The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-08
In HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..

m In HousEE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 81
On Saturday last, July 9th, 1862 MIR. MAT
lTISON, rising to question of privilege, desired
to move to reconsider the vote of the day before,
by which the House declined acting on the sub
Mr.. GIDpINGs of abstracting certain papers from
the flies Of the Post Office Department, as ques-
ton of privilege.
The SPEAKER ruled that no such motion
could be entertained, the House having, on that
occasion, disposed Of the subject. 1
Mr. MATTISON having then obtained leave,
made statement in behalf of the Second Assist
ant Postmaster General, MIR. Fitz Henry War.
rem, avering that it was within the knowledge OF
| at least two of that gentleman's clerks, that Mr.
GIDDINGs had examined the distracted papers
He (Mr. M had been requested by the Second
Assistant Postmaster General to state, that he had
not alleged that Mr.. sGIDpNGs, or any other par.
ticular individual had abstracted the papers in
question; and to add that the said papers had
been received at the oberlin, Ohio, Post Office,
under the frank of Mr.. GiDDlNes, and that Of Mr..
| CRowELL; all of which statement Mr.. w. was
prepared to prove.
Mr.. GIDDINGS, rising to personal expana-
ton, re-affirmed his denial Of any knowledge OF
the papers in question made on the day before,
and again remarked that if the said papers had
been sent from Washington under his frank, it
must have been done by some individual, for
whom he (Mr. g. supposed, at the time, he was
franking public documents. !.
Mr. OLDS moved that select committee Of
FIVE be appointed to examine into the charges en-
.braced in the Washington letter in the Boston
Atlas, to report the facts to the House, &c.
But the SPEAKER ruled the resolution Of Mr..
OLDs to be out Of order, as similar proposition
(moved by Mr.. PRESTON KING of New York; had
been virtually rejected on the day before, by the
vote declining to consider the case as one involv-
ing ga question of privilege"
Mr.. BAKER having taking an appeal from that
decision,
Mr.. ,CoNGER moved to. lay the appeal on the
table; not agreed to. s--s. ,..a-s.
The decision of the Chair being next over
ruled, ~ ".r ~T
Mr.. BAKER renewed the motion for the APP
pointment Of a select committee Of FIVE, with
power to send for persons and papers, to examine
into the truth Of said allegations. ....4 l
Mr.. b. remarked that, owing to the condition
of his health, he could not serve on this COM
mittee, if it was ordered by the House. t@ q
The said resolution was then agreed to, under
the operation of the previous question moved by
MIR. Corr. s.,. ~, ...
Mr. GOTT moved the reconsideration of that
last vote and then to lay that motion on the table,
which last motion was agreed 10. Ugh rt
The SPEAKER announced the next business
in order, to be the consideration of the report of
the select committee on the Galphin case,
When the debate thereupon was continued by
Messrs. SrANLY and CLARK the first making a
party speech-urging that the action of the De-
mocrats of the last Congress and that of the last
Democratic administration on the case, rendered
the Democratic party responsible for the trans
action as the Wings, &C.. and by the latter main
tanning that the enactment of the Galphin joint
resolution by, the last Congress, compelled the
payment of the principal and interest of the
claim, as il had been paid. - ..s
Mr.. RICHARDSON moved the previous ques-
ton, but gave way to Mr., SELDOM, who gave
notice Of his intention to move the following reso-
luton, viz:
Resoirrd That this House, without intending
by implication or otherwise to approve the pro-
prety of any officer Of this Government being in
terested, during his term Of Office, in the prosecu
ton Of claim before any of It's departments
yet sees nothing in the evidence reported by the
committee to show that the Secretary of War
ever awaited himself of his official position, or
the relations it established between himself and
the members of the cabinet, TO influence the favor
decd, and are satisfied that there was nothing
unnatural ia the circumstances attending the
adjustment and payment OF the principal or in
terest Of this claim, nor any departure from the
ordinary course Of business IN the Treasury Qe.
psTsmsaI" :