Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-14

deduction ofmy The honorable Senator said that he
! was removed for expanding 20 much money.
: Mr. EWING. | said that he had expended large
Of money without rendering any account Of what be
, was doing and for what be ezpending ii.
0 Mr. CASS. The charge was made against Col. Wsier
he had expended fifty thousand aosr and had excssd-
ed that amount The Senator says that he rendered o
count Why, DO expected that Auch commission
render its account monthly But will the honorable Senator
tell me that COL Weller would have been removed he had
been Whigf Does any Senator suppose he would have
removed if he had not been political adversary of the
administration If it is admitted that he removed be-
cause ne was an opponent of the Administration, have
thing to say bat do not wish TO have it said that Colonel
Weller was removed because be did reader regular
counts Of the dongs of his commission.
Mr. Twin have another word 10 say in regard 30 this
matter lam perfectly confident that Col WeNer did render
DIS accounts before ne removed He sent bis Secretary
on from Panama with his accounts and his vouchers He
drew drafts at Panama for the EXPENSE of transporting His
company TO San Diego, and they protested ahough
amount ne had received and the amounts drawn wer
within the fifty thousand dollars appropriated by Congress-
The Government lost considerable sum by these p,ests
because the drafts were for necessary expenses Coli Weller
mad fu! authority TO draw them, and the Government
compelled to pay them.
Sir, COL Weller literally starved but of the c,raas-
son He borrowed money to continue his operations from
every person who had the confidence to ed bm any, Lcapse
he could get none from the Government He did not receive
hsfhl amoant Of the appropriation Of tr thousand dollars
He labored under the greatest possible enbaassmens
wasnfomed this morning By the able officer (Col Ery)
who acted 40 astronomer to the commission that after Col
Welers drafts were protested, he lCol Emory-et in
charge Of the commission after Col Welers removal
allowed to draw upon the Department Of the Interior for such
moneys as ne needed but he could not sell his drafts fifty
cents to the dollar understand that age number of the
employees Of hs commission after having been absent hr
foregheen mo9th= had to comahome without
their pay They had to borrow money bring them home.
number of the officers Of the esmHnssion were never paid
all The surveyor Of the commission, who in this
city, hadso borrow money to brinhm home This is true
also In regard to the and other attaches of the
commissions There utter neglect as part Of the
Government OF the officers attached this commission.
prepared to say that COL Weller did render his accounts
he sent his brother here with lis vouchers and he
here with them before Col Weller was removed And the
Senator entirely mistaken in the facts of the giving
shat as reason for his removal
Mr.. EWING The Senator from California (Ar. GwIs)
il, think, mistaken his dates The agent of COL
weller did not here he did never heard OF him,
until long after the Colonel removed And the agent,
even when he came would not do substitute for the
counts and vouchers required by the rules OF the Department
And say the Senator from Michigan (M CAs in
reply to his inquiry that had COL Weller b Wing, and
bad my information concerning him been waat it was and
from the same reliable sources, wouiha'e unhostangy
advised his removal.
Ehe Senator from California dwes upeI the difficulties
encountered by COL Weber by 81 til protest Of bis
drafts by the Department These drafts protested be-
cause ne neglected to forward his vouchers as
the rules of the Department. required, specially
instructed by Mr.. Buchanan. They deli Eyed most
reasonable me and hence the protest Of Col Weer drafts,
and his difficulty and embarrassment for Of funds
may the recoe elton Of the Senator from Caor
mia as to dates to be reminded that Col Weller suspend
ed at the State Department by the apponten of Col Free
mont many months before his final orde. OF removal
sent him.
Mr.. GWIN! Mr. President, Col WELFARE fl Panama
the nth day Of Mayfo San Diego He left his brother
his acting secretary Panama, with instructors return
the United States by the first steamship whs vouchers for
the settlement Of his accounts and this the time that
have heard stated that he here efore the
mova Of his brother There issue of fact between the
Senator from Ohio (Mr. EwISs) and myself hch can be-
settled by the record perfectly confident the Senator
from Ohio mistaken. We left Panama che l7h Of May.
The brother Of Col. Weller left there within
hher, and have been here before Col Ere mons APP
pointmen think Col. Fremont appointed the 9th
day OF July know the intelligence Of that appointment did
not reach California until the latter part Of August the be-
ginning Of September Icanno be mistaken in the fact that
Col Weller sent his brother from Panama whs vouchers
and that he must have arrived here before the appointment Of
COL Fremont.
And word in regard this rendering, Of accounts
extravagant expenditure of money and authority draw for
the amount appropriated The rendered. and
there being allowed by this Administration srefnaton of
extravagan or improper expenditure Mr. Buchanan gave
the most unlimited authority Mr. Weller draw for and
dsbuse the appropriation. He the dsbursng officer of
the commission. There limit on his drafts except
that he should keep within the appropriation Of $4,000 If
he had been deaulr the dhonor and disgrace would have
been The preceding Administration and himself The
Administration Of Gen. Taylor would not havs'been blamed
for it. No Limitation was imposed upon him, except that
he should render quarterly He required to
der quarterly from the point at which be ordered
to perform service. But he detained at Panama by una
vodabe circumstances and before known that he had
labOrs commence,
fore was known that he had commenced his abos he
removed And undertake say that his actual expenses
from the commencement Of operations the Pacific were al
ways greater than the money he had in hand He has su
eed much pecunay injury from the advances which ne made
personally account Of the commission. know this from
my personal knowledge And instead Of having large
sums OF money in his hands, properly accounted for he
was constantly withholding money from his employees which
was justly due TO them, in order prosecute his abors until
relieved by remttances from the Government which never
reached him. .a.a@. .aa
Mr.. Glass; When did COL Weller leave the United
States
Mr. GWIN. On the second day Of March, He arrived at
New Orleans the 2Sh February and the quaItermasters
department there Immediately furnished him with govern
vessel the Alabama take him to the Ishmus in order
that he be in time for the steamer of the 18th Of March
or LIST Of April
Mr.. CASS. Then quarter did not expire until the
first Of June, and he removed in the middle ofJune
Mr.. GWIN l would state, furthermore the authority
Of COL Weller, that he Gen. Taylor, in Cincinnati,
before he started for the Pacific to ascertain whether not
he would be continued in the public service He certainly
understood from Gen. that he could and perform
this service and that he would not be interrupted the dis
charge Of his duties. That that induced him
to gohe belief from what passed between Gen Taylor AID
himself at that interview that be would not no removed IN the
progress Of the survey Of the boundary.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. The general objects Of this resolu-
on have been lost sight Of by the discussion OF the
particular Of COL Weller and that cannot be settled e1
cept by reference the record hope therefore, that we
shall take the general resolution offered and dispose OF
without further discussion. would to my friend from
Maine that will withdraw my first amendment and oaeS the