The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-24
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


Mr. RAYMOND asked and obtained leave to
introduce a bill, of which he had given previous
notice granting lands TO Virginia to aid said State
in the construction OF certain railroads therein;
which referred 10 the Committee on fubhc
Lands.
Mr.. BROWN, of Mississippi, asked but did not
obtain leave to introduce bill granting lands TO
Louisiana and Mississippi for railroad purposes
PERSONAL ExPLANATIoS.
The first business before the House was an
nounced, being the bill prescribing the manner OF
taking testimony in cases OF contested elections,
with a view of facilitating such business.)
MIR. STRONG entitled to the floor, but gave
way to
MIR. RICHARDSON. who asked and obtained the
unanimous consent of the House to make personal
explanation He found, in the New York Tribune,
ne remarked, letter written from the capital, IN
which he was charged with suppressing certuin
papers, as member OF an investigating commit
tee which was raised during the last session. lie
sent copy OF the letter to the Clerk, who read 1t
follows
s.WAsHINGToN, WEDNESDAY, Dec. IS, 1859.
"A specimen OF partisan rascality has just come
TO light which demands, If not Congressional IN
vestgaton, at least exposure 10 the eyes Oh the
people ~
''You may know that at the last session OF Con
gross certain charges were preferred by Mr. kicH-
ARpsoS, of Illinois, against Hon. THOMAS EWING,
then Secretary of the Interior. These charges were
OF a very grave character, and Mr. RIcHARDsoS
pledged himself on the floor OF the House that he
would prove their truth, and, that he might be able
to do more efiec tua!ly he was himself appointed
chairman of the committee to investigate them 60
the accuser, in fact, made the Judge Having
a majority of the committee OF such a complexion
suited him, Mr.. RIcHARDsos called on Mr. Ew-
ING for the papers in one the cases in which there
alleged be fraud or NAL practice on the part
OF the Secretary, and those papers were promptly
furnished by that officer, together with the letter
from himself fully and triumphantly reiutlng any
charge OF dithonest conduct even error OF law
or t fact MIR however. having
pledged himself tn other way, his concurring ma
Jority were obliged to report uniayorably, which
they did; but, the nnortyo the committee, Messrs.
VGNToN, OUTLAW, ROCKWELL, and ALsToN, re- |
lying wholly upon the evidence, and Mr.. Ew |
NOS letter, did not deem any report neces- |
sary their part. further than the printing of the
documents. This was ordered by the House, ana |
Mr. RICHARDsos, as chairman Of the committee, |
10 see TO it's execution The document |
has come from the printer, MIR. RIrChIE,) and |
MIR. EwISG's letter, 90 important TO iull under |
standing of the Gaze, Is wholly omitted This out
rage lies between Mr. RIcHARDsos and Mr.. RITcHIE; |
the other perpetratedt. II the former, II is
IN offence deserving TO be punished by expulsion
rum the hall he disgraces; II the latter, do not
know what punishment can be awarded for such a |
gross and insulting contempt OF House oil Con-
yress whose servant he Is. DEMOCRACY"
Mr.. RICHARDSON said that he did not know
It what point to begin to answer these falsehoods.
There not, far as he was concerned, one
word Of truth in the letter The facts are before
y,
,harges have been proved or not. There is another
.rror into which the writer has fallen, who thinks
md says that il his (Mr R.'s) duty 10 see that
be report was printed. When the papers passed
rom the coDnttco they came under the control
4 tho House; and he had nothing more TO do with
hem than any other member. By reference TO
he Journal Of the House ne perceived that nothing /
Dut the reports were ordered TO be printed. On /
notion Of his friend from Missouri, Judge Bow
Az by unanimous consent the report under /
together with the we've Of the mi
nority, were ordered TO be printed. The was the
warrant and authority Of the Clerk to have them
printed But he placed himselfon no such ground. |
All the papers, Mr.. Ewing's letter and all, were
played into the hands Of the Clerk. II there was
any fault II did not rest with him, (Mr. RIcHARU-
sos.) So far az he was concerned, the whole arti
Gle and letter was unmltigated ialsehoOd. There
IL peculiar fitness in IL coming from such a cor
respondent and that II should appear in just such
paper. They all recOllected the editor OF that
paper in this House, who wrthed under a charge
OF falsehood fastened on him. The correspondent
who published this article, he believed, could be
convicted Of more than one falsehOod. "a fellow
feeling makes them wondrous kind But he would
leave the subject, repeating that there not one
word Of truth, 20 far AZ he was concerned, In any
portion Of the article which he had caused 10 be
read.
ooSTEsTED ELECTION.
The consideration Of the bill To prescribe the man
ner OF obtaining evidence in cases Of contested cleo
tons resumed.
Debate ensued, and at its termination the bill
was passed
CHRISTMAS holidays.
Mr. MCDOWELL moved that when the House
adjourn to-day, Il adjourn 10 meet on Thursday
next
Mr. WENTWORTH suggested whether Il would
not be more appropriate and Characteristic Of the
House 10 take the day after instead Of the day be-
fore Christmas. lLaoghterl
Mr.. JONES. We can take both.
The motion Of Mr.. Mcdowell was agreed to
yeas -, nays -.
RAiLEoAD TO THE PACIFIC.
Mr.. STANLY asked leave 10 introduce rosolu-
ton, granting the Of the Hall 10 A. Whitney,
10 explain his project for railroad 70 the Pacific
ocean.
Objection being made, he moved Suspension Of
the rules; but the motion wss disagreed 70.
MISSISSIPPI LgefsLATURg
Mr.. THOMPSON. Of Mississippi, prosented the
resolutions Of the Legislature Of that State,
tanning the course VI ts representative and Of
the Senators, (Mr. JEr. D,vis,) and condemning
that Of Mr.. FooTE, on the compromise measures
which resolutions were laid upon the table and or
dcrcd 10 De printed
BOUNTY LANDS.
Mr.. CALDWELL, Of Kentucky, asked leave 10
introduce joint resolution, Of which previous no
uce has been given. 10 the effect that nothing in
the act Of September D, 1850, granting bounty
lands to certain officers and soldiers engaged i'm the
military service Of the United States shall be ~
fNHrAfhfh - 70 prevent ANf SAFE ana trhusftf OF
any certificate warrant prior TO the location Of
the same or the Issue Of the patent thereof
Mr.. ASHMUN moved, but the House did not ad
iourn
Mr.. CALDWELL, objection being made 10 the
introduction Of the resolution, moved a suspension
OF the rules.
Mr.. ROBINSON suggested to the gentleman from
Kentucky, that the select committee heretofore
appointed were ready 10 report In favor Of the pro
position.
The question REQUIRED on suspending the rules,
and the yeas and nays we're ordered, but, without
proceeding further,
On motion Of Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Arkansas, the
House adjourned until Thursday
PETITIONS PREsESTsD UNDER rHg RULE.
by Mr.. FOWLER, Of Massachusetts: The peti
ton Of y. y. SissOn, &. A. Church. and two hun
bred and four other citizens Of WestpOrt, Massa-
chusetts, praying for the repeal Of the Fugitive
Slave Law Referred 70 the Committee on the Ju-
dietary
Also, the petition Of Mrs. Lydia Wnslow and
hundred and scventy-ivo other females, re.