The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-15

fidelity Of certsin officers Of tia legislature But
no committse OF inquiry wAs raised, and THE
wrong. affecting the integrity Of tho Legislature
itself, was allowed to pass without invest CATION
A public officer Of high trast'was accused be-
fore the assembly Of making report for the
commissioners Of the canal fund, and transmit
lag 1t to the legislature without authority, and
with the name Of one Of the commissioners forged
upon it. A committee was raised upon this
charge; but the investigation was smothered,
the committee did not report and nothin. has
been heard of the matter since.
The assembly has been informed, 10 mode
quite as authentic ns that which so promptly
originated this committee, that certain public
officer charged in some measure with the custody
OF the public moneys, had, without authority of
law, and in violation Of his duty, taken the sink
ing funds Of this State from their proper deposit
tory, and used them for unlawful purposes This
rumor or reasonable suspicion should have ia
duced the assembly (whose duty it Is to mpeach
The officer, If the charge be true) to inquire into
the truth Of the allegation, and to raise a con-
mittee for that purpose Bot no inquiry has
been made, nor has any committee been raised.
II is currently reported and believed that dur
ing the siltings of this legislature, persons
IN daily and contid entail communication with its
consisting Of some twenty persons, for the
avowed purpose Of taking the entire contract
for all the work to be put under contract on the
Erie canal enlargement, under the new canal
bill that roll or list confirming the names Of
the members Of the proposed company, has been
frequently exhibited, with five blanks, which il!
was said were left blank, because five Of the
members o. the company desired their NAMES 10
be kept concealed from motives of decacy. 1t
is believed that the existence and object OF this
company were well known to certain members
Of the Legislature, and that the blanks were to
be filled with the names Of the individuals who
could not with propriety be interested in canal
contracts. The authors Of this scheme have
been in daily attendance on this legi ,iatnre 70
what extent the knowl dye Of the existence Of
this company has been potential with the legis-
Iature cannot undertake to say: but that a
committee should have bean raised to expose
this dangerous plot, if it really exist ID, is beyond
denial.
1t is not at this day necessary, perhaps, to at,
tend to the daily complaint, deep if not loud, of
citizens Of this State, who have foun it mpos-
sibe to approach either branch of the egsla-
ture with any little business OF private nature,
without paying liberal tribute at the doo", because
this evil has nearly or quite disappeared since
the gentle expulsion of Geo. w. Bull from the
senate, d may not now require the attention
Of the assembly.
If these matters. allec ing the proper discharge
Of highly responsible official duties, ard expos
ing the assembly itself to censure, are not Of
sufficient Importance to engage the attention of
the house, with what proprety can it take cog
nizance of any remarks ! may make in common
conversation!
1t probably win occur TO the committee and
to the assembly, that the subject matter of this
conversation was in no sense legally criminal,
and could not b. come so until the net to which
it related should become law. 1t is not to be
presumed that every bill pending before the leg
sature will receive its sanction, and the offer of
consideration for forbearance to enjoin bill
which has no existence, and may never become
a law, cannot subject the person offering it 10
punishment, and certainly the refusal to accept
the offer. can hardly be said to SAVIOR of crimi-
naity. Do not understand me- sir, as justifying
the proceeding on the contrary, in a moral
point of view, the distinction between such an
offer and actual bribery is hardly perceptiblc,
but when legal proceedings are contemplated,
the distinction becomes one Of the last import
ance.
| take this occasion to say that the PROPOSE
ton was made to me precisely in the manner de-
tailed by Mr. Ederkin (if understand his evil
dence) before the committee: but, nasniuch as
the offer is not an ndctab!e Cf!ence, and the
matter in no wise concerns the legislature, and
cannot rghtfuly b. brought under the jurisdc-
ton of the committee, respectfully decline 0
appear before the COMMITTEES to testify in rea
ton TO it,
have another reason for refusing to appear
before This committee. In the published report
Of thesdebates of yesterday, on the resolution in
question, Hon. Mr.. Briggs is reported to have
said in substance, that he did not believe the
offer was ever made, for two reasons--first, that
no man in the State would be fool enough to
offer so large a sum as 100000 and second, if
the offer had been made, the Attorney General
would have taken it." This charge is so grossly
Insulting, and under the circumstance betrays so
much OF the mean spirit of cowardice, that
consent to appear before your committee
while such man holds place on it, Made, as
the in-inuation was, under the protection OF
membership, and in the confident security of
that protection, it exhibits 80 much inherent de-
pravity in the man, and the possession of quail
ties so opposed to honor, that can feel no secu-
ri,y while he is allowed to participate in pro-
ceedings involving my personal rights.
The remark itself implies establishment that
anu man should refuse n bride, and measuring
other men by the standard Of his own morality,
the astonishment increased in the ratio of the
amount.
Feeling this aifront as do, | shall never. an.
swer before your committee until the assembly
shall do itself the justice to I'll the place OF Mr..
Briggs with man of sufficient responsibility Of
character to feel the true responsibility Of rep
resentative and gentleman. | am, sir, very
truly, your obedent servant,
l.. S. CHATFIEI.D.
Mr. TOWNSEND prefacedv by an elaborate
criticism, of the conduct of the Attorney Gen
era the following resolutions:
Resolped That the communication of Levi 5.
Chat6eId, dated the 9Th instant, to Mr.. J. J.
Townsend, chairman of the committee Of in
quiry appointed bv this house on the 18th inst,
in answer to a summons to appear and testify
before that committee, and which has been laid
before this house, is not only a breach of its
privileges and contempt of its authority, but is
nm unprovoked insult to branch of the gov
eminent Immediately representing the people
ard inf vsIt no