The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-23
The Capitol Extension,

In its capacity as one of the official reporters
OF the Senate the Union of yesterday pub
lished the continued debate on the subject Of
| the Capitol extension which took place in that
body on the 10th instant The principal
speakers on this second occasion were Mr..
UNDERWOOD, member of the special com
mittee appointed to conduct the investigation
into alleged abuses, and Mr.. HUNTER; and we
| refer to their statements for proof to sustain
the accusation of scandalous unfairness already
preferred against our contemporary on the
authority of Mr. R. H. STANTON, chairman Of
the House Committee on Public Buildings,
The Union has tried to satisfy the morbid
appetite of its readers by launching wholesale
charges OF fraud in connection with the build
ings in progress at the Capitol 1t has alleged
that dishonesty on the part Of persons EMPLOYED
there he's inflicted enormous losses on the
treasury, and has been carried on with the
connivance or through the neglect of the Gov
eminent. The Union processes to rest these
attacks upon debate in the Senate. and an
eg parte version of evidence heard by the COM
mittee of investigation.
Now, in the somewhat stale debate published
in the Unio'e yesterday, the alleged facts which
constitute the grievance are conclusively ex-
Posed-ln one instance, at least, by gentle
man who possesses facilities of obtaining infor-
| nation on this question equal to those on which
the Union has relied. Every point advanced
by Mr.. STANTON in his letter is borne out by
Mr.. UNDERwoop. The marble contract. the
granite work, and the brick matter-all com.
Prised In the Unions charges-are noticed by
Mr. UNDERWOOD, who shows not only that nc
fraud has been established in these particulars
and no loss, but that imputed extravaganza O
the architect In relation to the foundation re-
suited from the advice of Mr.. Hunter and dis
interested thouga competent engineers. Mr.
UNDERWOOD spoke in the presence of the au
thorities cited by the Union, and though hi
statements overturned all or nearly all tina
they had said, they were listened to and ar,
reported without contradiction by any Senator
Other facts exculpatory of the architect wer
presented by Mr.. HUNTER, and thew. too. ar
uncontradicted. The public, therefore. hay
Messrs. HUNTER, UNDERWOOD, and STANTON
as witnesses In behalf of the Government an,
its officers. and against the one-sided testimop,
on which the Union has constructed it's libel
lous averments.
This is not all. The Unio,, Of Sunday de
clared that its remarks sswere based entirel,
on debate in the Senate;' and yesterda,
again it said, 6 We have confined ourselves
-sN IT,
/ with regard to this matter, to statement
made in debate, and what we understand t
be facts testified to under oath' The debat
referred to took place on the 9Th instant, whe
one side was heard; it was resumed on the 10th
when the other sdeobtained a hearing, and to al
appearance atisfactorily disposed Of the preyiou
days charges. On the 18th the Union con
cocted the misrepresentation which Mr.. STAN
TON bag go well exposed the fact being tina
when the Union printed Them it must hav
known that they had been unanswerably en-
posed IN the Senate two days previously. An,
| on the ed it renewed its charges, although il