Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-04-30

| generous and true hearted wings OF the Union,
followed Mr.. Ingersoll and gave him another scar
| flying" such as he will not soon forget. The
party felt the force of his remarks so deeply that
they tried to confuse him with incessant Interrupt
| tons and points of order.
lie pronounced, upon the evidence submitted, all
the charges against Mr.. Webster wholly false and
malicious. lie said that Mr.. Ingcrsoll had failed
| 10 sustain any one of the charges made against Mr.
Webster in his Speech of February 9th. That in
| his Speech of April 9th he made n new set of
charges, which this communication from the Presl-
dent showed were false. Charges had been ut
tered which were proved TO be false. They njuro
not the object at which they were aimed but rccoil
upon their original authors. corrected report of
Mr.. Kings manly and able speech will soon be
published to which refer you.
WEDNESDAY, April %.
SrNATE.-Thc journal being read, MIR. Webster
rose and said that there had been frequent inquiries
about the course likely to be pursued by the Com
mittce Finance relative to the Independent
Treasury Bill sometimes called the "Sub-Trcas-
ury Bill"
lie was no panic-makcr, and rather wanted to al
lay than create excitement. lie would ask two or
three questions from the honorable chairman of the
Committee, which he hoped the Honorable Senator
could answer definitely.
MIR. Webster then put several questions, inqur-
ing whether the Committee had considered the bill
referred to, whether they would report any amend
mcnt and whether they had fixed any time for call
ing up the bill.
Mr.. Lewis replied that they had had the bill re-
ferrcd to under consideration. That they had re-
solved TO give precedence to n bill from the Sena-
tor from New York for the establishments of a Ware
housing system. The Committee had also thought
the establishment of Branch MINIS at Newly ork
and Charleston necessary. They were not in
favor Of introducing the action of the specie clause
before January next.
The Committee were anxious to have the bill go
tl,cNt l.,r
might be made in the only constitutional currency,
but at the same time they were anxious to avoid
any arrangement in business affairs.
Mr.. Webster expressed his thanks for the infor-
nation conveyed.
After some unimportant business the resolution
offered some time since by Mr.. Jarnagin, asking
for information from the President relative to the
expenditure of the Secret Service Fund.- came
up in ORDER
Mr.. Webster rose and said: have few, and
but a few, remarks to make on the Presidents mes
sage in answer to the resolution of the House of
Representatives calling for an account of the dis
bursements during the period in which | had the
honor to be Secretary of State, out of the fund for
the contingent expenses of foreign intercourse.
In the first place, sir, / am happy to say that
entirely approve the course of proceeding which
the President has adopted. In my judgment, he
could not have acted otherwise than he has done,
without the violation of law and of his own duty.
that fund without the sanction Of the President,
and as | am conscious that every disbursement was
made tor proper and necessary public purpose, it
might be thought that desire the publication of
the papers, in order that every body might what
they are, or what they show. But this is matter
of so little Government to me, land presume it is
of as little to the late President that certainly
would not wish to see an important principle, and
an important law, violated and broken for any per-
sonal convenience in that respect. | am not at all
apprehensive that the country will suspect either
President Tyler, me. acting under his authority,
of any thing improper in the disbursement of q few
hundred a few thousand dollars, in case in
which the law reposcs confidence in the President,
and gives him discretion as to making the eXpen-
diture public.
Sir a President of the United States, or the head
of n Department acting under his authority, must
think but poorly of his wnreputation and standing
with the country if he is afraid of being suspected
of having violated his duty and his oath in mat
ter of so little moment. | will add, that person
who enterains such suspicion, without reason, OF
any public man. may himself be well suspected Of
having held a no very complimentary dialogue with
himself
Sir we all know that the head of Department
cannot touch dollar of this fund without the Pres
ident's sanction. The whole power and the whole
responsibility, is with the President The Pres-
dents message states this so fully and clearly that
| need not dwell upon it. ] will say, in the first
place, that no expenditure, improper in itself, or
improper in its amount, was made TO my knowledge,
Judgment or belief And will say, in the next
place. that the late President of the United States,
in all things respecting the expenditure of the pub
lie moneys, was remarkably cautious, exact and
particular
And here saw Sir, that all declarations, aver
ments statements or insnuations made anywhere,
or by anybody, which impute peryerson, mlsappl-
cation or waste of the funds committed or made by
me while Secretary Of State, are utterly ground
less and untrue. And will conclude with one re-
mark, the bearing of which shall leave to the
Senate and to the country.
Whoever charges me with having either mlsap-
piled wasted the public funds, while IN the De-
partment of State, has either seen the papers, or
has, in some other way obtained knowledge on the
subject, or he has not. If he has seen no papers,
and has no knowledge, then his imputatlons are
purely wanton and sanderous. If he has seen the
papers, or has any knowledge, then he would be
to state what he knows, if he knows any thing
to sustain him in his charge. Silence, under such
circumstances Is conclusive that he knows nothing
because he is under no obligation of secresy and,
in absence of all other proof, he would of course
tell all he knew, if he knew any thing which could
in the slightest degree, bear him out The charge
therefore, either made in utter ignorance off
any facts to support it, or else with the knowledge
that the facts which do exist would, if made known
entirely disprove it, AS to the source of this mis-
cradle vtuperation, have nothing to say | am
afraid shall be thought to have paid too much at
tention to it already. Sir, | leave the author of
these ISLANDERS where he isl leave him in the
worst company | know of in the world leave
him with himself
After some remarks from NIessrs. Westcott, Man
gum and Allen, the resolution was put the yeas
and nays being ordered Mr.. Turney alone voting
in the affirmative.
The President announced the vote as follows:
"4yes |. Noes A." $50 one is plrai)
This is most emphatic condemnation of the