Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-20
1r.o,,, ths Baltimore Ameriean.l

ion la,ter cave in briel some OF the leadihS poih''
nj the Re6ort submitted 10 the u. ,. Senate On
Monday. by lhe Select Committee, appointed =
investigate the grave charges recently maus
against he Senate in certain editorial al'en'
published in the Washington Times. Inc sun
iac, ia NJ s~nficient interest 10 call for The publIca-
iIion ortbe Report entire, and we accordingly giveit
. Mace This morning. Il will be seen, as Inc re-
suit OF The investigations, that a more RECKLESS
unfounded libel was never uttered than ma grave
~ put forth and rciie7 ated in The Times:
in U. S. SENATE, MARCH 10, le46.
Mr. Benlon rose and presented from the Sc
,ect mi The following Report, which he
read himself 10 the Senate, at the Secre1arys I'd
Bile:
The committee appointed 10 inquire ana re-
port what measures, il any, are proper 10 vihdi-
cafe the character and honor oil The SENATE
against the charges Of corruption, published ID a
newspaper printed in Washington CITY, caiied
lie o'Daily Times" on the 9Th, 9th, 10Th, and
| llth inst, with power TO examine witnesses, ana
10 send for persons and papers, report. ,.
That, in entering upon the execution OF lneif
duties as prescribed in The order OF lheir appoint
ment, The committee believed mat their research
es were 10 be directed TO the truth OF The charges
Of corruption made in said paper, with a view 10
the conduct OF the Senate and It's members, ana
moi with the view Of arraigning or punishii 6 Inc
authors Of The publication.
Under this sense OF their duties, Inc ommlle
summoned before them the editor oil Inc Daiiy
| Times newspaper, (Mr. h. ii. RoDinson,) ana
The publisher, (Mr. J. E.. Dow as witnesses,
who of their own knowledge. or by giving the
names of others, might De able TO prove Inc al
legged corruslions; and the declined 10
arl upon the limitations that others, besides The
editor and publisher, might be found 10 De con-
nected with the authorship OF these publications.
| The inquiry in this way avoided all aspect OF a
| proceeding against The authors of the publica-
ions, and became wholly directed 10 the charac-
Ter OF the Senate, as a component part Of our Re-
nublican institutions, and which cannot be i'm
paired or destroyed without great in ury OF those
institutions. !.
To avoid calling persons unnecessarily and
| improperly before them, The committee requested
the editor and publisher Of The paper 10 State in
writing The facts they expected 10 prove by each
witness, which was done and The statements
thus made, being copied into the minutes OF pro-
ceedings, became d justification for suminonlng
each witness, and also a guide to his examina-
ton, and gave the editor and publisher the benefit
of directing the inquiry 10 The points which they
deemed material.
Under the general imputation against Senators,
of corrupt communication with the British Mi
Mister in relation 10 The settlement Of the Oregon
question, the articles published in The Time con
| tanned three specifications OF a character snffi-
ciently definite 10 admit of specific inquiry, and
, to The truth of these specifications the researches
OF the committee were chiefly directed. These
specifications were: !. a dinner or entertain
ment. at The British Minister'S, at which many
Senators were said 10 be present, and where cor
rupt conversations in relation olhe Oregon ques-
non were supposed 10 have been held. 2. A
meeting OF Wing members in a room At the Ca
pilol on the Friday before the sailing OF The
steamer Cambria, al which the British Minister
was charged 10 be present, and where it was said
10 be agreed 10 have q vote taken, 10 be sent OIL
10 Great Britain BY the return OF The steamer. 5.
An admission By Mr.. Senator John NJ. Clayton,
that he was present AT the British Minister'S Ia
Bile. where the strength OF The British Oregon par.
" in the Senate, as il was styiea, was counted
by their noses"
Each of the specifications were found, upon in
vesliga,ion, 10 be utterly and entirely false.
