The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-11
SENATE, Monday, September 10.
Personal EXPLANATION.

that to-day would claim the indulgence of tn
Senate to make personal explanation with re
gard to some charges which have been prefer
red against me. 1t appears from the date of TIT
accusation that it originated in the House Of Re
representatives., and the initials indicate that the in
dividual who originated the charge was membe
Of that body. Ihave been accustomed all my life
until had passed the meridian, to be very wei
abused; and ! have submitted to, or rather dsre
garded, the abuse which has been grattuousl,
heaped upon me, But my position at this time
and the relations bear to this body, as well a
the American people, and the relations which
have heretofore borne TO the country in officia
stations, seem to demand of me that | shoult
not allow this to pass unregarded. 1t is to M
matter of sincere regret to have controversial
of any kind. | have always avoided them.
have attacked the reputation of no individual u,
to this time of my life, but have often, very often
been the subject of attack. | am glad that on th
occasion ] am not the assailant Of any one; but
claim the right of repelling unfounded accusations
which may be made against me, calculated to alec
my reputation, so far as it is connected with thu
past or the present.
have seldom, during the session, obtruded my
self upon the attention of the Senate; and as W.
are now drawing towards IL close, as | hope, Of
on, labors here, am the more reluctant that my
private matters should occupy one moment of the
precious time Of this body. Nevertheless, Mr.
President, from the circumstances which surround
this matter--the individual who makes these
charges not being known to me-and it appearing
from the character Of the piece published in the
"Southern Press, "upon which am about to com.
ment, that the grounds Of the attack are found III
something that occurred in the Senate, feel it in
cumbent upon me to notice the matter here.
have been for twenty-lour years, | think con.
nected with deliberatve bodies occasional!y and
those Of dignity and importance. | think it is
twenty-siX or twenty seven years since entered
Il ID
have frequently, in the State in which ] dwell
been Il member of deliberative bodies, consu,a
tons, conventions, and congresses, and | be
ieve have never yet violated a rule of decorun1
in my life, and that | have never been called t.
order for a supposed violation. Had !, on the
occasion referred to, used any expression unwor
thy Of my station and the respect due to this hon
orabe body, am satisfied that gentlemen here
members from the State Of South Carolina, would
have been ready to detect any outrage done tc
an absent member of that community wi ich they
represent, or To the distinguished deceased who
has been drawn into this matter, MS any gentle
men upon earth Their sense OF honor Of deli
cacy, Of proprItty, renders them even R,slldiouSy
tenacious Of tive honor OF their State and Of It's
citizens. 1t would have been the duty of the
President, and the duty Of every member here, to
call me to ORDER had violated the rules Of de.
corum by any rejection which could have caused
their resentment or Reproduction IN any form what
ever.
The charges, sir, to which would call the at
teniion Of the Senate are embodied in certain in
terrogatOrles prOpounded by the individual tC
whom have alluded.
After concluding his address to the editor, 1t
says: 81 will now PROFOUND some interrogatories
directly to the individual - and IN propoundin2
them he proceeds to say:
81 ask you, sir, did did not Mr. Madison
soon after the battle Of the Horseshoe, appoint
you to the office Of sub-lndan Agent for one o
the Southern tribes :"
in answer to that, Mr. President, will say
that MIR. Madison did not appoint me to any Of
fee Under the administration Of Mr.. Monroe
on the 20th Of September, 1917, was appointed
by Mr.. Geors.e Graham, acting Secretary OF War
to the office mentioned.
Ibid or did not you hold this Office until Mr.
Monroe came into power, and Mr.. Calhoun un
der him as Secretary of War:
That is useless question: as it has been already
answered, and has no bearing upon the subject
was not remaining in office when Mr.. Monroe
came in. was appointed during his admnstra
ton. lie goes on:
"And did or not Mr.. Calhoun cause you to he
moved from the office of sub-Indan Agent for
malf:asance in office? Mark the word, sir.
say 'malfeasance.' | should not consider it alto
gether in good taste to use another word with
which all are familiar who are acquainted with
the terms of the criminal code. Will you, sir
give direct answer to these nterrogatories, with
out resorting to your usual prevarication; Deli
cacy still restraints the expression. The public vii
be grateful, doubtless, 10 hear your response
We'll, sir, never was removed from any Office
have taken some troubIe--I have no doubt the
clerks thought SOTO have the archives Of the
country ransacked for thirty years back ,anC
to hunt up those records which bear upon the sub
ject. My track is remarkably clear; there is not
a brush in it-not one. 1t is quite smooth. From
the time entered the army private soldier in
the ranks, on the oath of March, 1914, up to the
LIST Of March, 1915, never had mark against
me. If i had marks, they were made by the enc
my upon my body, and not upon my escu,cheon
never defaulter for any amount. was
incapable Of malfeasance AS subIndian agent |
have to exhibit high authority for my charac' er
and conduct. 1t has not heretofore been promul-
ged TO the world, because did not seek it.
rely upon no fictitious advantage, sir. ! have de-
pended upon no helps bu. those whish flow from
public opinion. If have received those, sir, the
approval Of my felIowcitizens will never be indir
ferent to me, and should be ungraefu if | did
not vndicate that character which they have &C
corded to me-
The office of sub-agent was unlocked for by
me; it was unsolicited. | was at that time labor
ing under a wound, and hnd been for four years
and wos unable, rs many believed, to encounter
the difficulties and exposure which must neccs'
sarily encounter in the active duties Of sub-ln-
dian agent, in melting the Indians to removal
west Of the Miss SjpiI But because ii
seemed to promote the in,cr stH Of The Cavern
meni and 10 contribute t. IA. lrat work Of paci-
fcation, by qr!efng the lirn"| of th" : 18th
(or Georgia WAS not uncOnCt"urH, aud Tennessee
was anxious to ocrury and "mioy her chartered
llmits--l wiling. AS lh's i,!& WIS my adapted
State, tn make sacrifices IN hnr rhac, for the
pr"mot"u or great I" "'t. Wei, 1t was the
business Of General Illh,nl to a'I''vIyjSe this mat
ter. lie had been commissioner for negotiating
the treaty. nrd Il. he was The chef of the southern
division Of The army Of the United States, he had
a general oversight OF affairs connected with the
Indians ia that section of tie country. Indeed |
believe he was engaged IN negotiating more 'renties
with the lndL,n uIhcs than any o,her individual
within my knowledge. 1t was in reply to a let
ter of Mr.. Graham, in reference T. the treaty OF
lSl7-Co!onel Meigs being superonnuated gen
tieman, man Of The revolution, and unable II
perform the duties so that it thought younger
man should ne selected for this duty-that Gen
Jackson held the following language:
81 beg leave to recommend Lieut.. Sam Hous
ton, of the first infantry, as young man Of sounl
integrity, who has my entire confidence, and one
who is in every way appreciated to fill the appoint
ments; and would further remark that Lieut.. II
has some claims upon the Government for severe