New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-14

"Roon OF THE COMMITTEE OF INvgsrIGAIIoS
House of.Rt presentAges Feb D. is2I
r,,s s.for. III. Committee of Iavs.ss7p whc1 year
sppsMs Aeopy 9th deposition Of John s'f BE- t
fs. Committee viii be ready bear exp or d,
6pse you may desire 70 make On SATURDAY next o.
am, cir, very respectfully, your Ossd.n' SCI y.nt
w H. KELSEY, Chairman Committee
"Hon. o. B. MaTTEsos"
At the s,me time there handed to me vou-
pmous roll of manuscript, which was supposed 70 De
he testimony alluded to. On the next day tsnday)
n noon. the Clerk Of the Committee delivered 10 me
sertain other loose sheets OF manuscript. All these
uheets were wholly without authorization or vertical
ION of any kind. Bot inssmuch as could not suppose
Mat Committee Of this House would, either by care
hsspeps or otherwise send me any thing else than
and exact copy of whatever srginathey had In their
swn hands, did not for moment hesitate TO reoeiv
a. truthful and reliable How far that confidence 10
tbe accuracy and attention of the Committee in mat
ter deeply affecting the reputation of OF their
SeIoH members was justified will be seen 10 the seque
It viii be seen that the foregoing notice from tn
Committee did not invite me TO any eIau'nson OF tn
Witnesses who had been slrssoy examined, and who's
testimony thus delivered to me. Aud this was tn
fret and only nfimson from the Como that they
bad been engaged since the 17tb OF Januay in taking
the testimony Of wi uesses, whose attend ance cool
not by any possibility have been suggested ano pro-
notice Informs me tina, such inquiry ha, been pro-
ere ssiDg and that the testimony completed II
suggests 10 me that the Committee will be ready to
hear any explanation or defense thst may desire 10
make on Saturday next the 7tb), at 10 O'Clock a. IN.
Up 10 this moment the whole proceedings oil the
Committee bao been purposey kept profound secret
nom IL does not appear on the lace OF lis lourna
that ouch an obligation OF secrecy had been Imposed oy
recorded vote; but now learn II 10 be fact that,
BY an agreement among the members, all liberty OF
comm Indicating TO me as well as Others who were iu-
pBcaied, was forbidden. 1t became, therefore, by an
obligation which was kept from lis records, "cret
fnoGi,iion and the office thus sent to me on Thurs
day, the 5th Of February, conveyed to me the hrst
6dpgs that sipce January IL my character aud con-
duct Represe ntstve had been on trla within the
sealed recesses Of The dark in which its sessions
were held. And then Hkat notice was given TO me
After thus having 10 secret completed the examination
Of all the witnesses needed to poison the minds oil toe
majority the only testimony be- 1t noticed, upon which
the condemnation Of that majority Is now pronounced
m their report they far open their carefully guarded
doors al 10 let see. In manuscript, what they sy
the witnesses have testified, but they give me no ioe
nation that may the Witnesses themselves On
the contrary, the only favor shown TO hm who has
been trial before them 10, that on the Ih on two
days notice. "he COMMITTEE ~iH he ready 10 hear any
"srpidRGton or defense rhsch may desire 10 maze
This 10 the language, the very words, OF the COMMITTEE
No iptlmstion Is given that may hear or see or In
enogate the accusing Witnesses; but II have
"d.feose or explanation 10 make" the Committee will
bear III This "deftnse was required to be made
before this Committee Saturday the h at IN CLOCK
.. N and now aver and proceed TO SHOW, IRON tne
journal Of the Committee itself, that II was not u
amer this time fixed by them for making my final de-
Sepse had eispsed that II first occurred TO the Com
r.tee to 90 far remember the rights which belong to
The most humble criminal in the most inferior tribunal
10 our c0ontry, as to gn' nave 30 muon
favor al the hands of the Committee as thst the wit
ptsses might be recalled for examination by me- ash
attention 10 dates, and will show thereby that was
not until had oaused to be delivered to the Commit
feeon the morning Of Saturday, the 9Th, my firm pro
test against lite unjust and unauthorized proceedings
that It. for the first seemed to enter their minds that
the privilege of examination OF accusing witnesses by
the accused had been wholly overlooked by them
On the morning Of the 9TH, instead OF going befor
this Committee 10 make the defense which they invited,
] sent 10 it the following protest:
SATURDAY., Feb T. 1857
the following con municstOn was received BY the Com
"N.rIoSAL HorrL. w.sH,x0roS. Feb 8. ls5,
"9EsYLEMtx received late last night communication
the 6b together with Whist described by you as
which my name sppesrs also received this i'd
oDa sheets aiming whist PurpOr to be further testimony
"YouT letter forms that the Committee will be ready to
bear explanation defense which may desire to make on
been confined to room for The most S part du,n.
s last ten Gays BY the geySs @ S. , SGa S%5as
secret inquiry calculated 70 an~ct my
and n . dss 1 Ssy possibly
20 OF Lis peers whe have thus been sns 10 sec"t nquS
Il heard from the public that this inquiry has
ssn prompted s 70 one .,
nom political enemies in my own di.trc mssnity
ven have sent me eonfms to my mind truth the.s
IN nlors District has been rsnssked BY the
recent bitter election calculated enscneer Th: .hOe
hqv'iion has tau. far been carried on w,nos. me %
proceeding which intended by anony snd
de receipt Of these volnnous sheets, 6ed With questions aud
snswers much intended TO prove sc,s 70
~ s."p. With IN, ,aston from the Committee that they will
e. ready 10 hing which desire TO sJ IN eApAns
a.(.r orfNfyu
Nor the testimony accompanied ey any @
Of chsIges either by the Committee OF others to which am
potfed By Com@itee to furnish explanations OF make
d.tn.e a..
record, Of b, Goa my protest against the justice pro-
pety whole proceeding L" far eaeased TO sae9'
. eov,mouest criminal in the loves, Court Of Justice 10
Protected y higher s.s Sass he seR Ss
of the American people when on !,S oe,E m
- sTs IN .s' p oss ;on or u u It.
hmsd your notice however hardly enough to eve even
fOI~ndsd .h ,aIe The time whiss may be
fol. osifS .eio,n, OF the ssmany .nG WI " Commute the
ascision to which may concerning it.
"I am veiy respectfully, your obedent servant
.re the Committee OF Investigation, sitting under the
twas the protest which seemed to waken the Com
mtee from their sleep the rights and privileges OF
their fellow members, for Immediately upon its receipt
the Committee aroused tsel and for the first time be-
came conscious that II was proper for the accused TO
have an opportunity TO see bis accusing witnesses;
and tbereupon the following entry appears to have
been made in lis journal of February:
"A communication received from the Hon O r. Matte
Son Iknoedgpg the receipt Of certain testimony furnished
hu BY order OF the COMMITTEE and pIs'ns gsas' the pro-
ees6Dss Of said Committee far they relate 10 BIN
The Hon b. MAeson having submitted the above paper
10 the Committee In reply 10 their communicative 10 him Of
The evidence relative 20 him
1T ordered BY the COMMITTEES thsi Monday next II
ecoeh b. appointed for The hearing Of the case OF the
Hcp O. B. Msen and that a. that time the witnesses whose
testimony rs;es him Be present and subject 70 the
zion Of the Hon o. h. Mates ard that be b. requested 70
furnish forthwith to the Chairman Of the Committee the names