New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
MIR. covoDE's INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
MR. HoARD's RESOLUTION.


From Special Correspondent !
WASHINGTON March 5, 1860.
THE TRIBUNE has probably published, ere this.
tho resolution offered in tire House 20 day, by Mt.
Coyode TO inquire into the uses and abuses Of Ex-
ecutive patronage, in controlling the elections and
influencing legislation and managing tho pe.itcs of
the county generally. The rules were suspended
under a two thirds vote, 10 let in the resolution,
despite the vituperatjyc cbulition Of NJ. Ashmoro
of Soath Carolina, who, in defiance of parlia-
mentary law and ,gcntlemanly proprcty, got up
quite little row in ~. BIS" behalf. We hope
this matter will be7robed TO the bcttsm; for, this
is one of that sort of things upon which nothing
should be said or done, unless it q well said and
thoroughly done
1t will be rec5lected that two rears ago, when
the Lecomptop battle was al its hight, Mr.. Hoard
of New k-gfered resolution in the House upon
this subject or Executive in6uerce and patronage
which created Juror of excitement TWAS bold
" charged at that time, m The Richmond Es-
quirer and other Democratic journals, that the
President would carry the LecOmpton bill through
the Lower House of Congress by the potency of his
patronage; and, with these newspaper statements
for his premises, Mr. Hoard proposed to inquire intn
their truth. But, having submitted his resenton
as question of privilege" and it being held by
Mr. Speaker Orr not to be privileged question, 1t
received the go-by Determined not to be thus
bafied-for Mr.. Hoard is man not
easily diverted from his purpose-he offered
the resolution again. at q later day, this time,
through newspaper report, mixing the name OF
poor old Mr.. Burns, member from OHIO, IN the
affair whom, it was stated was to receive the APP
pointment of T. s. Marshal as the consideration Tor
his vote in favor of LecOmpton. The Deinocfacy
in the House were unusually turbulent ana a'ipu-
dent challenged investigation, denounced MIR.
Hoard as n libeler of the virtuOus PecksBlh who
tenanted the Executive mansion, poor old burns
himself stammering out feeble defiance, and NOV
ing substitute for Hoards resolution. Eet 10 be
caught thus, Hoard promptly accepted the substl-
tute; whereupOn some Democrat moved to table
this very substitute the offspring Of Burns, the ac-
cused And now, the party as whole aud Burns
as choice brick thereof showed their readiness to
probe this sore TO the cOre-the former by voting IN
q lump to send the resolution to the table OF the
Capulets: the latter by lodging the question and
refusing to vote at all So much for the last Con-
gr.ss.
Upon the day, some two weeks ago, when MIR.
Winter Davis administered caustic to the cutlcle OF
the Maryland Legislature, Mr.. Hoard offered
resolution of inquiry in regard to this topic of Ex-
ecutive interference with legislation, &c. closing
with the usual power to send for persons and papers
But, as it gave rise to debate, and was likely to
consume portion of the time which NJ. DAVIS
might need in his allotted task of flayng the An
their heels Mr.. II. withdrew il for the time being
To-day, being d" Suspension Monday, Vi. e., the
occasion when the House allows its members the rare
privilege of moving to suspend for brief space
that exquisite tissue of absurdities, facetiOusly
called its " Rules"-Mr Hoard intended TO have
introduced his resolution somewhat modified; and,
if objection had been made to call for suspension
of the rules The resolution was in the following
words, the pth being in its preamble:
"Whte On the 18th day Of December last member Chi.
o.
floor Of the House AZ Mr. buchanan could purchase ms.
more than am worth and rfusod to sell myself At that
And on the same day member fIGm New YORK. Mr. Has
In this let that one In this country knows
charge for he endeasored Jy tayeat and BY edaOns Of
patronage without effect to draw true men away from the path
the l4ih day Of December last member from New
Ing statement: During the LecompOn controversy a2
preached In such shows corruption on the part Of
Ard q, Thee t.S ny III. r :; With the
legislative rights duties this body in dsrogston Of it
roesye incompatible with its dignity and purity aud seua
lion 20 impair s reputation and destroy public confidence In
Rc.ored That Committee of 1--WE be appointed by the
Speaker inquire and investigate wheher improper at
snp bSye been are being made y any person eopnseea
acting advice their to influence
S s action Of q: npUn wien he House R
hss hereafter have under confederation directly or
Examine wncses and with leave e report By Sill other
wise, ct any time" 80 -
DuJ SlT. tONOdt; ndNlHS 'n' huoi1
ceeded to-day in getting in his resolution which
was adopted II is broad in its scope, and should
Mr. Hoard be placed with him upon the Com
mittee, we may look for thorough investigation of
that branch of the subject covered by the preamble
and resolution he failed to get before the House.
Mr. Covode beinga Pennsylvania and one of the
Representatives of the State which has given to the
country and the world George w. Bowman,
Printer to the Senate, and 81. b." President of |
the Republic, we may look for some rich develop |
ments from a region famous for the inexhaustibe- |
ness of its iron and coal-mines and the fathomless
turpiude Of It's leading Democratic politicians.
But, we caution our friends at Washington TO |
abandon this investigation at once unless they
prepared and determined to go to the bottom of the
rascality and roguery public and private, which |
have gangrened every department of the service |
under this and the last Administration, making |
their very name stencil in the nOstrils of common
decency throughout the Union. We suppose |
neither Mr.. COvOde nor Mr.. Hoard has moved in |
this matter without having facts enough to base |
his Investigations upon Letthem move cautious |
y, promptly, and thoroughly. The country neither |
expects nor will brook feeble and superficial ex- |
animation of this subject.