New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-02
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


The SPEAKER suut uuc,d rs the Special Committee
the iLemonal of American arttte M Marshall of
Ksntucky Mr. keitt OF South Carolina, Mr. TaylOt OF
New YoIk. Mr. Morris OF Pennsy lvania and MI. Pom
Gleton OF Ohio.
TIE House then passed the Indian Deficiency bill
and the Three Regiments Volunteer Appropriation BILL
7he latter by 10l sgsiost 90.
The House concured in the report Of the Confer
cree Committee on the disagreement of both Houses
TO the amendments to the Executive, Judicial and
Legislative bill.
Mr.. j. CLANCY JONES penny asked leave to
introduce JOINT resolution, providing that tue next
eessioI of Congress commerce on the second Monday
of November, but objections were made.
The House then proceeded to the confederation of
zhe Fort 81 cling report.
MI MORRILL, (Vt. spoke Of the great wrong done
IN the sale of the reservation. frank and honorable
placed in the position of the Secretary OF war.
wi "a be found that he made a blunder and mistake
In the appointment of agents superntendents would
frankly admitted the fact and corrected it, but in
ste ad Of that there not only remarkable persist
ent and studied effort 10 Justify but attempt 10 per-
eusde that he right in relation to the deliberate
Concealment Of the prelimnsries preceding the sale.
No corpse in the Catacombs wss more closely locked
up than this transaction. No one could worm out of
the secretary what was going on. lie tMorrll) re-
viewed the testimony, condemnpg the New-fork and
Virginia combination, arguing that the property was
fold for lees than its value, and insisting that the House
ebou place its seal of disapprobatlon on the whole
Insnner in which the sale was effected.
Mr. FAULKNER tNa.) expressed his condemns
ton of the tone temper ard spirit of the report OF the
displayed in presenting this transaction to the country
iu light wholly different from what the testimony
warranted. As report, he had no hesitation In say.
ing il more characterized by partisan feelings tnan
my document heretofore made to Congress. The
tpeech Of the gentleman from Vermont lMorril) was
marked by the came partisan spirit. The document
loose and inaccurate IN its statements ana EVIL
Gence. The Committee omitted to DO justice 10 tne
Secretary Of War in the only virtual and material point
They were required TO ascertain whether there was
any corruption in the high places of the Government
and so, TO bring the offender to punishment There
was not word or syllable in the testimony inlu,
riousy att citing the official character and purity vi
the Secretary of War; and this fact should have been
cheerfply announced to the House. lie undef0ooK 10
show that the Fort Smelling Reservation was useless
for military purposes to the Government. Iae Legs.
latiye Assembly and Constitutional Convention OF
Mi nesOta petitOned the Government to sell IT, Inc
land comm anded higher price than any since the
commencement of the Government except little spot
within the corporate limits of Chicago.
Nj. NORRIS on Understood that the Willetts
Point Committee will report tomorrow, and as thst
subject and this somewhat connected he thought
they should be considered together. The same parties
who purchased Fort Smelling few days before sold to
the Government Wiette Point.
Mr. FLORENCE (Pa) said Mr.. Morris know moro
than be did if the Committee was to report to-
morrow.
Mr. MORRIS replied he was 50 informed by the
Chairman of the Committee.
Mr. DAWES (Msss.). having read the reports aud
evidence had TO the conclusion to support the
condenaatOfy resolutions of the majority OF the Com
certain persons and at the time, was the consumms,
ton Of a scheme laid in the past Administration and
carried out in the present. under the eyes OF the Sec
rotary Of War, in such manner that BLINDNESS 10
was a srevous official fraud. lie did not care what
the property brought. The House had to do with
the secret sale aad with the special favorites who
take rich slices of the public domain, to their hearts
conte1t at any price.
Mr. BISHOP Conn ssid the movement was set on
foot for the purpose of gratifying the spirit of political
dishonesty, which seeks to establish its own purity
and perfection by heapng disgrace those entitled to
confidence and respect. The whole report of the Com
mttee, from the beginning to the end in its state
mepts, arguments, assumptions and conclusions, bears
uDmistak sble evidence of deep-aid party scheme
against one of the chief officers of the Government,
whom he believed honest man "a was ever honor
ed with TIE position of Secretary OF War. lie con-
tended that Secretary Floyds course was In accord
and with the law and therefore not void as the Com.
ntee assert. The Secretary was bound TO dispose OF
Fort Smelling, it being no longer necessary for military
purposes.
thorty to sell any military reservation unless he mad
properly ascertain TO be useless for defensive
purposes, otherwise be was subject TO impeachment
He had violated the law OF Congress and trampled
down the rights of citizens under the sanction OF the
President.
Mr.. PHELPS (Mo.) replied, saying the law gives
the Secretary the authority to dispose OF military
reservations by private or public sale, for u some
times nat better prices can be obtained py tue
former than the latter mode as the case IN point
showed. portion of the Fort Sneliug property pre-
yiously seld az public sale for 81 % au acre. WIh
this example ii was wise policy in the Secretary TO
pursue the course for which he is arraignei.
Mr. CANANAUGH Mimi defended the sale or
Fcrt Smelling, which the Republicans made use of as
a cstspaw to pluck their political ohestnuts out OF the
ashes.
MI. STANTON (Obio would not say the Secretary
WAS guilty Of an overt oct, but that he was surronnd-
ed by such associations throw suspicion over the
Transaction and make il ook as il there was fraud
l.pt combination between the agent OF the Govern
Ipept aud the purchasers Of the reservation
MIR RVRNETT XVI said when the Republicans
charged fraud they ought 10 remember that history
shows that all the fraud and corruption OF public men
was formed on that eide lie then defended the Secre
tary.
Mr., BINGHAM (Ohic) said there were no characc
terstcs of bona ide sale, but there were those OF
fraud and stealing.
Mr.. LErCHER IVA defended DR.. Graham, ooe oil
his Constituents from gross mputstions on has honesty
ana integrity. In bis testimony he said there was
not particle Of evidence TO show COLLISION between
him ana the Secretary
Mr. MARSHALL (Ky.l regarded il as unfortunate
that where 70 much was at stsks there should have
been exhibited anything like party feeling. Belonging
to neither the Democratic or Republican party he
could not be accused Of partisan bias He then de-
Tended the Secretary, saying led honestly though
improvidentislly lie tMarshaD however, sswnothiug
10 this to justify him in impeacbing the integrity Of
the Secretary.
Mr.. HUGHES lind took toe ground that the
charge originated with the Republicans for political
purposes
nj. d.hsts VIVA furfher continued when tina UJouaa