The daily union., 1854-07-22
WASHINGTON AND ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD

lngtOn to the washington ana
any of the streets or avenues except the Pennsylvania
avenue
Mr.. HAVEN thought the bill ought to pass.
Mr.. MAY offered sundry verbal amendments, and also
an additional section authorizing the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company to construct road from the Washing
branch of their road at such point may be most con-
venient to point the Potomac river opposite or
Alexandria, and to construct such depo and piers
the corporation of Washington and the President of
the United States may respectively consent to- also TO
construct such bridge over the eastern branch OF the Po-
may be necessary provided the same shall not
obstruct the navigation thereof this line to form
nexion with the Potomac river also with the lines of
railroad running south of Alexandria.
Mr. JONES' of Tennessee objected to the introduction OF
the amendment as it provided for entirely road
and not germane to the bill.
The SPEAKER overrued the point of order.
Mr. HAVEN reminded the gentleman from Tennessee
Mr. JONES that the amendment only authorized the Bat
more and Ohio Railroad Company construct branch to
the Potomac river under the regulations of the local
thortes and the President of the United States
The amendments adopted and the bill passed as
amended
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
Sundry private Senate bills were appropriately disposed
Of and the private bills reported last week from the Com
mee of the Whole passed.
QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.
Mr. BAYLY, of Virginia, said he rose to question of
privilege not to privileged question He offered
luton requesting the committee of which the Hon. JOHN
LErCHER chairman the committee of inquiry into alleged
illegal proceedings to promote the passage rejection Of
bills in Congress) to furnish the House with any commu
ncaon they may have received rejecting the repre-
sentative character of H. BAYLY member of the House.
by Benjamin E. Green Others that the House may take
such action may think proper the said committee hav
ing decided that it not within their jurisdiction.
Mr. HOUSTON doubted whether it question of
privilege He thought the committee should be allowed to
finish its action before the body should request inforna-
ton of that committee He did not intend to have said
anything but the gentleman having noticed remark made
aside it made it necessary for him TO explain his views
Mr. BAYLY said this matter in which his honor
was concerned. That committee had received commune
mn ninst eO
the oldest members of the House He desired that the
munication should be read to the House. and that
mttee might be appointed to investigate the charges
therein contained in order that the brand of namy might
be stamped upon it. He had been advised to take
tice of but he did not choose to wait 1t was only five
minutes ago that he had first heard Of the communication
and it should be Investigated if the House would do him
Justice
than confirm the statement of his colleague that the
mec had decided the communication to be out of their
jurisdiction.
: Mr. CAMPBELL inquired what the that the
committee assigned for refusing to investigate the case?
Mr. LETCHER Suppose the gentleman from Ohio Mr..
CAMPBELL had been charged with misconduct in relation
to past Congresses would he think the committee would
have any right to go back five years to the in
vesgaton now? Why, there never would be an end of
such proceedings
Mr.. CAMPBELL asked whether he was to understand
that the committee considered that the resolution by which
they had been appointed was not Of sufficiently compre
hensive character to enable them to go back? He would
like know whether the committee considered that it had
to confne itself to charges connected with the Copaen
se He had understood that the resolution intended
to give the committee full and ample power lie did not
attach much Importance outside and newspaper
charges and should have opposed the appointment Of the
committee had he been present when the resolution
passed. but that the committee had been appointed
he hoped it would go fully into the matter
Mr. GIDDINGS said that whenever gentleman felt him
self assailed in his official capacity he had conceded
right demand investigation. He hoped his colleague
would withdraw his objection and allow the resolution to
ppss unanimously
Mr.. CAMPBELL thought that merely newspaper para
fnf
ance to require committee
Mr. BAYLY explained that this not merely paper
chaf brought up by the etterwriters t had been he
should not have noticed it but attack upon his
character made in direct charges in communication
signed by person whose name known at least in the
House. and as it communication which made sub
santally the House many years ago. when the whole
thing turned out to be such that they could not get the
yeas and nays upon it, be sensitive this NATTER
and he wanted to brand it ia the way should be branded
Mr. WALSH hope my friend from Virginia will take
the subject phlosophicay as did when was charged
with not being citizen
Mr. CAMPBELL thought it due TO the gentleman that
the resolution should be adopted
Mr. LETCHER said the committee had concluded that
its Jurisdiction did not proceed to any matter which oc
Cured previous to the present Congress, and that
muncaon referred TO what had occurred during the 29th
Congress 1t would have been impossible to have brought
their labors to close they had not adopted some imita-
tioD and they desrous of coming 10 an early con-
clusion of the business
The resolution adopted unanimously.
Mr.. BAYLY asked that the communication be imme-
dately produced.
Mr. LETCHER the letter the Clerks table and
read to the House 1t contained number Of charges
against the Hon. THOMAS H. BAYLY of serious character
of having promoted the passage of certain bills for pecuni
ary considerations also, the said THOMAS H. BAYLy did,
durus the 32d Congress- improper and illegal MEANS
involving breach of his trust chairman of the Com
mittee Of Ways and Means. The communication was
signed Benjamin r.. Green
Mr. BAYLY said it was not mis- own account but II
wa on of the character of the House who had
posed confidence in him. and which he had long
that account alone that he asked it of the
Speaker that personal friends of his should be
placed upon the committee. He moved that there be a
committee of gentlemen appoiptsd as select com
mittee 10 inquire into this matter
Mr.. WALSH hoped the gentleman would withdraw tnat
resolution 1t attacng too much Importance to those
miserable charges.
Mr. DISNEY stated it his experience that the state
men OF Benjamin f. Green not to be depended upon
lie bad once placed reliance upon statements made by that
person and found himself in the wrong.
Mr. HOUSTON thought that if the House acted at once
the communication by laying it the table it would
express the view of the House the subject and answer
all the purposes of a committee.
The resolution adopted.
After further proceedings of private nature al halfpas
three o'clock the House adjourned !