Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-01-20
In Congress on the 1ssh.
QUESTION or PRIVILEGE.

OF any Dill before Congress, and that the said
mittee shall have power to send for persons and pa
pers, with authority to examine witnesses on OATH"
beg leave to report in parts
That in discharge OF the duties imposed on them by
order Of the Rouse, ;ey caused several witnesses to
be summoned, and Of the number summoned, was
W. B. Chase In obedience to the first summons, he
appeared before the committee, and refused to an
swer various questions propounded, and which will be
nying the report No. $685. presented to the House on
the I'd day Of August last, pages 81, 81 and 49,
Your committee further report, that the 10th
day OF this month they caused the said W. b. Chase
to be again summoned to appear Monday, the 18th
inst, before them, to testify further the subject
on which he had been previously intcrrogated. The
Sergeat-at-arms made the following ret urn on said
summons: Served by personal notice this 10th day
of December, 1854" and thu said Chase having de-
cned to appear. in obedience thereto the following
resolution, submitted by Mr.. Zolcoffcr, was unani
mously adopted by the committee:
Resolved, That the committee call the attention f
The House to the facts heretofore reported in relation
| TO the testimony of Mr.: W. b, Chase. given before
the committee the 10Th and 3lst July, 1854, and
that they report to the House the facts in relation
the repeated subsequent Intellectual efforts Of the COM
mittse to induce MIR. Chase to appear before them
| and further testify. 4s
Mr.. Le.cter. Since the return wk:ch is re-.
terred TO in that report,the Sergeant.at-arms has
made aJuller return, which seud u the clerk 3
table To be read - -
The rsturn was read as foliows: s >.
OFrIcE SERGEANT Ar-Aaxs,
HousE OF REP. U. s., Dec. ~, 1854.
Hon. JOHN LErcaER, Chairman of Select Conn.,:
Sir: On the 18th inst. in obedience to an order of
the House OF Representatives made at the instance
of the select committee on the subject Of alleged I'M,
proper means used to procure the passage or defeat
Of bill to extend Colts patent or other bills before
Congress, ! served q summons, by personal notice,
upon W. ~ Chase Esq, to appear and testify before
the committee ON the 18th inst. A second summon,
| for the same person placed in my hands on the
18th, requiring him to appear the 10th inst. This
/ ~ mt nh la II, sna
digent effort made by myself and deputy. we could
not find him until the morning of the goth after the
committee had sgone into the session. and when the
House was about to assemble then saw him in the
hall OF the House OF Representatives md remnd;ny
him Of the previous service OF summons was about t
serve the second (sthough it was then too late to
answer !ne purpose OF the committee if they desired
70 examine him ON that morning,) when he stated
that ne declined to appear before the committee.
A. j. GLOSSBLRNER, -
| Sergeant ALARMS, House OF Rep. T. s.
Mr.. Lelcher.e Mr.. Speaker very shortly az
ter this com. organized during the las, session
OF Congress, we proceeded TO summon various
persons 10 appear before us to testify in regasdto
matters submitted 10 us, and charged By the rcso.
LUTON Of this House. OF the number % sum.
rnoned, many Of them refused 10 ans.e the
questions proponsded by The committee, and our
time being short al thai particular perui Of the
session, and the COMMITTEES desiring 10 60 as far
lhto the investigation as possible, we declined 10
bring The matter to the attention oil the House, -
Among others was this gentleman, W. b Chase,
and bis testimony will ba iou,,d or The & 81 S2d
and 83I pages ol the report oflhe committee, aud
perhaps, 10 correct understanding OF this mat.
Ter, IL would De well 10 have his testimony read
at the Clerks desk b
The testimony was then real, as follows: :.
Mr.. W. b. Chase, being duly sworn, testifi.s > !.
