to the New
York institution for the deaf and dumb
Mr.. BAYLY obtained the floor, with desire (he
was understood TO say) to offer resolution of in
quiry.
SENATOR WEBSTER.
Mr.. C. J. INGERSoLL rose and asked leave 10
make personal explanation.
The SPEAKER again stated what the unfinished
business was.
Mr.. BAYLY repeated his request.
Mr.. C. J. lNGERSoLL invited the gentleman to
yield the floor, for the purpose of personal expla
nation.
Some conversation followed.
Mr.. G. J. lNGERS0LL hoped the gentleman
from Virginia Mr.. BAYLYl would not insist on his
motion. He thought 1t was personally unkind in
the gentleman to do so.
Mr.. BAYLY did not wish (he said) to be misun-
derstood. He did not ask 10 introduce any bust.
ness that would occupy The time of the House. He
wished merely 70 introduce resolution Of inquiry
The SPEAKER said no motion was in order
until the resolution Of the gentleman from Iinoi,
[Mr. McCLEksAsDl had been disposed of
Mr.. BAYLY yielded the floor.
anu W.T.. lNSEhoOLL TcpcdIcu MS request fOI
leave to make personal explanation.
Mr.. RATHBUN said he hoped it would be made
in committee.
Mr.. INGERSoLL said that it could not be made
in committee, as the gentleman would see.
Mr.. RATHBUN withdrew his objection.
Where9Pon, the floor was given, for purposes oil
personal ex PLANTATION. to
Mr.. c. J. INGERSoLL, who said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: have put the few words desire
TO say in writing that there might be no msreport
or mistake about them.
would not ask the indulgence Of the House for
my personal yindcaiion, but the occasion involves
the most precious privilege Of members of this
freedom OF speech has been grossly attacked through
me, by a senator, Mr.. DANIEL WEBSTER. or him
a senator, or an individual, | never have spoken
here. or Mr.. DANIEL WEBsrERs misconduct as
Secretary of State, have often spoken, mostly 10
ceRsure it, in the instance which provoked him this
session with severity which | acknowledge JUS
tihes retort.
I'll rise now to do is to ask the House to indulge
me with word Of explanation of some resolutions,
10 which, suppose, there can hardly be objection.
II adopted, presume they may he answered by
next Monday; and then shall pray permission to
speak on the subject.
One Of them is designed to bring officially before
this House the journal or minutes Of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, in February, lS43, when the
honorable gentleman from Massachusetts,, Mr..
ADAMS, was chairman Of the committee.
According to good presidents and authorities, /
am entitled to read these minutes to the House
without its leave. But, doubts may be enter
tanned prefer to obviate all objections by obtaining
its sanction in form.
These minutes will prove that Mr.. Secretary
WEBSTER made known TO members of that commit
tee, by written communication, the Presidents
wish fer special mission to Great Britain, which
special mission, think II will sufficiently appear
to settle the Oregon question, by yielding which,
Mr.. WEBSTER has lately denied our right to claim.
The resolution for information, from the Depart
ment Of State, will bring forth proofs of Mr. Secre-
tary Webster's misdemeanors in Office, his fraudu-
lieut. misappoation and personal use of the public
funds and corrupting party presses with the money
appropriated by law for the contingent expenses OF
foreign intercourse. When discharged as he was
from the department to which he so great dis
grace, he was delinquent, public defauter He
did not account for the public money he fraudulent.
ly distracted from the department till more than
year after he was expelled from it, and did not ac-
count for most Of it them by paying back the money
he distracted, but by vouchers from notorionsy
base agents of his choice, who recepted for it, to
be expended in managing party presses. Pa
pers from the Department of State, some Of them
signed by him, will reveal the mystery, of which
one of his corrupt agents, in letter to him marked
"priuate," applauds as Mr.. Websters new and ad-
mirabe mode o. settling the Northeastern boundary
question: after the forty years. laundering, however
honest and patriotic, Of Washington, the Adamses,
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, and Van
Buren,, who did not consider it right to expend pub
lie moneys in corrupting the press and the people.
1t is sickening, if not sad reality, that man of
fine abilities, as preposterously as profanely mis-
called Godlike, should be exposed in his mean
and paltry contrivances and associations with noto-
riously base fellows in pabably vile misuse of the
public money. Whom / spoke the offensive words
of the Secretary which appear to have goaded him
to the madness generally beraying the guilty. had
no idea of the extent of his offence. Indeed, have
not now, for detection has only begun since he
called me to it. One of his coadutors writes to the
Secretary Of State, that he presumes the contingent
fund is ample, and the Secretarys control over it
complete.
These papers, when made printed documents,
will show, also, application of some of the same Sc
cret contingent fund to the release of Mcleod; and
although Mr.. WEBSTER is reported to have said in
the Senate, that there only one letter on that
subject, three in one and the same day will appear
Whether, when possessed Of the proofs of Mr.
Secretary WEBsTER's malversaion, corruption and
delinquency, his offences will be deemed impeach-
able msdemeanors in office, conviction for which
might remove him from the Senate, and disqualify
him to hold any Office of honor, trust or profit under
the United States will remain to be considered
Should 1t prove necessary to go to that extremity
the simitude will be wonderful with great Eng
lish lawyer, called by poet the wsest and meanest
of mankind.
IL VIII NC perCelVeu the uetectOn, III am not
mistaken, which my former disclosures may lead to
merge my individual wrong, and even the injustice
done through me to the representative character,
freedom, and privilege of this House in the much
greater importance of msdemeanor in Office. When
Congress sees the proofs propose to submit, they
will Judge all parties and do what is right. It Is
useless and would be worse than useless, for me to
apply epithets to Mr. WEBSTER. l desire to try
him, and be tried myself, by proofs.
lnow offer the following resolutions, to which |
presume no objection will be made. | ask that they
may be read for information
And no objection having been made, the resolu-
tons were read as follows:
eolped That the Secretary of State furnish this Honse
account of all payments made Presidents certificates
from the fund appropriated by law through agency
that department for the contingent expenses foreign in
tercourse since the Ath Of March, lSi with copies Of
entries, receipts letters vouchers or other
evidence Of such payments to whom paid for what and
all concerning the northeast boundary dispute
with Great Britain also copies Of whatever communica-
tions were made from the Secretary of State during the
last session Of the 2th Congrespatculary February
1913 to Mr. Gushing and to Mr. Adams members of the
Committee Of Foreign Affairs of this House the wish Of
the President Of the United States TO institute special mis-
sion to Great Britain also copies Of all letters books