/. With respect 10 the dinner at the British
Minister'S, and the alleged corrupt conversations
there, the editor and publisher OF The Times paper
each declared on oath that he had no personal
knowledge Of any such dinner or conversation.
The Two persons named by them as Witnesses hav-
ing "a knowledge" ofthe dinner or entertainment,
and OF the conversation there held-namely,
Messrs. Samuel Medary and L.. G. Turner,
swore positively that they had no knowledge"
OF any such dinner, conversation or entertain
ment. There remained then no persons Tor fur
Their examination, on this head, but the Senators
charged with being present al the supposed din
nor, and The editor and publisher of The rore-
having each refused 10 say that he expected 10
prove BY any member OF the Senate any CONVEX
salons with The British Minister OF the charac-
ter mentioned 10 The publications; and having, on
The contrary, sworn that they did not expectlo
prove any such conversations by said Senators,
il appeared 10 The committee that there was no
foundation for calling the said Senators, or any
OF them 10 testify; but il was deemed proper 10
make known 10 the Senators whose names had
been given in as witnesses, the facts in relation
TO The use made OF their names that they might
act in relation 10 il as they thought proper. They
were informed accordingly; and the Senators so
informed, each for himself, promptly sent in
sworn statements, utterly contradicting all thai
was imputed TO him. These statements, with
the other evidence, were entered on the minutes
of the committees proceedings, and leave no
doubt on the minds Of the committee that The
whole story 10 relation 10 the dinner, and the al
legged corrupt conversations, is a false and con-
temptible libel.
?. In relation 10 the meeting OF the Wing Sc
majors in the Capitol, and The closeling OF the
British Minister with them, on The Friday before
The sailing Of the Cambria, and The alleged re-
solve then taken 10 have an immediate vote on The
Oregon question 10 send out by the Cambria, The
committee, after full and careful inquiry find The
whole story 10 be unlounded and untrue; that
there was no meeting OF such Senators on mat
day; that the British Minister was never at such
a meeting on any day; that there was a meeting
a day or Two before The day charged, at which
The sense of the meeting in relation 10 The Ore
gon question was precisely the contrary OF the
resolve imputed TO it in the publications, being in
favor Of a delay OF The debate for W weeks, in
stead of hurrying a vote 10 be carried out by The
Cambria. These facts are proved by Wing MEM
beTs present at The actual meeting; and, further,
that in conformity with This resolve to postpone
the debate, a Senator at the meeting (Mr. Day
tony was appointed TO move The poslponement IN
The Senate, and did so; and only withdrew his
motion after debate and opposition. And thus
this story OF a Wing meeting in The Capitol, At
tended by the British Minister, is proved 10 be an
absurd fabrication.
3. With respect 10 The 'nOse counting" at the
British Minister'S table, The whole story has a
termination So ridiculous and contemplate that
the committee find it difficult TO speak OF it in the
temperate language which becomes a report 10 the
Senate. State papers seem TO descend from their
dignity when compelled 10 notice things so despi-
cable, false and vulgar. Justice, however, 10 The
character OF our institutions requires il 10 be done,
and The committee will discharge their duty in The
lewest possible words.
Publications in The Times newspaper had char
ged Ibis species Of counting The so-called strength
o! the British on the Oregon question in the Sen
ate OF The United States, and The British Minis
lel's table was made The place Of the enumera-
lion. On The first day OF the meeting Of the COM
mittee. The editor OF The Times (Nlr. 81. II. Rob
inson) wrole down in The presence OF the commit.
lee, that he expected 10 prove by Mr.. E. B.
schnabel, OF Philadelphia, that Mr.. J. M. Clay
ton, a member ofthe committee then present, had
admitted that he was present at the British Min
ister's table when this counting BY noses" took
place. Mr.. Clayton Instantly demanded the pro-
duclion ofthe witness. Fortunately, MI. Selma
be, contrary 10 his intention expressed the eve-
ming before in The presence Of The editor OF The
Times, had not returned that morning 10 Phila-
delphia, and quickly appeared before the COM
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