Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-01

senator
cism upon the proceedings Of the House Of Representatives
is not in order. T
Mr.. EWING. / will not violate the rule sir.
In the beginning of the investigation, and during its pro-
gres letters were sent by the committee asking for
information, which gave in written In Of
these maintained positions Of law, in others explained
facts showing very clearly my action in each case and the
which founded When the report Of the
committee published all Of those letters
suppressed know and care not by whom II is enough
pear in the published document Those letters are before
will not take up the time Of the Senate to read them,
but will hand them to the reporter to be published with my
remarks. do this hst any who shall hereafter read
the report may have the letters also, and venture
to say that read them without getting soma
light to the character Of the investigation and the purpose
and capacity Of the majority OF the investigators The sup
preston of the correspondence might pass for high effort Of
genius whosoever may be entitled to the merit Of IL Il
doubt supposed that 1t had concealed from the public
large part of the evidence of the injustice and folly Of the
ceeng But such this hard to keep tabled
of Midas that when his grown great length and
in shape not exactly human, he sought conceament and
threatened his barber with death he bstrsyed him. The
poor fellow relieve himself and escape the danger dug
hole in the ground and whispered the secret there and
clup Of reeds grew up the spot and the Winds
which spread it wheesosver they blew In this there has
been as little success. Had the letters been published they
would have appeared in abouttwo hundred and fifty docn
ents confined principally to the shelves Of the Capitol Ii
brares Being suppressed constrained to bring them
forward here and they will pass into the hands Of thousands
The PRESIDENT. The Chair is very unwilling TO in
terrup the gentleman, but he cannot permit the Senator to
proceed in such course OF remark.
Nh. EWING. Mr. President / will not say another
word to which the Chair can object.
The Senator from Tennessee in his remarks the other day.
is reported TO have said:
m do not understand how these gentlemen could be agents
for the nation understand they know how to perpetrae
las gross frauds any people the world told the
sother day that application was made to Congress to pay
large amount which had been obtained by coluson and
which had been once paid wrongfuy The agent had OBJ
sta;ned from the Indians contract receive seventy
or eighty thousand dollars for establishing their right to
certain amount, which had been contested After
wards the chiefs of the nation made protest against It's pay
ment The superintendent, Mr. Armstrong came and pro-
tested and under that administration it not paid The
nation asceained what had been done dismissed these
ches and elected ones and they sent their protest
against this payment But under the present or last Ad-
mnistration, if may it it paid. But appli
cation will be made to refund it to the nation. obtained
the history of this matter from agent who is acting in the
prosecution of these claims.
either did hear the Senator did not mark what he
said and therefore did then reply to it. These remarks,
however, referred the Chickasaw case, with which, as
have already said had nothing do except to refer it and
abide by the final decision Of the Attorney General upon it.
But the gentleman who acted as agent, (Mr GwIN, and
who in his capacity of agent is charged by the Senator from
Tennessee with fraud and cousion happens 10 nave seat
on this floor and for himself 1t safe to leave
that branch Of the subject with him, and now call his aen-
ton TO it.
The following are the documents submitted by Mr. EwIss
as part of bis speech ,o
SR have the honor enclose to you, by order Of the
select committee copy Of the resolutions adopted by the
House Of Representatives on the 22d instant E
have also the honor enclose copy Of the resolution
of the committee this day adopted by which have been d
ected forward you the resolutions Of the House OF Re-
presentatves
You will perceive that by the resolution Of the committee,
you have permission to attend the stngs Of this COM
mttee."
servant, w. A. RICHARDSON.
Hon. THOMAS EwISs,
Secretary of the Interior. #,. ...'..
3lsT CoSGREss-lst Session.
In the House Of Representatives., april %, 1850.
On motion of Mr.. Richardson,
Resolred That select committee Of nine be appointed,
with power send for perons and papers, to inquire and
port this House whether Thomas Ewing Secretary Of the
Interior, reopened and paid G. W. and W. g. Ewing
claim against the United States of seventy thousand
dollars after the had been adudcated and by
the proper officer Of the Government before said Ewing was
indicted into said Office Of the Interiors who were agents and
attorneys for said claim what clerk in the office OF said De-
pament Of the Interior had interest in said claim and how
said interest, if any, was acquired
I'd. Whether said Ewing reopened and paid interest, u
the amount of thryone thousand dollars on the pension
granted Commodore James Barron for services rendered
the Virginia navy during the revolutionary war; after the
principal had been fully paid and discharged and, said
interest paid, it simple compounds who was the
agent attorney for said claims and the authority for such
claim, if any.
Sd. Whether said Ewing reopened and paid claim to
person persons behalf of the Chckasaw Indians, OF
hundred and eight thousand dollars after the had
been adudcaed and rejected by the proper officer of the Go
venmen before said Ewing inducted into the office Of
the Interior who the agent agents. attorney ator
neys and who the party parties in interest and wke-
ther said agents. attorneys parties in interest held at the
time Of such payment any Office under this Government or
now hold such Office, and, if So what office. .
4h Whether said Ewing exercised the power Of appoint
men in the Pension and General Land Oce whether the
in violation of law ALSO whether any clerk Of
said Ewng appointment reviews the opinions and decisions
of the Commissioner Of Pensions by order and direction of
said Ewing and if so, the authority for such order and
dire c,ion.
5th Whether any person persons in office, BY appoint
from said Ewing correspondents editors OF news
papers and what papers they edit write for and what
| are THAR salaries.
Respped That the chairman Of this committee communi-
to the Hon. Thomas Ewing, Secretary of the nteror
COPY the resolutions introduced into The House of Repre-
senaives on the 22j instant by Hon. Mr.. Richardson,
adopted by that body the day. and that the said
Secretary lie requested communicate to this committee,
with as little delay possbe the copies Of all papers and
ccords in his Office under his CONTROL touching the mat
ters and things contained in said resolutions, and that said
Secretary have permission attend the sngs Of this
mittee 1a.s.
DEPARTMENT THs INTERIOR,
Washington, May 6, 1850.
Srn have the honor acknowledge the receipt Of your
letter of the 26h umo enclosing resolutions Of the House
of Representatives five numbers and also resolution oil
the committee Of which you chairman, directing me TO
conmunicae to said commee with as little delay as possible