Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-01-30
FORTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings
"WEDNESDAY, January 20.

| SESArE.-Mr. Harlan introduced a bill grant
| ing lands 10 aid the construction of a railroas
and telegraph line from the Union Pacific rail
road 10 Idaho. Montana, and Pugrt's S.nn.l
kefsrrtd q 60 Committee on Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Wiley .Gered a resolution rcqnestin,
| the Pr.sid.n nt 10 inform the Ssn:-te what mum
| Der or Justices OF the Peace arr in commission
la each ward of the city of Washington
| Adopted.
Un motion OF Mr.. Harlan, tomorrow Fri.
day. was set apart for the consideration of bili,
r'lating TO the District of Columbia
Mr.. Frelinghuysen introduced bill for the
| proteclon OF persons making disclosures as pal
Ties To, or testifying as Witnesses in ceTia. d
| cases Beferred TO Committee ON Judiciary.
| Mr.. Patterson IN. H.) called up the hiII in
addition to the act regulating the tenure of eer.
| tain ci, ii Offices.
Mr.. Patterson explained the proyisious ,i
The bill, and said it would save 10 the Trea ~
| AZ least three or four hundred thousand dollar r,
annually, and from what he could learn the m.
| uirect saving would amount to millions. I'm.
| der the former laws the special Treasury agent,
| were at times limited in number. and again
We're very large. He understood those wer,
| mostly appomted Tor political and personal
| reasons, aud many OF them, instead of hsin ns
| the agents OF the GoverBment, wee agents q
| the whiskey nng. One OF them was now under
| arrest i'm Chicago for maifpasance i'm n,fic- Axho
| u was laid, had made from fiftcea to twenty
| i've thousand dU liars an ten days.
Mr. Harlan remaT ked that there was no pro-
| VISION IN the bill allowing the appointment of
special agents Tor the Interior Department: A !.
the Land offiCe and other bureaus of thar d.
paitment there WAS much necessity for agent.
Mr.. sumner asked II the committee had taken
INTO consideration certain special agents of the
State department, who had been appointed
since the time of Washington, and who wer.
paid out uf the secret service fund.
Mr.. Patterson said il had been considered and
the committee had come TO the conclusion that
the practice which obtained in regard TO these
appointments Mas "A crying evil. Large num-
orrs OF th.se agents We're appointed, aud about
all they did was TO draw their salaries
MIR. Edmund>.-And attend TO politiyS
Mr.. .Patf-rson.-f.s; that is about all they do
mr. sumner sympathized entirely with Ia.
OBJECT OF the bill. but thought the practice and
precedent of the Government under all admin.
Istrations in the conduel sf our foreign affair,
should not be interfered with. He desirsd a
letter which he had received from the SECRETARY
OF state ON TINS subject I'D be read.
The letter Of the Secretary of the State WAS
then read. II expresses the hope that the bill
" Ill not interfere with the power OF the Depart
ment to send these secret agents abroad Cha
Sscrciary further states that this power has
been exercised under all admin strait ons and
Thar occasions often arise in our foreign rela-
tions when il il essential that these agents
should be- sen1 abroad.
Mr.. sumner then moved amendmen, that
nothing in the bill shall to- so construed A. 10
prevent appointment of special agents by the
Department of State.
Mr.. Howard would like 10 know now MANY
of these secret agents We're employed, and who
they ere.
Nr. Sumner said il was not the custom 10
give ihe names of secret officers, and therefore
the Senator had answered hIs own question
He (Mr. ~ bad heard ihe name of one of them
McCrackcG, but on enquiry he had been un-
able to lind out WHO he was or where lac came
from.
Mr.. Howard said the Senate even had no,
been froe from the researches and in LEGATIONS
of these secret agents.
Mr.. Conkiing WIS of the opinion that many
Of these agents Were mere myths.
Mr.. Nye.-Some of them are ghosts.
Mr.. johnson sad IL was the custom of All
Governments 10 .mploy snIh agent As had
been spoken OF, and there was doubt that az
times their services Were essentially necessary
IL. however. the Senate proposed 10 do away
with them, II was better to abolish the contin-
gent fund.
Mr.. Cameron necessity for any of his
service. Our government had no secrets and
had no occasion 10 use secret agents
Pending Discussion. the morning hour ON.
pired. and the bill Went over.
