Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-06-13
The report having been read


with the majority of the committee in all their conclusions, "a
committee which he had been placed without any desire
consent Of his own, he deemed it his duty present his
views in the shape of minority report which he requested
might be received and printed Ii due however, to the
House state that the report he had embodied the letter
from Mr. T. o. j. Smith, to which the report of the majority
REFERRED and which substantially agreed with the repre-
sentaon OF which had been made to the House by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania, (M G. ]. ISGERsoLL) He
stated this that he might not be thought to have wish to
smugge that letter before the public without the previous
knowledge and permission of the House
i Mr.. SEABORN JONES wished TO submit question TO
the House Ifhey would advert the language of the
report which had been read by the Clerk would be
that the committee had been careful to do ample justice
10 The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. q. ISGERsoLL
in regard the impressions he had received from the perusa
of this letter of Mr. Smith, and had said that the general
Of the letter. taken by ITSELF and without any thing
ther TO explain or cast additional light upon IT. such
would naturally such Impressions The exposure of
the letter itself (Which would be the result of printing the
whole of the minority repor could not place him higher
grounds than had been done by the committees report That
report said that Mr. ngerso had been warranted in suppos
ing that attempt had been made corrupt the press The
publication of the letter could place him higher ground
had been the intention of the committee put him on as
high ground he could stand But the committees re-
port went on to say that such opinion would have been
entirely changed by feusa Of the residue OF the testimony
that they after an examination of that testimony, fully
satisfied that improper had been made of the fund.- and
intention eynced of doing any thing in the matter that
inconsistent with the highest honor patriotism and in
egrity Under these circumstances, it would be unjust
Ial-nay, IL would publish the letter
unaccompaned by the testimony which fully and sasctoi-
y explained it, and which, when asked for by House, the
President had refused to communicates The House had ask
ed that this testimony might be made public but had
been disclosed, because the President thought contrary
his duty communicate it unless be employed in
sustaining impeachment The gentlemans minority
port did not disagree with that OF the majority this concu
son for he wished the whole be printed 1t would GER
anly be the height of injustice place portion of it before
the public and TO leave out the resdue from such partial
disclosure II would be impossible for any to any
Just correct conclusion Either the House ought sup
press the whole, or to publish the whole.
the House prepared to violate the implied pledge un
der which these records had been communicated So
With the House would rest the responsibility The commit
tee had earnestly endeayoed to do justice to all the parties
concerned. 1t for the House to say whether it would
permit this letter of Mr. Smiths only be published while
all the residue of the testimony submitted to the committee
was concealed, whether would direct the papers accom-
panng the report to be unseaed and exposed public
The result of this examination had convinced Mr. j. that this
Government was purer, more upright straightforward
in the application and entire management of its con
gent fund than any other the face of the EARTH Should a
the records be published he doubted that this fact would
appear to honor when attempt should be made abroad
to hold up country the reprobaton Of the world
MIR BRlNkERHOFF said that the gentleman from Geor-
sa had remarked that the majority of the committee had come
to the conclusion, from examination of all the ocumen-
tay evidence which had passed through their hands, Mr.
F. o. ]. Smith justfabe the writing of that letter
and the course he had pursued Frem that conclusion Mr.
b. dissented
Mr.. $. JONES explained. He had meant to say that SO
lar as the conduct OF Mr. Webster concerned and that
was the object of the whole inquiry, the testimony had con-
vnced him, and majority of the committee that no use had
been made of the contingent fund for service in con
nexon with the press of the country that not consistent
with the most honorable, upright and patriotic purpose
The CHAIR here inquired whether the gentleman from
Georgia objected the publication of the minority report
Mr. s. JONES replied that he did not. He objected how
to the publication of portion of the papers which had
been submitted to the House, sealed Up and marked conf
dental, unless the whole was published.
Mr.. BRINKERHOFF said that he considered il as his
right 10 make minority report and in to present his views
IN such fom and to insert the report natter as he
thought ought to be published II the whole the papers
accompanying the report should be published il would in HE
opinion, be so much the better He totally dissented from
the opinion Of tho committee that the public interest would s
fer in the slightest degree from such publication it could be
injurious neither to the present the future relations the
Government II the evidence went to Mr. Web
er from all improper of the secret service fund.- how
could its publication be injurious the honor of the country
1t could not the conclusion at which the committee ar
ved was correct then the publication could inurc nobody
HIS report therefore, concluded with resolution IN the
whole Of the testimony submitted the committee lie printed
Mr. BURT said that the question seemed regularly to be
on the reception OF the report he would suggest that before
any thing further done the minority report should be read
Mr. > JONES objected to the reading of the letter as en-
bodied in the report
The CHAIR understood to rule that if any part of the
report was read published it competent for the
House to divide it. II must either be received or rejected
printed not, a whole
/ The minority report then read.
Mr. HOGE moved to lay the whole matter (including as
the Reporter understood both the epors the table and to
pn and on this motion he demanded the previous question
before the question was put
Mr. MARTIN, Of Kentucky, asked permission to inquire
whether Mr. TSeEnsotL had been before the committee
! Mr. BR1NkERHOFF said he had not
Mr. FINTON said was fair to state he had not been de-
MED the liberty Of being present, but he had asked it,
1 he motion to lay on the table, it agreed to-
The question being then put printing it decided in
. the affirmative Yeas l57, nays is.