The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-23
THE HON. j. MORRISON HARRIS AND THE
POST OFFICE BUILDINGS IN BALTIMORE.

In recent speech made by Mr. Harris in the House
of Representatives. that gentleman thought proper In
ptte disregard of the true facts of the case which were
within his personal knowledge, 10 make certain state
Ipsnt, derogating from the integrity of gentleman
sinY the late administration, and rejecting strongly
upon the motives and conduct OF the owners OF The site
ultimately chosen for the post office in Baltimore brci
repy from me rendered it necessary for Mr. Harris TO
rubbish correction Of the of facts a deal mildly
with him In thus characterizng his staements The had
committed and publish also certificate OF character
signed by OF the most respectable gentlemen III Bal
tmorc whose statements to any fact within their
knowledge would be received everywhere as Conclusive
of the truth of such fact
This publication of Mr.. Harris raises two issues be-
tween u.s. which propose summnriy to dispose Of They
aro these
by nne-tenths the citizens OF Baltimore and in support
OF this allegation he produces the letters Of Messrs Tap
pan and Marshall stating that the site chosen OPP
posed by numerous memoiiasts in case numbering
ola three to four thousand publish now herewith,
the certificate Of the Clerk Of the House of Representa-
tves showing that all the memorials presented TO Con-
greS in relation to the building of post Office site and
United States court house ia the city OF Baltimore both
for and against the various stes offered for both these
purposes only six in number, and signed only
by nine hundred and sixty 600 individuals and firms
Now when these six memorials divided between the
subjects of Them and those relating To the post Office
are again divided between those for and against any
of the various sites spoken Of and again between those
for and against the Exchange site, the public will
how small number of individuals and firms constituted,
in Mr. Harss arithmetic, nine-tenths Of the citizens of
Baltimore
But the matter of the memorials places Mr. Harris in
an unenvable position in another point of view. Mr.
Harris applied ut the Office of the Clerk of the House Of
representatives for certificate copy OF one OF the above
mentioned memorials with the exact number OF sigma
lures to all, and obtained the through Mr. Buck,
the clerk in charge of the papers, ION Friday the lth
Saturday, the 18th inst.
On the 18th of the month he published Mr.. Tap
pans letter written the 18th of the month, in which
Mr. appan enormously and doubtless nnocenty states
his recollection that the Dumber of sgners to Of
tue memorials to have been from three to -four thousand
Mr. Harris knowing at the time this statement though
unoceny so, to be erroneous yet willing to take
advantage Of the of his colleague to convey false
impression to the public.
In reference to such of these memorials opposed the
Exchange the best site for the post office and which
proposed the First Presbyterian church better will
show whenever required that they were all circulated
for signatures by some one or more persons anxious to sell
10 che government the ast-named property
So much for the first issue The second is my aega-
ton that Mr. Harris anxious TO dispose of the church
property to the government for the post Office 10 this
he replies by publishing the certificate of Messs Taylor
Brown Collins, and Others to the effect that Mr.
Harris had ye,qyy in the sale of the church.
and that to their knowledge he took part in the pro-
motion of the purchase by the since he went
to Congress.
reply to tie first part of This certificate by saw ing that
never alleged that Mr. Harris had pecnaary interest in
the sale of the church property but that his opposition
to the Exchange grew out Of his aarity to sell the
church.
1t is admitted now on all hands that Mr. Harris was
member of this committee, of which the sgnes of
the certificate constitute the rest That he should have
had no dngoty to promote purpose which they had so
much at heart, viii be difficnlt to be believed.
But in addition to the natural inference from his posi-
hon that he anxious to sell the church property,
state as fact within the knowledge of all the members
of the Judiciary Committee Of the House of Representa-
tves and of his colleague also, the Hon. Henry W Da
Wis that Mr. Harris appeared before that committee and
made speech in oppoton to the Exchange to which
speech replied on the day following.
TO sell the church. it first necessary TO defeat the
Exchange, and Mr.. Harris used all his influence little
enough, indeed to achieve that end
But bis agency in the matter Of sale of the church
property will be better shown y the letters Of the Hon
Henry May and Beac H. Richardson, esq, which are
hereto appended
have done with Mr.. Harris.
GEORGE p. KANE.