The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-26

1
know the reasons--the why, and the wherefore. The
Secretary might be ustifabehe might be excusabe for
this failure or refusal The pupor and the object OF the
resolution was to raise committee for the pthr-e Of ip
curing into the state of the facts and if the Secretary be
iusti6abe OF excvsable, to report it, II might be that
legislation was necessary for the purpose OF enabling the
House 10 make good its privilege of having from the
ecutive departments oil information deemed necessary for
Its action IN reasonable and Convenient time Such
the object OF the resolution. Well, then IL II were
the privilege of the House to have information from the
head OF at department and the allegation OF the resolq
ton that that information had not been given was true,
it question of privilege belonging TO that House to
inquire into the cause and to apply remedy If the ap-
plicatlon OF remedy were necessary.
The SPEAKER. The Chair will state the grounds on
which the first decision the first reading OF the resolu
ton made, otherwise the Chair might appear TO be
placed in an awkward predcament. " appeared that
e ass 81 dqesSSp e q py ag eee s
the second reading OF the resolution that, as it alleges
failure and refusal give information, it is not
Mr. DAVIS then said that he would modify the reso-
luton SO to call the Secretary Of the Treasury alone.
Mr.. DRoNiGoOI.E then said that the resolution now
applied to single department Instead Of subjectng all
the departments to inqusitoral visitation, The gentle
from Kentucky would apply the process to one only.
He Mr DRoMGooLE) took pleasure now in reversing his
it his duty to oppose it. Tie whole argument of the gen
enan from Kentucky was founded the want Of dis
elimination between the rights and powers Of the House
had right moi only call the heads Of departments
for information, but direct them to furnish it But
failure the part of the heads OF departments to COM
Ghse "I privileges Of the SD' House He put i g
the genteman--to his calm rehection-if he did
not perceive the distinction between the rights
and powers of the House and its privileges as belonging
either to individuals the collective body He did not
wish TO be understood desiring to screen the Secretary
Of the Treasury, the head of any other department. or
wishing to apologize Tor him for any delay in aording
the desired information. He quite willing to repeat
the call il necessary But he did not know anything pre-
cise about the facts OF the case However, he could
pla and hear rjVht
OF the House confounded with the delicate question
of privilege He would not go into any argument to
Secretary OF the Treasury being officer OF that House
That had been fully discussed when the great question
Of the removal of the depostes was under consideration
From the foundation OF the government down the pres
ent moment had been directly the Of what the
gentleman had maintained. His mir. DAvIs's] whole ar
gument had been founded the single fact that they had
an of Congress directing the Secretary OF the Ireasu
ry to report to Congress and not to the President The
reason of that obvious But had they not the same
power to direct the reports OF the Secretary OF War, and
the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary OF State to
make their reports to Congress- But he would not de-
tain the House any longer in sustaining the Chair in what
he Ne deeSd sSrIsci ion Of resolution
modified
The CLERK informed the gentleman, through the
SPEAKER, that the gentleman from Kentucky had not yet
Mr. RATHBUN here remarked that he had been in
formed that the Secretary OF the Treasury had SAID that
he did not intend to give the information, I'll at 50 late
period in the session to be unavailable [Crles OF
Mr. COBB called on the gentleman from New York to
name his informant. Loud cries OF "Name, name. ]
Let the gentleman give the name that the House could
know to whom he indebted for the allegations which
he had a1 made Renewed cries Of Name
evasion the part OF the Secretary OF the Treasury
Mr. s. ADAMS said he had just read the report OF the
Secretary OF the Treasury in reply to one OF the esou-
the other he could consistently with attention
to other and previous demands upon him.
;, Mr.. scHENCK proceeded The Secretary, Of the
the difficulty under which he laboring but that he
did not choose do, nor indeed, did he choose to do
OF es calls III mead the Of s
MIR. HENLEY wish to know what is the question
before fore the an,l Hogs sp :, !. -, a.,;.;on 81
Mr. HENLEY Is the gentleman from Ohio in order
The SPEAKER. The gentleman is in order. Il the
decision Of the Chair be erroneous the gentleman has
MIR SCHENCK proceeded He sympathized with the
gentleman who had interrupted him. Indeed, it was only
succeeded in getting the floor If he could remember
where he fifteen minutes ago, when these Interrupt
tons took place. he proceeding to say that these res
olutions had been offered with view OF basng some
legislation upon them. The Secretary of the Treasury
at all events, might have presumed that an immediate an
swer desirable II it were true that he had now m
tmaed his design to be to delay till action impossible
or unlikely then he had added insult to direct refusal
If he r s. did not undertake to say that the Secretary
had that he dd tat, Deen declared In
presence of that House by the gentleman from New
York. that he had been advised that such had been the
remark of the Secretary OF the Treasury. But, be that
as it might the Secretary had paid sort of attention to
these calls A Init the explanation with regard to one
of he-whch the Secretary had not thought proper to
make personally-that he had not sufficient physical
force, how was it with regard to the oherl How was II
with regard that resolution which called for the names
of the secret agents employed by that department? What
was the object of that CALI It to ascertain wheth
CIR those persons authorized by law, and whether
legal provision had been made for their remuneration
Well them they had asked for information which
might be the basis of legislative action, but had
to refusal to furnish it. Was ii not rght--was
it not a privilege of that House, that the House
should know whether the business OF Legislation
was to be thus obstruced by refusal to give lnforma
ton on the part OF those officers who the Custodes
OF information of that kind That was the light IN
which he Mr. s. regarded it question OF privilege.
They had in the Treasury Department certain lniorma-
in regard TO that information and IN reference to mat
course of conduct the House--or member oil Inc
House-proposed inquiry in order that subsequent
legislation might be adopted if neediul The Secretary
was at the head of that department lie mad the lhior-
nation in his keeping Had that oilcer right 10 say 70
this nformation-I will withhold what you have called
forw =,
Il Mr. RATIIBUN. If the gentleman will allow me-
the word was directed not requested .
4 Mr. SCHENCK. That, then, served Tor Just one nall
of the argument of the gentlemen frem Virginia. SO astute
in these matters always they bad often SEEM ana OF ex
ceedng ability. At best, il only drawing distlnc-
tons between the rule to show cause, and the rule
absolute" Here, however, it seemed to be the rule
absolute He (Mr 81 was glad that this question had
been raised 1t seemed to him that there was continual
stealing away of the power from the Legislative depart