Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-05-01
THE ENQUIRER.

~ hing waged between these two gentlemen,
;,,o,vins moreover important and delicate ques'
.;,,s.of State policy, we 60 back few days. and
g.. pIescu! the remarks Of Mir. Webster delivered
!. no Senate on Wednesday, the 22d April, I'M
,aI;,sly ate- the reception by the Fl. Of Rep
.a,sn,,,yes Of the Presidents message, declining,
., ,ro,sr reasons, 10 make public the informa-
,,or called for in regard 10 the secret service
f,ns--apd a! the same time stating, that the pa
ne-s could be exhibited to Committee of the
House:
Mr.. Webster rose and said have few,
o,d hui few, remarks 10 make on the Presi-
tents message in answer 10 the resolution OF the
House Of Representatives, calling for an account
Of Inc disbursements during The period in which
had the honor to be Secretary OF State, out OF
me fund for The contingent expenses OF foreign
intercourse.
In The FIRST place, Sir, am happy TO say, that
7 entirely approve the course Of proceeding which
me President has adopted. In my Judgment. ne
ccn!d not have acted Otherwise than he has done,
whou, the violation OF law and Of his own du-
~. Sir, as know that not dollar was dis
bursed from that fund without the sanction OF
inc President, and as | am conscious that ave-
~ disbursement was made for proper and ne
should desire The publication Of the papers, in
order !ha, every body might see what they are,
ST what they show. But this is matter OF so
lille Government TO me, (and presume it is of
as lille 10 the late President) that certainly
would not wish TO see an important principle,
and an important law, violated and broken for
any personal convenience in that respect. am
not al all apprehensiye that the country will sus-
pact either President Tyler, or me, acting under
his authority, of any thing improper in the dis,
bursement OF few hundred or few thousand
dollars, in case in which The law reposes comb
dence in The President, and gives him dis
eretion as to making the expenditure public.
Sir, President Of the United States, or the
head OF Department acting by his authority,
must think but poorly OF his own reputation and
Standing with the country, if be is afraid OF being
suspected OF having violated his duty and his
oath in a matter Of so little moment | will add,
that a person who eutertains such suspicion,
without reason, of any public man, may himself
be well suspected OF having held no very CON-
plimentary dialogue with himself
Sir, we all know that the head OF Depart
ment cannot touch dollar of this fund except
with the Presidents sanction. The whole power
and the whole responsibility is with the Presi-
dent. The Presidents Message states this SO lu'
IL and clearly, that need ne, dwell upon ii.
vii! say, in the hrst 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 re-
specipg The expenditure Of the public moneys,
wa, remarkably cautious, exact and particular
And here say, Sir, that all declarations, aver
nen,. statements, or insinuations, made any
where, or By any body, which impute perversion,
decentralization, or waste Of the public funds,
committed or made by me while Secretary OF
STATE, are utterly groundless and untrue. And
will conclude with one remark, the bearing OF
which shall leave TO the Senate and 10 The coun-
ny
Whoever charges me with having either mis-
ar, ed or wasted the public funds, while IN the
DEPARTMENT OF State, has either seen The papers,
~ has in some other way, obtained knowledge
on The subject or he has not. II ne has seen no
uspers. and has no knowledge, then his imputa-
i,oa, are purely wanon and slanderous. he
ba. seen the papers, or has any knowledge, then
!. would be sure 10 state what he knows, II he
knows any thing 10 sustain him IN MS charge.
Silence, under such circumstances, is conclusive
tia, he knows nothing, because he is under no
obligation Of seeresy, aud n absence oil all otner
proof ne gonld, OF course, tell all he knew, il ne
knew .nv thing which could, in the slightest de-
gree bear him out The charge, therefore, was
either made in utter ignorance ofary iacts 10 sup
port il, or else with the knowledge that The lacts
which do exist would, If made known, entirely
iisproye il. AS 10 the source of this miserable
yi,upera,ion, have nothing to say am afraid
shall be thought 10 have paid 100 much a!Ien-
lion 10 il 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.
Last Monday, in the House. Mr. c. J. lnger-
soil made The following remarks, by way OF per-
sonal explanation:
MIR. Speaker: When Mi. Webster, in viruen,
terms, in Senate assailed my truth, concerning
transactions Of which proofs ought 10 be in The
Department Of State, | went there in search oil
Them for my vindication As member OF The
Committee on Foreign Affairs, for some years,
have some freedom of access there though proba-
BIZ none which any other member OF Congress is
mol entitled to-
Searching for proofs, not to expose him, but
yndca,e myself, fell most Unexpectedly on others
which led me next day, to denounce him as de-
lnquent
When the Presidents answer to the resolution
ofths House of Representatives refused certain
documents, ! repeated in general assertion, Inc
fac; Of his delinquency, and added that It IS easi-
" susceptible OF proof. NJ friends advised me
10 20 no further, supposing that Mr. Webster
would challenge investigation:
MOI hayin, done so, but having again, with op-
probious language, in Senate, charged me with
sander, and called on me TO suoslantiale my ac-
casation OF him, now submit short statement
which may be tested as to truth.
There are three charges OF delinquency;
First. Unlawful use Of the fund appropriated
for the contingent service of foreign intercourse,
commonly called the secret service fund.
Secondly. Misappying part OF that fund TO
corrupt party presses.
Thirdly. Leaving the Department Of State in
default 10 thatfund.
a
sun. commonly 80, 900 dollars for the contingent
expenses OF foteign intercourse; the disbursement
OF part Of which is sometimes usefully claDdes-
tine, but never, as has been enormously supposed,
corrupt. Whenever, in the Presidents opinion,
il would be wrong TO make public how any part
Of il is disposed OF, he cerli6ss, and, by act OF
Congress, his mere certificate is sufficient vouch-
Ua. the Treasury for The required settlement.
These funds have, for the LAST sixteen years, if
10, always, been in the hands OF a clerk, called,
b acts Of Congress the disbnrsag agent OF the
Department. OF State, who kept them in banks, as
agent The Official routine is Tor the President,
on the reeusiiion OF the Secretary OF State, 10
authorized the payment Of the money from the Trea-
suIy 10 the discussing agent of the State Depart
neni The discussing agent is debited at the
Treasury with the sum drawn into the Depart
nent Of State, keeps it TO his credit as agent, in
oans, a.! gives checks as required by the Secre
a'y, for payment 10 any person he may desg-
ia,e
10 his way, the first check l saw, when went
nlhe department., was drawn by the agent for
ne service al New York in McLeod's case 1000
dollars
Bn, shortly after President Harrison, DEATH
and . ore Vice President Tyler wa, a, home in
S S magistracy-in April, lS4l-Mr. Secretary
Wooster began an entirely novel method OF deal
.as with the secret service fund. Instead OF di-
feling The discussing agent 10 pay anu third
Nrson Mr.. Webster required the money 10 be
pad TO himself
10 hi, way he drew TO himself from the dis.
ssuslnG agent twelve thousand dollars during the
ass nine months Of Mr. Webster's incumbency
as as Secretary, about 800 dollars month, in
'efi, and 900 dollars more early in 1912.
Thus he took into his own hands $4,000 dol
iais IN his first twelve months. The President,
mere is written evidence in the department to