Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-06-24
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 81, l64S.

ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE TREASURY
Mr.. BEDINGER, by leave, in behalf Of the minority Of
the Committee Public Expenditures, made report in
aon the annual report Of the Secretary Of the Treasury
the state of the finances made Congress during the pre-
sent session.
Mr.. STROHM inquired whether the question would not
be adopting the resolutions contained in the report
The CHAIR replied that the first question would be on
printing, and Men on adopting the resolutions reported
The question being put printing the report, it was
agreed to.
The question then being the adoption Of the resolutions
contained in the minority report
Mr. COBB moved to amend the second resolution in such
order the number Of copies of the mi
noys report of the majotys and that the two reports
be printed together
Mr.. STROHM said be had no objection the adoption Of
the amendment but he felt due the majority of the
mee to say few words before the question should be taker
Through the poteneS Of the gentleman from Virginia,
Mr BEDScER, he had had opportunity of looking
copy Of the report Of the minority, and he must say that
part Of that report appeared him to be Of very exaod
nary character much that he must embrace this oppor
tuny to offer few remarks upon it. The minority sat out
by saying that certain members Of the committee had gone
into examination Of the report submitted to Congress by
the Secretary Of the Treasury, and had prepared elaborate
statement Of alleged in that report without giving any
information either TO the Secretary the other members
Of the committee that such investigation would take place.
Mr.. BEDiNGER said, in explanation, that the copy sub
med by him TO the honorable gentleman from Pennsylvania
Mr SrRoHs was, he had stated to him, only rough
bad now alluded not inserted in the report The gen.
eman would find not word Of the kind in that document
MIR. sTROHM was happy to hear that this charge had
been dropped There had misunderstanding existed among
the members OF the committee 10 the time and place Of
meeting. But Mr. 8 ssid behalf of the majority of the
committee, that they did consider themselves called upon
to give any notice to the Secretary before they went into
scrutiny OF bis report to the House. That public off,
cal document and such fairly subject the most careful
examination It large document, and contained state
mens from different subordinate officers Of the Department.
from the Register, the Treasurer, &C. but the whole had
been submitted 10 the House the report of the Secretary Of
the Treasury. The several portions Of made by Off
whom he had CONTROL and therefore the entire du
ment be considered and always treated and spo
ken Of emsnatng from the Secretary In the report Of
the majority Mr. s. bad endeavored point out and explain
some VI the contained in that report The minority
report submitted occupied in the first fifteen
pages by argument intended show that il there
In the report submitted Congress- the Secretary
not chageabe with them He called upon by law
to submit these details the House. This Mr. s.
going TO dispute but these several statements to the
House under the sanction Of the Secretary he sent them
the House statements, and the House entirely
justified In considering and treating them his. IT, however,
the minority could succeed in shifting the responsibility from
the shoulders Of the Secretary and fixing his subord
nate he supposed they would have bear they could
The report Of the majority alleged that the Secretary had
no, IN his report given Congress the information required
by law, and which Congress had right expect but had,
on the contrary presented erroneous statements calculated to
mislead tue House.
Mr. & here referred to the act Of ls47 22d section to
show what required Of the Secretary relation the
Treasury authorized by that act and recapulated the
points In which he maintained the report Of the Secretary
have been detective To Of these charges the minority
had attempted respond and In the first part Of their reply
grsvey charged the majority with having overlooked entirely
report made by the Secretary. Mr. 3. explained, and
stated that this report which be was charged with having
looked bad been by him any other member Of
the HOUSE l few days sgo viz on the 7h Of the present
month"; ak months after the secretarys report
An. II had been reported the House and Immediately
10 the printers, bat, though document OF great value
and did conisn 500 pass the printers had had il In
their hands icr nearly sx months How this happened Mr.
=. should not SOP 10 inquire
Mr.. C0NGER Chairman Of the Committee on Printing!
here 70 explain. This the document which, ut the
request 81 the Secretary, had been repeatedly sent back 10
him and The printers had srpsrenced the greatest difficulty
In getting !, from him q ell The index 70 Il was In the
hands of the Secretary m -four o. Eve weeks and 80 connu
I'd, though almost daily cssdfo The responsibility Cor this
delay rested with The Secretary, and with him alone.
Mr. sTR0HM and he he'd supposed such 10 be the fact
and he rendered hs thanks the honorable gentleman the
head q ne Committee Printing Cor The explanation he had
given Thus appeared that The information which the
ogiy % he comm<e charged with having overlooked
bad been withheld by the Secretary himself What he had
been dong with this dceumsn, III ha, while, whether he de-
isined 70 msks alterations shsr bed been officially report
ID 70 The House, Mr. y did not know, bu seemed 10 him
extremely probalie.
Hsw he mncs a ,he committee had 20, access 70 hi.
Withheld Socument Mr. n, 70 us Yankee phrase, could
gsess.
Mf q here Gent mao various sscsens. 6rs, from the
poa 81 the sasjssy ymsr made W himself and then from
the report a fss msory aSsy hch yins before him y bot,
ss these related 70 asas. report a pasculsm csuli. q
ceurs, - gssn BY Rcpc,e a. 70 ss inelsible 70 the
reader Noreover. thsss d~isis wholly asscal the
House fan u nos.s and ~ times pos-i-
~ hes Mr. . 20 an n yece. though clear, being
very srsnE The Rsporis however, y ccssossd with the
knowless fhn hsi grusmsn ell hmseh pseps. detail
"A report q hs swa speech, thus Supplying whf no one
however &mihn 9th ne sujscs could Dc from Inc
Having gsne shssuxh Wv.sn 81 ths csrges ef
,ansa IN tho msssys rrpur and srbused by them ihe
Secretary. and having dsnAe ,hsm ~si bounded and fully
ussAed y ths dacunsus ncwisnd,ng The explanations
and psisssns a ne mn@iy rspc. Mr. q rrscesaed. In
be pl.cs 10 nncs hs pevsa q The minority report
which rtorssa ts chnss a ne report Il the mao
nv. ne wminaed ths Heu-s ths ne majority had
pssisndsa bs their rcpr wholly fra ron mi
kes IN
an sx.mnson esssn--s that hardly 10 hc sxyrcsed
anA While NJ sarn>d thsi there In me
port the cny wonder shss hsy we're fc~. And he
void, W ersuinax hes chasxsd by the minority, satisfy
every canad mind shss ,hsy d'd mot amount 70 much.
sncr sn
Aer noticing. In arss thss several charges cf error, Mr.
o. said that hs p~,cry hsd bad insenssco ny their
port make personal sfisk upon Nc Wsker They had
no wi- 10 inurs him their only ch~ bod been 10 have tho
annual fiscal report o. the country rendered correct They
had pointed cui scme u me contained q which
sons might have ben msds " Mr. young o. NJ. Graham