The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-03-04
How the Above Report was Fecciv.
ed i'm Congress.

In the House of Representatives on the 10Th
ult., Mr.. Davis, of Maryland, (Fillmore) rose to
privileged question. He stated that he was
instructed by the Select Committee appointed
on the 9th ult to investigate the alleged cor
rupt combination ofmembers of Congress, to sub
NIT special report. He was further directed
to move that the report be printed, and that its
further consideration be postponed until Monday
next.
Mr. Bennet, Of New York, (Republican) OBJ
jected to the reception of the report.
Mr. Grow, ofPennsylyania, (Republican) con-
tended that the report implicated members o
the House who were not before the committee
to examine the witnesses by whose testimony
they were implicated, and that the committee
had exceeded the authority given to it by the
House, and therefore was not entitled to submit
its report as question ofpriviege.
Considerable discussion ensued as to the right
Of the House to hear the report before being cal
led upon to determine the question ofits recep
ton, during which the inpatience of member;
was frequently manifested by yociferous cries o
''rend, read."
The Speaker stated that he Was ofopinion tina
the report must be laid before the House, in or
der that that body might determine whether o.
not the committee had exceeded it's jurisdiction
Mr.. Davis, of Maryland, (Fillmore) then reat
from the clerks desk the report Of the commit
tee.
| The report reviews the testimony in the case
of Mr.. Gilbert, and concludes by offering the fol
lowing resolutions:
l. Resolvea, That William A. Gilbert, a mem
! Der Of the House from New York, did agree
with T. 9. Triplett to procure the passage Of
resolution or bill through the present Congress
for the purchase by Congress Of certain copies 0
the book of the said Triplett, on the Pension anC
Bounty Land Laws, in consideration that th,
said Triplett should allow him to receive Ger
tain sum Of money out of the appropriation fol
the purchase of the book.
! 2. RESOLVED, That William A. Gilbert did cas-
his vote on the Iowa land bill, depending here
tofore before this Congress, Tor corrupt consd
eration consisting of seven square miles of lane
and some stock given, or to be given to him.
| 3. ResnlueR, That William A. Gilbert, a mem
Der of this House. from New York, be forthwith
expelled from the House.
The speaker decided then that the repor
must be received to the extent that it implicated
member of the House in the subject referred
to the committee. gg8
Mr.. Grow, Of Pennsylvania, Republican) raj
sed point of order that, under parliamentar,
law, the committee conld not take testimony al
ter member was implicated without Iirst com
ing before the House and obtaining authority 70
that purpose. He wished to know il, when Swee
ney gave the name OF member as implicated il
fraudulent Transaction the committee suspen
ded the examination and notified that member
in order that he might appear before them ant
confront the witness.
Mr.. Orr, Of South Carolina, Gdelnocrat) though
that the report just read should have relieves
the mind ofths gentleman upon the subject 3
inquiry, In the course Of the investigation witt
4 which the committee had been charged; wit
ness (hfr. Sweeney implicated one of the, House
The committee proceeded to take his testimony
and that of such other witnesses as they tounC
was material to the understanding Of the who'll
ease. They then caused to be made out and pla
ced in the possession ofsaeh member a complete
copy Of every portion Of the testimony which d.
fected him, with the notification that the part
could cross examine the witnesses, and produc
explanatory or exculpatory testimony and argu