Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-05-07
House Of Repressntatires. April q.
MR.. wEBsTER's CORRUPTION.


MR.. wEBsTER's CORRUPTION.
In the House, as soon as the journal was read, Mr.
c. Ingersoll and asked leave to make personal
explanation.
Objection being made, the rules, by vote of l02
TO %, were suspended
Mr.. Ingersoll then read statement in reply to the
speech of Mr.. Webster in the Senate, ETC. The SUBJ
stance of it is as follows
Mr.. Ingersoll commenced by observing that having
gone to the Treasury Department to procure proof of
what MIR. Webster had denied, he there fell upon
proof of more serious Matters the charges of which
he had ntmated to the House. He did not proceed
TO furnish the proof that time because his friends
were of opinion that Mr.. Webster himself, would
demand an investigation. No such investigation
having been demanded but abuse having been substi-
tuted therefor, he Mr.. Ingersoll now felt bound to
bring forward his proofs. He then went on to state
that there Is undenabe evidence in the State DEPART
ment 20 show that, shortly after Mr.. Webster CON-
menced drawing upon the secret service fund, he
suddenly changed his plan, and for the first time since
the formation of the Government began to draw the
money out of the treasury, payable 10 his order
that one but himself could tell what disposition
he made Of the funds.
In this way more than fifteen thousand dollars in
about fifteen months were drawn out. At a subse-
quent PERIOD five thousand dollars we're returned by
Mr.. Webster. Now the question was where had
these five thousand dollars been deposited all the time
Had it been placed to the private and personal credit
of Mr.. W., or where After further remarks on
this branch Mr. lngersol said that there evidence
to show that this mode of procedure on the part of
Mr. Webster, not sanctioned by the President,
but disapproved by him.
Mr.. Ingersoll next went into the proof of the al
legged unlawful use of the fund in brbing the party
press He referred letters to the department from
Mr.. f. o. q. Smith, which spoke of Sc new and
efectual mode of settling the N E. boundary ques-
ton, by acting upon and giving tone TO the public
opinion.
In the last place. Mr.. Ingersoll said there was
written an undeniabe evidence in the Department to
show that when Mr.. Webster left the Department,
after deductlng all he claimed, he was defauIter to
the amount of about two thousand three hundred
dollars There also evidence in the Department
to show that the President yler) had caused him to
be written TO, time after time, to refund the money!
but without At length, on the writing of a
letter by the President in very strong language,
informing Mr.. Webster that unless the amount was
made up forthwith an expose must ensue conside-
rable portion of the money refunded but it was
not till within ten days of the Inauguration of Mr..
Polk that the amount made up in the shape of a
voucher from Mr. H. Smith, of Maine, of five hun
bred dollars.
Mr.. Smith, however, having stated that the whole
amount OF his claim was only one hundred dollars,
and this fact being mentioned to Mr.. Webster, the
amount of the voucher reduced by him. on the
first application TO hundred dollars instead of fre
This could be proved by an agent now in this city.
In the concluding remarks OF Mr.. IngerSoll, he
understood to dlsclaim attaching any blame to Mr..
Tyler.
Mr.. Ashmun, of Mass, desired to reply, but as
objection was made, the House, by vote of I35 to
| D. suspended the rule
! Mr.. Ashman then took the floor, and in a very
severe manner proceeded to comment upon the course
of Mr. Inpersoll in thus assailinp Mr. Webster He
contended that had Mr.. Webster been present, and
member of the House, Mr. Ingersoll would not have
dared to make the attack. He went to ask how it
was that MIR. Ingersoll had obtained his information
after the President had refused to answer the resou
ton of the House upon the ground that the seal of
secrecy could not be broken. Had any of the under
lings been corrupted, or had Mr.. lngersoll entered
the Treasury and with a key of his own opened the
desk After further remarks of very severe per-
sonal character, Mr. Ashmun said it i'll became Mr..
Ingersoll to talk about population ETC.. when he
himself had had been turned out by Gen. Jackson for
pecuation of the public money.
Here there were loud cries of order, but the chair
decided that all rules had been suspended, it was
difficult matter for him to decide what was in order
or what not, provided improper and personal
language avoided.
After considerable noise and confusion, Mr.. Ash
mum proceeded He referred to a document for the
purpose of showing that Mr. Ingersol, when removed
from the Office of u s. district attorney in Pa had been
sued the government deaulter and that he had not
paid the amount of the verdict found against him for
several years.
! Mr.. Joseph r. Ingersoll here rose. He said that
as a matter of delicacy, it proper thus far he
should have abstained from taking any part in this
matter, but now he placed in different attitude
for upon that trial he was counsel for his brother
He then stated on the word of gentleman that Mr.
c. J. Ingerso had, at the time referred to- been try
ing in vain for long period to bring the government
settlement of all his accounts District Attorney
Attempt after attempt was made, but without success
At length, Mr.. Ingersol having a sum of money in
his hands, and being anxiously DESTROYS of settle
ment, proposed to the government that the matter
should be settled by jury. This finally agreed
to- and the trial had, when the whole matter was
honorably settled TO the satisfaction of all
MIR. Ashmun resumed his remarks and contended
that the charges Of Mr.. c. ]. Ingerssll upon Mr..
Webster were totally false and that the respectable
portion of the community would be disguised with
them. Mr.. A. then proceeded 10 assert that nsid
Gus attempt had been made to induce Mr.. Tyler to
break ground the subject and to disavow that he
sanctioned the disbursement.
MIR. c. ]. Ingersoll. BY sir By me!
Mr.. Ashmun. Yes sir, by you, sir.
| Mr. Ingersoll. 1t is false Ii is lie
Here great uproar ensued, with loud calls TO
order, during which Mr.. Ingersol again and
denounced Mr. Ashmun as liar and coward
| Mr.. Ashmun said, if the member thought to pro-
woke personal quarrel by using such language, he
was mistaken. He (Mr. y came from part of the
country where they did not fight duels. He came
from among people who did not pistols dag
gers nor bowie knives, neither were they afraid of
them.
Mr. Ingersoll.-And where they get drunk.
| Understood TO be an ausicn to Mr.. Webster.
! Mr.. A shmun went on to say that although he was
lno duelist if any one doubted his courage let them