The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
WAsHrNaroN, April %.

"Aov1VN' April zSs
SENATE.-Mr. Wade presented two peti.
tions frnm citizens of Ohio, in favor of con,
fiscation. .s.,5ge .1..
Mr.. Doolittle introduced q bill for the
collection of taxes in insurrectionary dis
tricts.
Mr.. Powell hoped the subject would not
be adopted as he thought it mere dodge
to evade his resolution. ....r.
The Con6scation Bill was taken up and
Mr.. Browning made lengthy speech in
opposition to it.
Without taking the question the Senate
adjourned.
HoUsE.-Tbe House resumed the consid-
GRAFTON of the report of the Select Commits
tee on Government contracts.
Mr.. Conklin said be voted against raising
this committee. 1t seemed that none could
be so honest or eminent that it would be
suitable to clothe them with the unheard of
power asked an that occasion. 1t seemed
unfit to constitute an advisory board to SUI
pervise questions of integrity relating to
every man engaged in the administration of
departmental affairs. 1t seemed to him a
rowing commission to take into considera.
ton the honesty or fraud of all future con-
tracts to be entered into by any depart
ment of the government. 1t brought with
it grave obligations and little argument
could be found in its favor.
What good, Mr.. Conklin asked, had the
Committee done to Offset the harm. He
was not aware that one single fraud bad
been developed by the committee which re-
manned unearthed at the time they pretand-
ed to dig it up.
MIR. Conklin asked the Speaker what
time remained 10 him.
The Speaker replied eighteen minutes.
Mr.. Dawes time will be extended
to the gentleman.
Mr.. Washburne-I object to that.
| MIR. Conkling-I know that, and do you
know how knew it? Because the mem.
Der from Illinois is the only man in this
House sury enough to interpose objections
| in such case.
Mr.. Washburne rose to reply, when Mr..
Conkling called the member to order.
Mr.. Washburne, excitedly, II call the
creature to order"
The Speaker demanded the preservation
of order.
Mr.. Conkling-The member from Illinois
understands the rules of the House and
! must understand that this is not the place
for personal alteration. He knows the
proper place for that is outside of these
walls.
Mr.. Washburne, excitedly, "Yes, and 1
am ready for it,
Mr.. Conkling-No individual in this
House better knows than the member from
Illinois, that I stand by what l say until
convinced that am in error, and therefore,
there is no necessity for any interruption
| here.
Mr.. Conkling, in the course of his re.
marks, said he regarded the Committee as
one of those ornaments too expensive under
the circumstances to be INDUCED in. Mr..
| Conkling was severe on the Committee,
which he thought ought to be Immediately
disbanded.
Experience had demonstrated that every
objection there made had been abundantly
sustained by the conduct of the Committee,
which had done grave and irreparable in.
justice both to individuals and classes, these
as we'll as the nation having suffered by the
declarations of the Committee. As this
Committee was pioneer experiment and
had turned out badly, they could dispense
with it. The gentleman (Mr. Davis had
said there was indubitable evidence of
fraud we'll nigh in single year as much as
the current expenditures of the Govern.
ment, during the administration which the
people hurled from power, because of its
corruption. Now he, Conkling, remarked,
that if any man was warranted in making
that statement it would justify the people
in resorting to any thing but revolution
to redress the wrong. The poisoned arrows
featbered by the ranking privilege were
shot far and wide among the loyal States
of the Republic. Like other remarks and
statements the gentleman (Mr. Davis)
made, however deliberately prepared, this
was one on mature deliberation he would
be willing to recall. The Committee had
proceeded on ex parte testimony, in secret.
The parties never were informed they were
to be tried and convicted, and stigmatized
and hung up to fostering infamy !; and as a
case in point, he said the Committee had
privily and clandestinely gathered evidence
against General Fremont, to blast his char
acter an citizen and soldier, at the time
he was in command in the army. They
never informed General Fremont that be
was aspersed, or gave him the names of the
witnesses against him, and they afforded
him no opportunity for defense.
| Mr.. Washburne spiritedly replied. He
said Mr. Conkling was the instrument of the
robbers, plunderers and thieves, who had
been holding high carnival in anticipation
of the overthrowing of the Committee.
Mr.. Hickman vindicated the report of the
Committee, and referred to subjects here.
tofore frequently repeated.
After considerable debate Mr.. Finton
moved the previous question on the pending
resolutions of the Committee.
MIR. Stevens moved to table the whole
subject, pending which the House adjourned.
| General McEkinstry.