The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-27

'ihe PRESIDENT OF the United States. IN solemn mes
sage addressed 10 this House refused to communicate
me information. The President stated that the laws
ana the constitution, and the oath he had taken I'M
posed upon him duty which forbade him TO expose
70 any eye anything contained in that department.
ne said there was seal OF confidence upon il that
ne could not break that this House could not re-
quire him to break, unless il was case of impeach.
nen'; ana yet the member from Pennsylvania stands
up here, with bodness most admirable, and says
! he has been proving there, that he knows what is
there, and that he has got there all this information
which he has communicated TO this House. Now
l want to know how he got there. The President
says there is a seal of obligation of confidence
upon this department Who broke that seali He
exemps the Secretary Of State and the President he
says. | exempt them. have no idea that honor
able men had anything to do with that transaction
Was It some underling 10 that department. that has
been pander upon this OCCASION II assisted by
anybody, II must have been by underling, for
say no honorable man would have any connection
with the subject Who furnished him with key
or did he take one from his own pocket or did he
pick the lock- TO ascertain what contained In the
secret archives Of the department. Who was the
guilty mann II the gentleman does not reveal him,
the responsibility is upon him Mr. !. ] He
broke into the State Department where he had no
right 10 go-knowing that he had no right
to CO. Has there been anybody removed from
once IN the State Department for breach Of conf
dehcef Has the gentleman as a member Of the ad-
mnlstration party, communicated TO the Executive
the foul agent' No; he takes the responsibility he
chooses to shield the eonspIrstor If there is any il
Is upon him. And he admits he has gone and
broken in where the President says he had no right
to go, and where this House has no right to 90.
NOW the gentleman states, this morning, that these
documents are IN possession Of Of the clerks Of
this department. Dare the gentleman rise in his
place and state who that clerk isl Was il himl
! We'll, the gentleman described TO US how he 'stum-
bed Ihla inf IN
And for my lie could not but think il was like
man who has feoniously broken into house for
one thing and stumbles upon another and after lay-
ing his hands upon all he get, decsmps and sets
fire to the house. Il did seem 10 me so steathlike
/ cropping about where he had no right To be- doing
injury, and Lighting upon information which he says
surprised him.
Mr.. CHAPMAN rose and made point OF order
against Mr.. A, las was understood on the ground
OF ireeyancy.
The SPEAKER said it was impossible to state
strictly what was the line Of debate to which the
gentleman from Massachusetts said he confined.
The House had seen proper To suspend its rules in
order TO allow the gentleman TO proceed and 1t was
now for them TO say whether he was in order or
not
Mr.. ASHMUN Continuing The gentleman
spoke Of the manner in which he got this nforma-
ton. was merely drawing the picture little more
graphically. Ii was perfectly in order
Another point Of order here made, so far at
| the right Of the Speaker TO prevent our seeing
from whom it emanated, or understanding in what
form 1t was presented. II was not pressed, how
ever.
Mr.. AsHMUN (resuming) said he would waive
that point.
have something important Che contnued) in re.
laton TO the character OF the witness. Well; il is
by these means he avows before the world he has
procured the means Of uttering this accusation
against the distinguished senator from Massachu-
sets. Now, in judging Of the character of the wit
ness and accuser, you must always take into con.
slderaton to some extent the position he has as.
sumed upon the trial. He has brought against the
senator from Massachusetts four or FIVE distinct,
specific allegations. Among others he has charged
him with the personal Of the money of the peo-
pie Of the United States, and Of being defaulter
while in Office and going out of Office defaulter.
Sir, the member from Pennsylvania is the last
man, so far the public records show that should
suppose would have ventured upon stirring an nqui-
ry into official peculations-the last man in this
House. The records Of Congress ] should suppose
would have stared him in the face and have pasied
his tongue when he begins TO speak of the personal
use Of the money Of the people of the United States
Is il probable that for the purpose Of Withdrawing
public attention from one state of things--this
charge has been made upon another officer Why,
the member from Pennsy vania has held Office under
this government. He held it for course of years,
until he turned out Of Office by President Jack
turned out for official populations and the use of the
moneys Of ..4-. =
| Mr.. HOPKINS rose to a point of order. He
submitted that there was no subject before the
House. either in the of its legitimate bust.
ness, or under suspension of the rules which au-
thorized the gentleman TO go into the matters to
which he was now referring, as ta charges of pecu-
lation during the administration Of Gen. Jackson.
The SPEAKER. The House has suspended all
the rules and orders of its proceeding and has oera
ted species Of debate not known to Legislative
rules. 1t is impossible, therefore, for the chair to
conhne the gentleman strictly within these rules,
though The chair in several instances requested the
gentleman to do The chair has taken the posi-
tion-not under the rules Of the House. for they are
suspended-but on the general parliamentary
ground that between members Of the same body
the gentleman must conhne himself strictly to such
language as is to be tolerated in the general course
Of parliamentary debate.
| Mr.. HOPKINS Does the chair decide that the
gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr.. AsHMuNl is in
order'
The SPEAKER. The chair does so decide
Mr.. HOPKINS. l appeal from the decision.
Mr.. SCHENCK Can an appeal be taken when
all the rules suspended
| The SPEAKER, Yes; otherwise interminable
| confusion would be the result
i Mr.. ASEIMUN. Upon this ject--
The SPEAKER. The gentleman cannot proceed
pending the appeal
| MIR. AStMUN. On tnlS question OF appeal
have word TO say. The gentleman from Pennsy
vania Mr.. C. J. lNGERsoLL charged official pecu-
ladon upon distinguished senator
Mr.. HOPKINS submitted that the appeal was
not debateable.
The SPEAKER said the Chair would be
under the necessity of assuming the responsibility
of deciding tina, the appeal was not debatabe. Gen
tlemen must vote upon it without debate; and the
vote would be tantamount to giving or refusing
leave to the gentleman from Massachusetts to pro-
coed.
Mr.. ASHMUN. If that attempt is to be made,
l ask the yeas and nays.
And they were subsequently ordered.
Mr.. SCHENCK. | understood the Chair to
have decided that the appeal is not dcbatable Can
l appeal from that decisioni
Mr.. ROBERTS. The gentleman cannot pile one
appeal upon another.
| The SPEAKER so decided.
| Mr. BAYLY. In order thau may vote under
standingly, desire to ask question. The Chair
has stated Correctly, doubt that all the rules
are suspended. But are we not acting under the