New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-31

old Wings" Merrlok q ooDs, Oplhlned Tue con-
tract they asked for, though the Novelty Works in
this city offered to do the work for $4,000 lees
than Merrick g. Sons asked and obtained. Many
elections to the present Congress contested in
the sameway. John COchrane and Sckles had the
Nayy.Yard and Custom House utterly prosttuted
in their behalf; a regular Government jobber was
brought out against Mr. HaskiD, and, by LAVISH
expenditure Of money, came near defeating him;
Administration presses were pensioned on Tue
Treasury in the most barefacsd manner; and
money freshly drawn from the Treasury under the
Ouse of payment for Public Printing, was sent into
many districts with intent to beat the Republican
candidates and elect the Presidents servitors In
their stead. That these attempts generally mlscar-
ried proves the ncouuptibility of the PeoPe-not
the unailineness of the President to corrupt them.
Mr.. Coyode-who WAS one of the immediate
objects Of these vaccinations, having had some
thousands of dollars Of this money sent into his
district to defeat him, and elect instead Mr IL. u.
Foster, now Democratic candidate for Governor OF
Pennsy lvania-hayiDg triumphed over the frea-
dent, his minions, and his money, recently submit
ted to the House the following:
B,,o,,d That Committee of Eve members be appointed by
the Speaker the purpose CT investigating whether hs rre
US.d State: any G6eE SSs Of ss SOUGHT
to influence action Of Congress- any Committee thereof
n, q state or Territory and also to inquire and investigate
whether any officers Of the Government have oy com
biz alton or otherwise prevented and defeated attempted to
the execution Of any Law or laws now On the
and wheher the President has failed Of
compel execution OF law thereof That said
shall and inquire into the abuse the
and In
other public works of the United States.
Pittsburgh Centenary Celebration Of the 18th November 1853
speaks The employ ment Of money to carry % aa
PeDIsylvaris other State or states. IN what ae
I e sn S y the sn money and
the parties and LOT ne .nS
papers, and to report ct any time
Gould anything be more direct aud SPECIFIC
than this Mr.. Covode proposes that the House
shall inquire whether money, patronage or other
improper means, has been used by the President or
other Executive functionary to influence the acnon
Of Congress or the elections thereto, and whether
money has been used in Pennsylvania as charged In
the Presidents Pittsburgh letter. Never was a
Congressional investigation demanded on grounds
more legitimate and definite than these.
So thought the House in ordering the investga-
ton; and Select Committee, of which Mr. Covode
is Chairman, has entered upon the duty thus as
signed to them But the President shrinks from
the inquiry He protests against investigation! de
denies to the House the right of nquiring whether
the action of Congress has or has not been corrupy
tempered with. The House, he insists, can do
nothing whereby be may be affected, unless by im-
parchment But the House cannot impeach with
out first ascertaning whether there be or be not
probable grounds of impeachment; and how is this
knowledge to be obtained but by inquiry and inves'
tieation7 The Presidents Extraordinary Message
is an assertion of absolute impotence for selfpro-
lection on the part of Congress and an insult to the
understanding of the country
We expect the House to show by its irmness
and fearless adherence to the line Of duty that 1t
knows it's rights and dare maintain them. Had
Mr. Coyode's Committee summoned the President
to give evidence before it, he might have launched
protest with some show of plausiblity; not so
now. Yet, as good men no have boon Dragged
from their business and their resdes to give testi-
mony in kindred investigations, even when they
knew nothing of the matter in question; and MIR.
Thaddeus Hyatt is now in close jail at Washington
because he conscientiously believes that Congress
has no right to compel him to testify. He knows
nothing that he wishes to withhold-probably knows
nothing that the Committee wants to hear--but he
will not surrender what he believes to be his rights,
so he is locked up in prison. John Brown,
jr., refuses to go to Washington, to be cate
chized: so he will probably soon have
u. S. Marshal at his heels with formidable
posse, to take him to the Capitol by force. This
may seem harsh but we do rot complain of it,
Let the truth come out But Gov. Wise has boxes
of Old Browns correspondence and all manner of
secrets whispered in his ear which he says no
power on earth shall make him reveal, and though
be doubtless knows more of the John Brown raid
than any other live man, the Senate's Committee
will not even call him. Is this fart Witnesses
of one party thrust into prison for refusing to es-
tify, and those Of the other, who know everything
yet avow like contumacy, noteven summoned And
now the President launches his official protest
against any investigation at all which shall tend to
fasten on him the charge of official malversatOn
He insists that the House must first indict him
before it can take the necessary steps to ascertain
whether he has or has not done anything worthy
of indictment, OF even Of blame Such logic be-
longs to darker age and more despotic insttu-
tons than ours.