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

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Hunter Charlie. Ingersoll Joseph r. ingsrsol George
W. Jones sesbom Jones Preston King. Leake, Leib,
Il s' a1 ss asfE IrT John
Moulton Norris Owen, Parish, Payne Pendeton, PERIL
Petit Phelps Pollock Price. Rathbun Reid Relic Ritter
Roberts, sawtels, Sawyer Scsmmon Seldom severance
Alexander ID. Sims, Leonard II. Sims, Thomas smith
Stanton sarkweather, Stephens ST. John, suohm, Ihoo
deaux Thomasson. Jacob Thompson, Thurman Tiooalts
Iilden Vance, Vinton Wentworth, Wick, faheeyi ana
Yost-lO2
NAYs-Me,sr,. Burt Carroll, Reuben Chapman, Cooke
Dixon, Gentry HARRISON, Hernek Elias b Holmes, HOP
kns, George s Houston, Thomas Butler King Lewis
McOaughey. Marsh, Barclay Martin. Morse kosL hunk
YelI-q6
So the rules were suspended.
And leave having thus been granted,
Mr.. C. J. INGERSoLL spoke as follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER When Mr.. Webster, in yrulent
terms in Senate assailed my truth concerning trans
actions of which proofs ought to be IN the Depart
ment of State went there in search Of them for my
yndicaton. As member Of the Committee Of For
egn Affairs, for some years, | have some freedom
Of access there, though probably none which any
other member Of Congress il not entitled TO.
Searching for proofs, not TO expose him, but VIM
dictate myself | fell most Unexpectedly on others
which led me, next day, TO denouaee him as delIn-
quent
When the Presidents answer to the resolution Of
the House Of Representatives refused certain doeu-
ments repeated in general assertion, the fact OF his
delinquency and added that it is easily susceptible
Of proof. My friends advised me to go no further,
supposing that Mr. Webster would challenge inyes'
ugaton.
Not having done so, but'having again, with OPP
probrious language, in Senate, charged me with
SANDER, and called on me TO substanlate my aeeu-
cation Of him, | now submit a short statement,
which may be tested TO truth
There are three charges Of delinquency:
First. Unlawful use Of the fund appropriated for
the contingent service Of foreign intercourse, com
monty called the secret service fund.
Secondly. MisaPPyng part OF that fund to cor
rupt party presses.
Thirdly. Leaving the Department OF State in de-
fault TO that fund.
First. Congress approprates annually small
sum, commonly $50, 900, for the contingent expen-
Of foreign Intercourse; the disbursement Of part
Of which is sometimes usefully csndestne, but new
er. as has been enormously supposed, corrupt.
Whenever, in the Presidents opinion, It would be
wrong 10 make public how any part Of II IL disposed
Of he eerti6es, and by act Of Congress, his mere
certificate is sufficient voucher at tho treasury for the
required settlement
These funds have, for the last sixteen years, fnot
always, been in the hands ofa clerk, called, by acts
Of Congress, the Disturbing agent Of the Department
Of State, who kept them in banks, agent. The
official routine is for the President on the requsiton
OF the Secretary Of State, TO authorize payment OF
the money from the treasury 10 the dsburslng agent
Of the State Department The disbursing agent is
debited at the treasury with the sum drawn into
the Department Of State, keeps it to his credit as
agent, in bank, and gives checks required by the
secretary, for payment to any person he may desig-
nate.
In this way the first check saw, when went to
the department was drawn by the agent for the ser
vice at New York in McLeod's case, 81, 900.
But, shortly after President Harrson's death and
before Vice President Tyler was at home in chief
in An NJ NN.kat
began an entirely novel method Of dealing with the
secret service fund, Instead Of directing the dis
bursting agent 10 pay any third person, Mr.. Webster
required the money TO be paid 10 himself
In this way he drew to himself from the disburs-
ing agent twelve thousand dollars during the first
nine months of Mr.. Webster's incumbency as Sec
rotary, about 81, 300 a month, in 1884, and three
thousand dollars more early in 1912.
Thus he took into his own hands fifteen thou
sand dollars in his first twelve months. The
President, there is written evidence in the depart
ment to show, never authorized this, knew nothing
oft, and when first apprised of il, more than four
teen months after had been going on, to the large
amount Of fifteen thousand dollars, refused il his
sanction.
1t was no, ill July, 1s42 as the evidence in the
department shows, in Mr.. Webster's handwriting
that he got Presidents certificate for four thou
sand four hundred and sixty dollars, (s4,460.)
That Presidents certificate, Of which | took a
minute, dated 18th July, ls42, is
To J. J: Crittenden, for expenses Of journey to
New York 500
To F. o. J. Smith, for services connected with
the northeastern boundary 1000
To Alexander Powell, for journey to, and stay
on the frontier in ls4l, on the subject of the
disturbances 1000
With several other items.
The first item in this short account concerning
Mcleod, will show how | was led from that to
other objects; and some OF the other items will
show the agents whom, as Secretary of State, Mr.
Webster employed Both houses Of Congress, if
not the public atlarge, have not been left in gnor
ance of the characters Of some Of those whom the
Secretary Of State bestowed large sums of public
money, if their receipts correctly vouch what they
got
In memorandum Of payments to Mr.. WEBSTER
by authority Of the President, there is minute da-
ted June %, 1912, "By cash returned, $1,000"
After drawing $4,000 to himself during fifteen
months, during which period there is no trace of
what he did With those large sums he appears to
have returned one.third of the amount Withdrawn
Why return it, if taken for any public purposei
Where had it been kept lin any place of deposite
was it separate from Mr.. WEssrER's private funds'
Did he use III
These $4,000 were returned ten days after, ac-
cording to the published correspondence his nego-
alton with the British envoy extraordinary began by
protocols or other usual records of such transac-
tons.
In lS43 Mr.. WEBSTER took to himself 80 900
more, making altogether $4,000.
On closing his account, crediting the $1,000 re-
turned, and various other sums there remained a
balance against him Of 800 of the secret service
fund One Of his credits against it was for 81, 400,
published in House document, report No %, first
session, 18th Congress-report Of Mr.. Rogers for
maps, charts, surveys, and expenses of bringing
them to the seat Of government, and for copies OF
transcripts and for various agencies to procure in
formation connected with the boundary treaty
This inarticuate and comprehensive mixture of
many incongruous items, without specification of
prices dates or any apparent test of rectitude Mr.
Secretary WEBSTER certified himself a proper
credit for himself and deducted from his debit to
the secret service fund Without that credit his de-
fault to that fund would have been 81, 500 instead
of 81, 900, which it was when he was removed from
office.
The SIT 1000 were in his hands, contrary to uni
form usage; if used by him, contrary to the sub.
treasury act Whether so, is for him to make APP
pear. The burden Of proof is on him.
Secondly: Application Of the secret service fund
to corrupt party presses The Ashburton treaty
bears date the 9th August, 1912. Congress were
then in ,ao,iop. and aa M An... ha, nk..u.J -.