MIR. Sumner then moved TO taken up the bill
providing for The representation OF the Unirpd
States at ia. International Maritime Exhibition
al Hasre.
The resolution was taken up. but debate ar,s.
ing Mr.. hendricks called for the regular order
The unfinished busiBess-being the SunnIe
mentary Reconstruction bili-was then taken
up.
Mr.. Cragin being enuitled 10 the foor nro.
ceeded TO speak on the bill.
House or RErnFsENTATrvEs.-N seI,a
IN. y. off red a resolution directing the S..cr.
tary ofthe Treasury to communicate certain in
formauon in relation TO income lax. Adopted
WI T~isSifchou rt'pOffeG h:tek the hill
q railroad bctwecn Washington and Cincinnati
and NJ was ordered to he printed and recon-
Initted 10 the Commerce Committee
Mr.. Marshall I'LL made a personal expIana-
uon IN regard TO a card published in the V.,a-
ing thr0aicic by Gen. Burhridge.
Mr.. Scoii''ld (Pa.l offered a resolution re-
citing that II was editorially stated in the Ere
httt9 f. press, paper published la Washington
yesterday that AZ a social gathering an which
one OF the Justices of the supreme Court OF the
Chii'o States was present, the said Justice ex-
pressed himself a. against the recon .trGctlon
acts of Congress; declaring further t.aat sew
eral casss are now pending before the said
Supreme Court bearing upon the recon-
struction acts; and directing the Cummitte,
ON the Judiciary 10 inquire into the facrs as SET
forth IN the editorial referred to, and il found
10 be correct 10 report whether such a STATE
meni by the Justice constitutes a misdemeanor
III oiiice sufficient 10 amount 10 a cause for i'm
peacbment.
Mr. Pruyn asded Mr.. Schofield if the facts
alleged were within his own knowledye. oil
whether the resolution WAS based ON tue mere
: newspaper article.
Mr.. Scoffeld replied that he did not aver the
truth OF the allegation. He saw il merely in
the new spaper named. He had no knowl,sdga
OF the facts. save what h. in the Be,yspa-
pers. The Baltimore newspapers this
morning contained thr same sentiment
and ON" OF them gave the name OF the Jus-
ticr, hut he (Mr. 81 preferred TO nse
for his purpose the article winch did MOI mem
tion the name. He had supposed thar tI,,.ra
would be- objection. rs he concluded
THAI all gentlemen m the HouSe. an a
especially those on the other side. youId
wish 10 see the characters of the in,Iye.
of the Supreme Court sindI,ai,si. aud ali tbat
was asked Was that the committee should A.
certain whether the facts stated wers. tru,. ar
false u pom reflection. gentlemen on th.. oth.r
side would NO doubt like 10 have th. in
Nstigation- He had heard on former o.
casions that judges of the supreme CoarY
had Descended from their high places
ON th" Bench, and dctsii,d in advance kyhat
they proposed Ia do. ana what they proposed
MOI Ia do Oh certain measures. He had never
gwen crtaience 10 these statements, for hr t.,.
iieNea there Was one department of the t;oN-
erbIDeni " hlcb would not descend to minyl.a 4,
the pool of politics. But, when he saw tI,.
charge In pr1nt, he thought IL time that so.n,,
thibg should be don. to Sindican Inc SupreTu.
Court. %
Mr.. Pruyn suggested thai before the resolu-
ton MIS- offered the gen tiehaan -shoulti haN,.
satisfied himself Of the truth OF the char.r.
made. a ~
Mr.. Seofield law the charge in a paper i'm
which he supposed the gentleman fro,n Nav
York had more confidence. than h.. f.S,oti,,I,l
had. .
Mr.. Prupn did not know any thing about tho
paper. W hat he objected 10 was tlaat the reso.
luton cast an aspersioD upon the whole OF th,
supreme Court. Ia should specify the parti,.
ular justice --.- -- = : -
Mr.. Schoiield hoped TO vindicate the Suprema
Court instead of asp rising IL. IL did NOT MAJ
er whether the Justice was in uceord yo,,h
Congress or moi, for he found the statement an
aJournal which WAS supposed to be in politi.aI
sympathy with those who Were ot,t,,s.si In ,b. 4