Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-08-05

never acted by the House Of Representatives
the alteration was made by Mr.. Sproe, the engrossnl
cerk by authority and under the direction Of Mr. For
ney clerk of the House. after the said engrossng csrl
had refused to make that proof had been adduced
to show that the alteration procured by any member
or officer with design to perpetrate fraud, wa,
there evidence to show that corrupt criminal
were employed to obtain the passage Of the bill.
The committee censure the alteration, and recommend
that the third section Of the Minnesota act be repealed
and that bill be passed which will undoubtedly place the
people, and will prevent the transfer Of the power to dis
of the lands to the Governor and other officers
pointed by the Executive They submit such bill, and
report resolution authorizing the committee to continue
i their investigation at the next session.
Mr. BRECKENRIDGE said he instructed to say
that the committee had thoroughly investigated the sub
ect and asked to be discharged from its further
| sderaton
Considerable debate ensued, when the committee was
discharged from the further consideration Of the subject
Yeas 90, nays IS.
The reports then laid on the table and ordered to
be printed.
The bill reported by the majority was then read twice
by its title, follows: "A bill declaring the true in
tent and meaning of the approved June 49, 1854 to
aid in the construction Of railroad in the Territory
| Minnesota"
The question being ordering the bill to third read
| ing
! Mr.. CRAIGE moved substitute therefor repeating
the Minnesota land act; which was agreed to Yeas
! l05, nays SO.
The bill, amended, was then read the third time and
passed. and the title changed as to make it read ga
bill to repeal act to aid the Territory Of Minnesota in
the construction of q railroad therein"
THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE.
Mr.. HUNT to privileged question: which he said
ne felt it his duty to offer to the consideration of the
House, inasmuch action the subject had been
proposed by gentlemen the other side Of this body
He submitted the following resolution:
Rcsoled That John W. Forney the Clerk Of this House.
by directing and causing to be made the alteration in House
bill No. 4s entitled An act to aid in the construction of
port Of special committee Of this House. has fashed
cord of this House, in violation of the parliamentary
Of his duty and that the said John W. Forney Clerk
the House of Representatives should no is hereby
removed from the Office of Clerk of this House.
Mr. HUNT said that this was matter which concerned
integrity of the proceedings of the House, the per-
sona honor Of its members and the character Of the
ton. The Clerk OF the House was informed and
perienced officer he well knew parliamentary law and
thoroughly understood the business Of his Office With
this knowledge and experience he had knowingly and de-
beraey directed and caused to be made an alteration
which alsfed the proceedings of the House in the bill to
which he had referred, and to such degree that the
House had felt it to be its duty, with almost voice. to
repeal the act named in his resolution.
It said in Of the reports that the Clerk had
acted from corrupt motive He presumed it was meant
to be said that the Clerk might have had personal in
in the matter that appeared to the committee and
that he had been brbed He did not look to the mo-
tive Of the Clerk, which in this he could know
but he looked to the act ITSELF to the character Of the
House, involved in the integrity Of its proceedings to
the maintenance of the parliamentary law confded to
them by their constituents and he thought thew owed it
the character Of the nation to the character Of the
House, to their individual honor maintain the in
tegrity OF their proceedings and to him who,
having fased their records was no longer worthy the
confidence of the House and the nation In bringing this
before the House he had acted the suggestions
Of his understanding directed by his views of right
Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia, said that there was no
necessity the part Of the House, did he conceive it
to be their duty to take the action indicated by the re-
solution Of the gentleman from Louisiana The reports
submitted by the select committee both stated conclu
svey that there fact showing any cupabiity
the part Of any individual having connection with this
matter He thought that the facts disclosed by the re-
ports showed that there not the slightest intention
the part Of any person connected with the alteration to
commit an improperly, much less fraud. He had
no facts to convince him that there intention
to commit an improperly. He repeated there
cessy for the action proposed by the gentleman from
Louisiana.
Mr.. ORR said that tho reports which had been made
by the members OF the select committee entirely
rated not only the honorable gentleman from Michigan
Air sTEvENs who reported the Minnesota land bill,
but also the Clerk. The testimony distinctly stated that
the gentleman from Michigan the Clerk Of the
House to have the alteration made about which much
had been said Surprising that the alteration mma
teria the Clerk then declined to make it. until he
was told by clerk of the Senate, who had had much
experience in such matters than the Clerk Of the
House, that it customary to make such changes.
He (Mr o. had doubt that the parties who went to
Mr. STEVENS and induced him make the alteration had
fraudulent purpose in view he had doubt they had
purpose to subserve and he had little doubt that the
gentleman from Michigan and the Clerk of the House
were entrapped into making the change supposng that
it was an mmateria one.
Mr.. CHANDLER said that he listened with interest to
the reports of the select committee and was compelled
to believe that gross had been committed-one
which called for the deliberate consideration perhaps
the censure of the House. proposition made
to strike down the Clerk for his participation in this
ter, before he could be heard He was political
friend, scarcely personal friend, of the Clerk They
antagonstic in their politics that there had
asked that before this blow should be struck the Clerk
should be heard. Our laws punished no man without
trial.
Mr.. CAMPBELL, though politically opposed to the
Clerk thought that would be Of injustice have
hasty action upon the resolution. As member of the
select committee, after careful and elaborate in
vesgaton of the whole subject he had come to the
cuson that far the gentleman from Michigan and
the Clerk connected with the alteration rather
the result Of disposition to accommodate friends or
negligence in examining into the matter, than any i'm
proper selfish purpose. He suggested that the House
delay further action until next December when the
timony will have been printed.
Under the operation Of the previous question the reso
luton was disagreed to: Yeas H. nays 154
COLT SELECT COMMITTEE
Mr.. LETCHER, from the Select Committee appointed
to investigate whether improper have been used
during the present Congress to the passage
defeat Of the bill to extend Colts patent any other
measure submitted report stating that four members
of the committee had prepared reports. Laid thel
table and ordered to be printed. N
WASHINGTON AND ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD.
Mr. McMULLEN, from the Committee Of Conference
the dsagreeing votes Of the two Houses the bill
authorizing the extension Of the Alexandria and Wash
ngton railroad into the District Of Columbia submitted
Ia at Tho