The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-09

with tastes and capacities low enough for the meansst
researches Those who know anything about my affairs
out of ONCE pOer man; - could readily be proved 70
sny scandal mongcr In Congress and scavenger Of the
Conclusive and honorable voucher hold against all their
brutal charges.
leone now 70 the committee itself, and how shall
characterize the course 1t has pursued towards mes
venture to assert that in all the history Of secret nqus
TONS there been instance In which heavier
mputations nsinuated without being charged or
based upon utter restitution OF evidence grosser
ali ther defamation Of mss Have they proposed any &C
ton proper for the imputed They have proposed
deemed their own abors worthy Of consideration BY the
House OF Representatives They have not dared to sub
leave The public to believe there are six millions 81 &C.
ceptances outstanding in the hands OF bona fde holders
for which government responsible was their duty to
bring forward Legislation TO the innocent from
loss But they have not done and their failure Ia
confession that their whole statement on the subject is
base falseh0od 1t s admission OF what Is the real
fact that neither the government nor single innocent
i.izen will lose dollar upon these drafts
VIII hs 40 Dr ns% say na'
Grand Jury OF the District Of Columbia and by the
ercse Of indecent personal industry procured my ndct-
ment for maeasance In Office for the law positively for
bids the persecution of witness for any act or fact
touching which he ehal have been examined and have
testified before committee Of Congress, and they
brought within the operation Of this statute by sub
jecting me to tedious pettyfoggng examination Nor
this prosecution proper proceeding for offence OF
such broad scope Official mafeasance 1t is impos-
sbe under the strict rules Of pleading enforced In CRIT
minal courts, TO embrace such charge and impeach
echnicaes and latitude of range, can meet the emer
gences of such trial. The committee have not ven
tured to subject the allaces Of their report to such
ordeal Nor have they brought forward or pressed
10 passage any law to guard against . repetition
Thus, by their omissions of self defined duty, have
they stulted themselves. faisided their report and
partisan tempt ny blow and discredit political ad
versary: TO bave made report pregnant in every
seveTa Soussnda ~ be- printed for
circulation, and to have Instituted mock prosecution
very eectuay political object but what great
ends of honest and patriotic staesmanship accom-
pshed by stopping short here and trifiing with pub
lie dutyf If they determined to single out
victim for political offence, against which there Is no
| law and for which, in the minds of all just men,
there ought to be no censare, the committee ought at
least throw aside the hypocritcal garb Of indig
rant morality under which they have not acrupled 70
perpetrate a forgery in the name of truth. In this
report forgery is committed in the testimony Of Mr.
tho word ''agonzcd, simply TO create the inference
from the supposed intensity Of my feelings about the
to abet felony in order to prevent protest. /
scarcely resist feeling of despair when called upon to
defend self against committee of Congress- operating
through the machinery Of that powerful tribunal and
sorting besides to the weapons of forgery committed In
and subject to no censure The very last phase Of epra
witty and corruption, the most ptabe exhibition OF
despcabe nature with lofty professions of
virtue TO accidental position of public trust to
give circulation and point to caumny and falsehood
l With the parties implicated perfectly known and
feesed this committee have turned aside from inves
eating the of negligence and administration
which led to the offence which rendered such thing
practcabe and have consumed six weeks in attempting
by the suppression of the real facts and the establish
ment Of fasehoods, to mpcate political adversary.
the interests OF the country forsaken malignant
attempt to wreak vengeance upon political opponent
duct Of this committee in their investigation convicts it
OF vindicve spirit and intention. Charged with grave
Judicial functions it has disega its obligations
,t,ul fhn iuru
into position from which to shout forth indecent defa
nation upon bead. 1t arragns mo before Congress
the public records the vehicle, and the public archives
the depository OF it's invectves The whole tone and
o. s ba pr an a
Judge. Nor will there be found In the many hundred
pages Of testimony 1t has taken, single inerrogatory
designed TO elicit any fact tending to my vindcation
the whole truth in regard 70 OF the matters under
inquiry Nay, more whore the true reply to questions
propounded would have brought out facts in favor
the witnesses oftener than not cut short in their
| statements with demands for categorical answers.
One of the intatory acts Of this committee to
adopt resolution enjoning "inviolable secrecy as to
all their proceedings, and yet there was no evidence
a. any time se1S1s 70 me IN the pub
in the sensation pressas II 1t had been intended, by
educating public sentiment for six weeks in advance to
prepare to accept with unquestioning creduty, the
monstrous fctons finally brought out In the report Even
his very document published at the North before
garbed portions OF the evidence surepttiousy printed
volume before 1t laid upon me clerks desk Of
L 6vldenCe
yet printed have only been able as yet to examine
| It by proxy and In the most cursory manner.
protss, that this INVESTIGATION so far as am con.
and public decency. The Christian maxim, as old
civilizator'hear the other sice''-has been utterly
deregarded. The time honored rule Of common law
"every shall be held innocent until his guilt is
proved'-has been reversed; everything has been as
umed against me- and the onus of proving the negative
thrust upon my shoulders. The opportunity for con-
| fronting and croesexamninp witnesses, or even OF
knowing the charges to be inquired into has not been
af, oil hv wi have mt
allow ed the witnesses supposed to entertain friend
ship for opportunity OF correcting the proof sheets
Of their testimony. But these proceedings only prove
what is already too well known to the pubc-.hat these
of Congress have degeneratcd into
engines Of partisan warfarenferna engines plotted in
secret for indscrminate destructivcness Few Of
character will nov take part in them; and they have
bs asases OF
For these reasons protest against the validity OF the
report Of this committee for any purpose, far as
concerned except to prove the malguty OF its authors
their INSCRIPTIONS industry scandal mongers and
detectives protest against their whole proceedings in
regard brutal assault upon every Jacquard Of
public and private character which modern civilization
has been wont 10 cherish as sacred. denonnce them
utterly unworthy pronounce judgment upon any polti
ss the malicious aspesions Of partisan opponents and
| personal enemies.
great fact stands prominently out In spite or all
umny and detraction. Is this that have admins
tered the War Department the appropriations made
By Congress- have asked for deficiency bill TO pay
OF arrearages The expenses OF every year have been
Kept within the appropriations, although the % Inmates OF
| the Bureau have been most materially reduced By Con-
gress under circumstances calculated greatly to embar
rass the service.
These appropriations II must be borne In mind have
all been made upon specific estimates for each branch
the service and for every item Congress could fail
TO understand thoroughly and infinitely evcrything they
were doing Tho expenditures made In conformity
with the estimates and the appropriations. and every
contract and every order for purchase specifying the
articles contracted for bought the exact sums Of
ney expended and the names Of tho parties to the trans
actions have all been regularly transmitted 10 Congress
so that perfect map OF the whole transactions of the
Department has been regularly laid before that body
every year. and not syllable OF has yet
been uttered against single transaction arrogate
nothing when say that greater amount OF service
never rendered before the United States for the
sum Of money The army has, during my whole term OF
Office been footing and not that OF peace, aud
have been carrying on active campaigns from Texas In
tho South 10 the British possessions In tho North, whilst
the transportation required aud performed has been be-
yond all precedent greater than at any former period
During all this time, amid all tho difficulties arising
from disrustful and hostile OF legislation, not
i axnended haYnnd