! follows: -
Question by Mr.. Eliot.-Have you bees, en,,,.., :.
agent or attorney or otherwise, to aid s s
ot Col. Colts application before Con. ra e. .sso
tension OF his patent? e va 'A VA
Answer.-Early IN the session Colonel Clemens re-
minded me Of the intimacy that had existed between
him sClsm ANU SELL and asked il would assist
rePhed, wcaId do so cheerfully. 49, -
est.un BY Mr.. Eliot.-Whethcr or not were you
leaned for that purpose; and if So will vow please
compensation paid to be paid, and whether or not
that compensation was absolute or contingency
Answer.-l was not retained. The kind of service
was not designated. No rate of compensation was
named. No alluson made to compensation at all.
Question by Mr.. Eliot.-Wnl you state in what way
II at ALL you have rendered aid to Col Clemens in
prosecuting the application forSthat extension?
! Answer-By addressing ennimunic atoms to some
OF the members Of Congress with whom am acqualn-
ted, IT ating what knew to be facts in order to con-
troyert statements which knew to be false, which
were Enthusiastically circulated by the opponents Of
Col Colt The communications refer to were in
form Of letter.
Question by Mr.. Eliot.-Do you know or have you
made or offered to any member Of Congress by Col.
Colt Or any one acting in aid Of his applications
Answer-l do not sir. have heard Col. Clemens
say he had distributed pistols and sorry that
he had not more to distribute, in order that the arm
might be thoroughly understood.
Question by Mr.. Eot.-Will you name the persons
! to whom such pistols have been given!
Answier.-l do not know, sir; Col. Clemens did not
say.
Question by Mr.. Eliot.-will you say whether .nv
compensation has been made to you, and what, and
by whom?
Answer.--None kas been made to me whatever.
Question by Mr.. Eliot.-Have you been employed
by Col Clemens, in relation to the Colt patenn any
other way than you have statedf
Question by Mr.. Eiiot.-Do you know, or have Won
reason to believe, that any improper gor unlawful
have been used by any person Affect the vote
or the action Of any member OF the present Congress
in aid Of or in opposition to, any bill now pending or
which has been pending, before Congress during the
Answer.-l do not know vet. have reason 10
believe, and in few days shall possibly know posi-.
lively, that votes were made for the Nebraska bill
steam frigates being given to George Steers OF New
York, That all can say at present. cannot
give the names yet without occasioning trouble to
whom got my information is not here. do not
know, positively where he is.
Question by Mr.. Eliot.--Will you state the name
| Va ho Pcieou iIom WucM you ODtaine0 the lnfOrma-
ton which yonhave -
Answcr.-f decline to answer that, il is more
with the view to further the investigation than TO
retard it. must decline it. -
The witness was requested to withdraw whilst the
committee decided whether an answer should be in
sisted upon to the last question which was decided
IN the Affirmative, and the clerk directed to notify
the witness that he shall come prepared TO answer
The question on Monday morning ii nine O'Clock.
| The committee then adjourned to Monday morning
1t nine O'Clock. =
MONDAY, July 81, 1854
The committee met pursuant to Adjournment
Present, all the members. y teEt. 3lfE III Z
Mr.. w. y. Chase again appeared before the CON-
mttee, and the last question OF SATURDAY. being re-
peatcd to him, he makes answer as follows:
Answer.-l am sorry that you have forced me TO
| appear discourteous, but must still decline. =
Question by Mr.. Eddy.-Will you state the facts
upon which your reasons for believing that votes
were improperly made for the Nebraska bill are
founded consequence ola contract 10 build ono Of
the six steam trigates with George Steers, of New
York, ~ stated in former answer 2
Answer.-The facts are nothing more than that
was informed such was the case. s. 4 ELS $
Question by Mr.. Elot--IIaye yon any knowledge
IN regard to any improper used 10 Affect the
vote or the action of any member OF the present Con-
gress upon any bill which has bsen pending during
thls session, except as you have stated
+ Answer.--l have not, sir. eia' ;ss2
Question by charman.-ro what members Of Gen.
gfess did you address the communications referred ~
bY YOU State the suhsfa nca Of thnsa cnrnnunica