Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-09-19
speech of Mr. Fitch. of Indiana.
Ia he HOUSE Of REPRESENTATIVE Of Congress, Thursday
AUGUST % 1850


The resolution Of Mr. Stanly directing the Speaker
70 writ the Sergeantat-Arms TO bring 70 the
bar of the House Thomas Richie and Charles p Seng
stack for refusing testify before the Select Commit
tee upon the conduct Of oceholders under the late Adj
mnistration, being under consideration
Mr. F1TcH said: 1t may not be improper for me 70
commences by aPoogizing to the House Tor consuming
portion Of its time, at this late day of the session.
with many important matters Yet awaiting Its action, IN
discussing matter Of little practical utility any
report from the Bundelcundn committee. If, however,
the morning hour is consumed by me IN this discuss
ion, it wal be by other member In equally UNI
profitable in receiving reports from other select CON-
mttees upon matters equally uninterestng to the coun
trv, ard equally destitute OF any practical Importance
II snot my intention TO answer the surprise of the
gentleman from Maryland Mr.. Evans relative to the
yesterdays course OF the gentleman from New Hamp
shire, Mr.. Hibbard The latter gentleman IS more
than competent TO take of himse the gentle
from Maryland can satisfy himself whenever he
chooses provoke him 'pass at arms. Ii IS not
permitted by the rules OF the House, although my
self member oil the committee to advert to its action
in the committee roo can, however, call the aten-
ton of the House the OF its origin and to the
phraseology OF the resolution under which 1t was a
pointed.
That resolution, as is well known introduced by
an honorable member from North Carolina, Mr.. STAN
w. the chairman of the committee. IL Is not known,
however, what the object in originating the COM
mittee That object, If there any; remains yet
mystery and probably Will locked within the breast
of the chairman. All the sagacity, industry, aud re-
search of the Wing members of the committee, and
peCldllY OF the chairman, lthu possesses Ho
amount of these qualities employed for weeks in
conducting the investigation provided for by the reso
lion III the evidence in that investigation is made
public the following facts will be found TO have been
elected: First, it will be that Mr. Burke has been
discovered be the author of the Bundelcund papers
This fact was elected by examination and crosseXan-
nation Of some ten twenty witnesses! The impor
Of the labors Of the committees IN this instance,
only be appreciated by bearing IN mind that the au
;horship Of these papers known from Maine TO Flor
ida more than wear before this committee appoint
lr-A " nrhll mont
that he the author and by the appearance oil his
name SUCH upon the title page OF the pamphlet edl
ton! Another fact brought to light by the ndeiatgabe
research OF the Wing (maorty) portion oil this commit
zee is that during Mr. Folks administration n Demo-
cratic clerk in the Post Office Department the
respondent Of sundry political papers. and that he was
on that account dismissed from office by the Postmaster
General For the discovery of this prompt and proper
action upon the part Of Democratic head of depart
ment, indebted to the labors Of Wing commit.
tee which would doubtless rather have spread
such fact upon It's record, and which was raised Tor
very different and probably adverse purpose.
A further discovery has been, that Wings and Demo-
Gratis alike in 1Si7 prior to election, sent home vo
ters citizens OF Baltimore, who temporarily
ourning here for the purpose Of saving their yotes Was
heinOus political sin! II both parties appear to
have snned alike And still another discovery is, that
prior the late presidential elections Democratic clerks
IN some Of the departments voluntarily contributed
Democratic election fund; and Wings to Wing fund
and further, that Democratic clerk refused to
tribute the Democratic fund, turned out of Office
by the WING administration soon power
while others who did contribute have doubtless been
tanned; the Wing administration thereby expressing its
appreciation Of such contribution. And yet another Is
that Wing and Democratic committees In this District
sent documents to the House folding room, during the
Of Congress- TO be prepared for distribution Here
again. whatever of wrong existed is chargeabe both
parties. The chairman made another and important
dscovery-one for which he may feel disposed TO apply
for letters patent though doubt the application
will be denied upon the ground of priority of discovery
by European. This diccOvery in peculiar sphere
IL fnafo II MIA n
power discovery which solves long mOoted problem
what theory into fact He discovered, by
judlcious examination oil Witness that Democratic
speaker at political gathering at Bladensburg, was IN
terrupted by-he call 10 dinner! thereby verifying By
rOns hypothesis that the dinner bel is the tocsn of
the soul :" albeit the be" in this instance appears to
have been the stentorian lungs OF voter will pass
now to the report Immediately under consideration. 1t
hears upon its face evidence of the vote by which it
was ordered, Of its authorship in committee If the
records OF the committee ever md the light, 1t VIII be
seen that the resolution with which the report Closes
offered in committee by gentleman from Virginia.
IMr. Raymond What Mr.. Richie or Mr.. Sengstack
NAV have done incur DUSTY otherwse that gen.
temans ire know not and care not to know-perhaps
nothing. III mistake not however, he was represented
in the columns of the UnOn at some period prior to the
congressional election, gay young decever-more
DANGEROUS perhaps to the gener sex than TO his polt
cal foes Ii such statement made, has the gentle
nursed his wrath thereat until this committee gave
him an opportunity wreak it and seek revenge 1t
appears that all the Wing members, and but Demo-
member of the committee present when the
resolution was adopted. | will not that there
any preconcerted action among the Wing members, in
accordance with which they convened that particular
time, with this particular action. Probably
secret sympathy simultaneously their minds
and attracted their persons to the cOmmiteerOo on
that morning, without reference to any action which
was to be bad, Democratic members may be held ex.
eusable, however, for esteemng it somewhat strange
that all the Wing members conveniently present
that particular meetings when there but Dem
say ''nay' to the resolution.
The report charges Mr. Richie and Mr. Sengstack
with refusing to answer certain inerroratores II is
usual of justice for witness to be required to
swear 10 the truth the whole truth and nothing but
the truth" The committee departed from this rule,
and req aired witness TO depose the truth and moth
ing but the truth" bat refused permit HIM to state
stbe whole truth y lest it shond implicate Wing Office
holders disrepuabe TRANSACTIONS catastrophe
which the Wig portion of the committee resoluely de-
clared their design to bring about-was not
the purDose for which the committee was aDpointed
Mr.. Sengsrack finding he could only be permitted tell
the truth in part declined answering altogether Mr.
Richie in branch of the inquiries embra-
eed in the resolution under which the committee APP
pointed stated generally that he be excused from
betrayn9 the correspondents of his paper He was
then asked, Was the author of the communication in
the Union Of September r. 1913. ofcehodcr embra-
ced in the resolution Of the HOuseF which question he
respectfully declined answering for the previous
ly given.
The reference in this nterrogatory to the communica-
ton in the Union of September - 1913, makes such
communication legitimate subject of the discussion be-
fore the House. have here the Union Of that date,
(hOlding it up,) and find half dozen anonymous
communications in it. OF which Of these did the chair
man Of the committee desire the authorship confess
know nOtnor do believe does any other member of
the committee except the chairman. 1t must have been
important communication, containing grave and
weghty mafters-charges perhaps of serious eharac-
ter against General Taylor or other prominent Wing
else the chairman surely would it OF
such preeminent importance to make refusal to an