The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-20

he some apology or excuse for such utterances as
those Of his colleague, ne had qualified his Lam
guage and excluded any such conclusion. He had
stated that where the President Of the United
States made a removal from office corruptly and
for personal ends, he was guilty of a high crime
and misdemeanor, and that the Constitution charg-
ed the members Of this House, on their oaths to
make that inquiry and decide that question.
Mr.. lie BLOND-Does my colleague wish 1t
understood that removal from office for political
reasons is high crime and misdemeanorf
Mr. BINGHAM-I have not made an Intma-
tion which would Justify any such inquiry. am
free TO say that where a removal is made merely
because of personal considerations toward the
party interested, and not because of personal con-
sderations on the part of the Executive, that be-
ing In accordance with the continued practice of
the government from its organization down to this
time, would not be high crime and msdemeanor.
Is my colleague informed nowl
Mr.. CHANLER desired to ask MIR. Bingham a
question, but Mr., Bingham declined to yield. He
had offered the proviso for the purpose of prevent
ing what he believed to be a fragrant violation of
the text and spirit Of the Constitution He thought
the words "by death or resignation" should be
omitted, leaving only the words used in the Con-
sttution as to vacancies which "may happen"
Gentlemen might say that would be nugatory, aud
he believed IL would unless the House proceeded
with the legislation already nauguraed,a and deter
mine by law the legal effect and meaning of the
constitutional phrase (which may happen during
the recess of the Senate But that not in order
now, and he had only said this much in order to
yindicate his own position and correct the remarks
Mr.. CHANLER thought this amendment called
up the question he had discussed some months
since IN reference to patronage in the distribution
Mr. FARNswoRTH called the gentleman to
order. The amendment he had offered had no poll
tical bearing.
Mr.. OHANLER declared he was not speaking to
any political question, but ne thought that the
House, was performed with better grace by the
individual (NIr. FHrnsworth) than any other on
that side of the House. He (Mr. Ohanler) was for
the Limitation OF executive power, and for the
Limitation of patronage, and for the distribution OF
offices through the representatives OF the people.
That was the only wholesome basis on which the
Democratic party could exist. (Laughter) He
thanked the gentleman from Illinois tor bringing
the matter before the House. He could not sup
port the policy of Abraham Lincoln, even though
IL were under the protection of Andrew johnson,
and what was done under the plea of military me-
cessity should not, with the aid OF his vote, be
done when that plea no longer existed. He (Mr
Chanler) was not for excluding white men from
in black women, and cared nothing for the gentle
mans (Mr. FarnswoTth's) love of philanthropy
or love Of females. (Laughter)
remarks calculated to bring back the committee to
the question under consideration. He condemned
the action of the Secretary of the Treasury in the
distribution among the clerks of the appropriation
made for extra compensation He found its only
justification IN the Bible, book, however, which
was not good authority in this House, UaughteT,)
as it took from those who had nothing and gave
to those who had much. The discretion conferred
on the Secretary in that matter had been used with
out discretion, and with gross partiality for two
years past.
The question was then taken on Mr.. FARMS.
WORTH'S amendment to strike out the whole pa
ragraph for extra compensation, and it was agreed
to.
On motion of Mr.. HARDING, of Illinois, an
amendment was adopted directing preference to
be given in the making of appointments to persons
IN INDECENT circumstances, and the dependents of
those who had fallen in the service of the country
Pending the consideration OF the paragraph ap-
propriating SSOOOO for seeds to be distributed by
the Agricultural Department, which appropriG-
ton Mr.. FARNSV ORTIZ moved to cut down to
S6OOOO. and Mr.. MORRILL, to 100000, the Com
ON motion of Mr. DEMING, of Connecticut
the President was requested TO communicate
oil
that of Great Britain on the subject of the joint
occupancy of the island of San Juan, Washington
territory.
On motion of Mr. RANDALL, of Kentucky, the
President was requested to communicate any fur
ther information IN reference to the occupation of
Mexican territory by United States troops Chat he
may have received since his message of the Sth
instant or the same subject
Mr.. HALE, OF New York, proposed that to-
morrow be devoted to debate in Committee of the
Whole on the Presidents annual message.
would be made If there was no quorum present
morrow, the effect would be to 90 into commit
tee for general debate; but he did not want to fix
that now, when they were about adjourning for
Mr.. WASHBURNE, of Illinois, remarked that
floor in Committee of the Whole, desiring to make
speeches, and he thought that no time would be
lost by devotng tomorrow to general debate
Mr.. STEVENS suggested as an amendment, "to-
morrow and every day during the vacation"
The SPEAKER lntimated that that amendment
was hardly in order, as both Houses had resolved
not to be in session.
Without making any definite arrangement on
the SUBJECT, but with the general understanding
that the proceedings tomorrow would he confined
to general debate, the House, az o'clock r. M,
adjourned.
fCoRRgCTIoN.-The speech made by Mr. Hise, of
Kentucky, last Monday, against the theory of ter
rioria governments for the south, is attributed in
the New York papers, probably through inadver-
ten ce Of copysts, to Mr.. Hill, of Indiana, whose
political opinions are the opposite OF those of Mr.
Hse