Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-06-22
The Covodo Committees Report.
HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVE,
lime l6 1860

juno 10, 1860.
Mr. Train Of Massachusetts, made a report from
the Covodc Committee signed by Messrs. 0lin Co
vode, and Train 1t sets out by speaking of the
embarrassment which attended their labors, and
stating that the President fit TO send in a solemn
protest in the way of proclamation to the world,
that the whole power of the Executive. instead of
being exercised to forward an investigation into
Administration affairs, would be exercised to pro-
tect those who might choose to disobey the summons
of the speaker of the House. or who having obeyed
the summons might refuse to testify before the
mttee, who quote precedents to show that they have
felt at liberty to investigate the conduct of the Pres-
dent or any other officer of the Government.
In regard to the Lecompton Constitution, they
say that the country will pause with astonishment
over the shameless record. They examined,
Frst-The emphatic and indubitable pledges Of
the President, before as well as after his election
and the pledges Of all his Cabinet to the doctrine Of
leaving the people of Kansas perfectly free to al
minister their institutions in their own way.
Second-The deliberate breaking of the pledges
and theattempt to convert Kansas into slave State
by means of forgery, fraud and force.
Thrd-The removal and attempt to disgrace the
sworn agents of the Administration who refused to
violate their pledges.
? Fourth-The open employment Of illegal means
in the passage of the Lecompton and English bills
through Congress.
Fifth-The admission of parties engaged in the
work Of electoneerng the scheme that they receiv-
ed enormous sums for this purpose.
Sixth-He offered TO purchase newspaper editors
with extravagant sums of money.
Seventh, and lastly-Even the prescription of
Democrats of long standing who would not support
tile Lecompton and English bills.
| The witnesses on these points were Gov. Walker,
Wendell, Bean, and F. W. Walker, and fortunately
for the of truth the evidence of these witness
SEES does not conflict. The committee depend upon
their own admissions. 1t is proven by the book of
records of the Bank of the Metropolis, which con-
tans the names of those who conduct their business
there and by the unconscious contradiction of the
witnesses.
The testimony of Mr. Forney is not to be over
looked in this connection; while it shows general
willingness pn the part of the President subsidize
the pnblic press, it proves also that there a
strong determination to buy all who could be bought
and TO crush out the honest men who could not be
bought, or bribed, reduced TO utilization with
the Administration in its Lecompton policy. Mr..
Forney was offered the printing of the post office
blanks with at least $50, 600, on condition that he
should by an editorial ''no longer than mans
| hand" support the Administration in its Kansas
policy. The committee refer to the fact that twenty
four Democratic members of the House despised the
Kansas policy of the Administration. This number
dwndled down to twelve and enough were found
to carry the bill through the House. The commit
tee say it had always been supposed that the in
Utah was gotten up for the purpose of fostering
slavery in Kansas the troops being devoted to ope-
rations in Kansas. The next point examined in
volved the abuse in the Philadelphia Custom House
and other public Offices, in regard to which the
committee say that there were combinations among
the Federal officers with view to control the sem
tment and preudices of the people in their primary
political assemblies Secondly, the improper and
corrupt use Of the public money---the employment
OF persons in the public service in violation Of the
laws and government regulations and the frauds on
the part Of officers Of the government to defeat the
statutes of the United States enacted for the purpose
of protecting the public treasury from unjust claims
and improvdent and unnecessary expenditures.
The witnesses are: John H. Bryant John j
Schell, Francis and Sam b. Rice, Francis McCor-
mick, Andrew Brumaker, George Downey, Patrick
Calferty, J. Dunn, and others
The committee say that Collector Baker is subject
to the highest censure Under want of time to pro-
cure investigation into the management of the Post
office, no action was taken. They examined the
question of the Executive bidding, saving that Mr.
Pettihone was wrong in the matter of patronage re-
tanned in the hands Of the Presidents friends. The
committee say that the evidence proves beyond a
doubt that the prices paid for the Executive print
ing and binding utterly disproportonate TO the
work done. The committee also allude to the en-
ployment of men to carry elections. In view of all
the facts and circumstances attending this investi
CATION from its inception to the present time there
seems marked propriety in closing this report with
a quotation from a speech of Mr.. Buchanans in con-
domination of corruption.
Mr.. Train moved that $4,000 Of the report be
printed. Referred to the Printing Committee
Mr.. Millson was privileged,to make minority
report on Monday morning, he not having time to
prepare it. The testimony was not closed till
Thursday.