The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-11
HOUSE or REPRHEyTATIyEs.

such naval FORCES as may be necessary TO enforce
our just claims against Hayt Its reception was
objected to.
The House resumed the consideration of the
Gaiphin case and, after a long discussion, adj
JOOrned without coming to any conclusion.
THURSDAY, July 1, 1850.
This being the anniversary Of American indie
pendence, there was no session
FRnAY, jury 5, 1850.
Mr.. Giddings rose for the purpose Of calling
attention to an article by an anonymous CORES
pendent Of the Boston Aflds. charging him with
official misconduct, in sbstascting papers from the
General Post Office. The papers related to the
appointment Of postmaster at the Oberlin post
Office
A long discussion took place, as TO whether this
was question Of privilege; and the House, by q
vote Of SO to II, at last decided that il was not
Mr.. Giddings then, by unanimous consent pro-
ceeded 10 make statement concerning the mat
ter. The day before the adjournment Of the last
Congress be said, be received letter from the
brother Of the applicant for the post Office at
Oberlin, Mr.. Stevens,l requesting him to recon-
mend his appointment In the hurry Of the mo-
ment, he did not answer the letter. He took il
saying that he never recommended persons for
Office out of his own district; but he gave test-
monial saying that the applicant WAS so far as he
knew, OF good character, and qualified for the
station. He never saw the papers connected with
his appointment and subsequent removal; be did
not know Of sin gle name attached to them, from
that time to this He never called on the Assist
ant Postmaster General To examine any papers
but twice and they related to post Offices 10 his
own district; and be declared before the country
and Him who knoweth all things that he never
called on Colonel Warren for any other papers.
He had, on one occasion, a conference with Mr.
Collsmer in relation to post Office in the county
in which he tMr. G resided He repeated, that
in no case had he called for any papers, nor asked
any explanation on shy other appointments than
to three post Offices, two Of which came under his
superintendence. So far as the article in the
A'ias charged him with calling for explanations
with regard to the post Office 10 Oberlin, it was
entirely unfcunded. There was no, shadow OF
truth in the charge. Colonel Warren had said
to him, that he had recommended the postmaster
at Oberlin but he (Mr. G replied that be did
not, and tina, he had never gone farther than to
say that the applicant was man Of competes:
tAseD.. ySsc Sassbe only conversation Ne had
ever had with Colonel Warren. No further allu-
sion to the matter ever occurred between them
Yhu ualphin claim was fhsn taken up ana ais
cussed at length, the House, however, coming to
no conclusion.
FRIDAY, july 6, 1850.
The question OF privilege again came up, il
consequence Of statement made by Mr.. Matte
son, with the unanimous consent Of the House, a,
follows:
He said, on the authority and by desire Of Colo
mel Warren, the Second Assistant Postmaster
General, that that gentleman knew nothing abou
the publication in the Boston atlas, that he hac
nothing to do with il, and that he did not know
the author Of the article. In relation to the ex
animation Of the papers, which Mr.. Giddings yes
terday said he had never seen, he was also desired
to say that Mr.. Giddings did call at the Depart
ment, and asked to examine the papers, and did
examine them, and that there are clerks in the
Department who saw him. Colonel Warren de-
sired Il to be understood that he did not wish tc
charge Mr.. Giddings with anything like false
hood he presumed that, in examining ether pa
pers, the gentleman may have forgotten the fact
Colonel Warren simply desired to state that MIR
Giddings did examine the papers relating to the
Oberlin post office. He said the papers were sub.
sequenuy found at that Office, as he had been in.
formed, under the frank of the gentlemen from
Ohio, Messrs. Giddings and Crowell Colonel
Warren, however made no charges. So far from
shrinking from examination, he would have
been pleased with an examination into the matter
One other point, in justice TO Colonel Warren
who says that he yesterday received letter from
Mr.. Giddings written on the I'd Of July, and pre-
sumes he may have been reading il about the time
that MIR. Giddiugs WAS speaking on the subject IL
the HansA- he Mr. M presumed that Mr.. Gid
dings had received Colonel Warren's letter il
reply, aud he should like to hear him read it
Mr. Giddings had but few words to say
Colonel Warren has friend in the House, b
would ask him to move the appointment Of com
mittee Of investigation and he would sbowto tn
House and the country that what he had said wa
true. He hoped that the House would give hin
q committee !, he demanded IN justice to an oficel
of the Government, himself, and the country, thai
this subject be proved And he repeated, be never
saw paper, nor was he acquainted with the names
appended to it, involving the appointment or re.
moval Of the postmaster at Oberlin, except 50 far
as he stated yesterday. He never exchanged a
word with Colonel Warren, in relation to the SUBJ
ject beyond what he had already declared to the
House And be called for an investigation.
Mr. Wentworth. Have you received Colonel
Warren's letter.
Mr. Giddings have not | presume shall
have not yet received my mail.
Mr. Baker moved a committee of investigation
The Speaker decided that the whole question
bad been disposed Of yesterday when the House
refused to consider it q question Of privilege.
The House, on an appeal by Mr.. Richardson Of
Illinois, reversed his decision, and then passed
resolution introduced by Mr.. Baker, for q select
committee Of five members to investigate the
charges against Mr.. Giddings
The House. after some further discussion Of the
Galphin claim, proceeded, under the operation of
the previous question to vote on the various prop
ositions made for it's disposition.
The select committee had reported the following
resolutions, viz:
l. R,Solped, That the claim Of the Representa-
tives Of George Galphin was not jast demand
against the United States
q That the act Of Congress made Il the duty Of
the Secretary fthe Treasury TO pay the principal
Of said claim and IL was therefore paid In con-
formity with Law" and precedent
3. That the act aforesaid did not authorize the
Secretary of the Treasury to psy interest on said
claim, and its payment was not ain conformity
with Law or precedent
This MIR. Toombs had moved to amend as fol-
lows viz
Resoirsd, That there is no evidence submitted
by the committee 10 which was referred the letter
Of the Hon George w. Crawford, ssking an in
vestigation into his conduct In reference to the
claim Of the representatives Of George Galphiu,
which impugns his personal or official conduct in
relation to the settlement Of the said claim by the
proper officers OF the Governmentn
And MIR. Schenck had moved To amend this as
follows:
Prorid1d, horersy, That this House Is not to be
understood approving his relation TO that claim
ia continuing to be interested In the prosecution
Of It when II was TO be examined, adjusted, aud
paid by one ofthe departments Of the Government,
he himself being ut the same time at the head OF
another Of those departments but this House
considers sa.t sSSh s.onnsction and Interest," OF
member Of the Cabinet with a claim pending aud
prosecuted before another department, would be
dangerous as 8 precedent, and ought not TO be
sanctioned
The question was first taken on the amendment
Of Mr. Schenck, and IL was decided In the affirma-
tive--yeas l5s, nays rs
The question WAS then on agreeing 10 the
amendment Of Mr.. Toombs as amended, and 1t
was decided In the negative-yeas 50, nays 90.
The nm esfion Than utsfad IN he 4 h. suh