New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-20
RESOLUTION on RETRENCHNENT
Speech of Senator Upton

speech OIL Se0NtOr 1JpIOus
In the United States Senate. on the four
tcenth instant, the consideration Of th'
following resolution, submitted by Mr.. An
thony the day previous. was resumed:
Resolred, That a standing committee O
seven. to he known as the committee OF in
vcstigation and retrenchment, be created
to investigate and report upon such sub
jects as may be committed to it by the
Senate, such committee to be elected by the
Senate as other standing committees
The pending question being on the amend
ment of Mr.. Trumbull, which was to add
thereto the following:
And that said committee be instructed to
inquire into the expenditures III all branches
Of the service of the United States, and to
report whether any and what offices ought
to be abolished; whether any. and what
salaries and allowances ought to be re-
duced; what are the methods OF procuring
accountability in public officers or agents in
the care and disbursement of public moneys;
whether moneys have been paid out illegally;
whether any officers OF agents or other
persons have been or are employed in the
public service without authority of law or
unnecessarily and generally how and to
what extent the expenses of the service of
the country may and ought to be curtailed
And also to consider the eXpedency of so
amending the laws under which appoint
ncnts to the public service are now made
AS to provide for Withdrawing the public
service from being used as an instrument of
political or party patronage.
That said committee be authorized to sit
during the recess of Congress, to send for
persons and papers. and to report by bill or
otherwise; and that said committee NAV
appoint clerk.
We reproduce from the Congressional
Globe the subjOined extract from the speech
Of MIR. Upton, of Nebraska:
The vOluminOus report of the committee
on retrencbment that l now held in my
hand shows that there are numerous Off
GERS in one single locality. the customhouse
in New York, who perform no duty, who
report daily by order. but have never per-
formed duty. This report sums up a loss
to the government of probably more than
fifty thousand dollars in the opinion Of one
witness-n0ney paid tor no service what
ever l find i'll this report that enc of these |
unfortunate men who obtained a position |
and was sent out to do service with COM
rade who was engaged in keeping drink
ing house on Harlem road came to gen.
thing to do why said he, ..have YOU no
position :! "Oh yes have an appoint
ment. Are you drawing a salary"
"Yes, am drawing a salary. but | have
nothing to do, and l am losing INV self
respect on account of it. and hope, there
tore, that you will give me some
thing that can do The meaning of this
was, Give me something to do shat l
can stay at my position or at my desk and
seem TO be at work Said he, IL
will york for charitable institution, if YOU
will Only let me have the work to do" Yes.
sir. here We have the case narrated of an
officer OF the government having nothing to
do, and ashamed OF himself because he was
there from day to day and from month to
month sitting in his solitude. asking to have
some charity work furnished him in order
to employ himself, and that he might not
utterly forget how to work while lie was in
the government employ. Sir, this report is
not u very old one. l find that it was pre-
scnted to the Senate March 3, 1871. pre-
side can run back that far-March 3. 1871.
While We have such a report as this on
record, and while the very first clause Of the
resolution OF the Senator from Illinois pro- !
vidcs Tor looking into that state OF affairs, s
the honorable Senator from Nevada, with {
all that placidity which characterizes him, |
comes in and says, 1.-The occasion has passed t
by; all is lovely, and the bird of Jove scars '
heavenward.' daughter i
want this committee organized, and |
want 1t to possess that power which was SO |
IN exposing corruption in the
customhouse at New York. want it be- Y
cause there Is custOmLOuse at New Or s
LEAKS. with all Difference to the Senator from t
louisiana Mr.. Kellogg. and mean no re- | \
lection on him. l want it because there is +
a custonhouse in Philadelphia also: and i
while have great respect TOR the collector =
d customs there. have this to say. that the =
circumstances Of his appointment, ii know /
iny thlnS about them, are SO untavorable to p
I'm as that would wish him to be watched. o
lot scrutinized not pertinaciously followed, +,
tut simply watched. Laughter. d
must explain why have that feeling p
oward the collector Of customs at Phila- s.
lelphla. may have a little animosity to- e
ward him because of his conduct toward s.
ny venerable friend from PENNSYLVANIA II
MIR. Cameron) in Olden times laughter; p
tut when he uttered those burning, truth G.
III words; when he SO vindicated the SEN
tor from Massachusetts Mr. Sumner) less a
han year ago; when he so denounced IL
ne infamy that he thought had got control y
u men In high places. when that honorable Il
senator was deposed from the chairmanship 81
II committee: when he uttered that in S
nc Press, one Of his 1.-TWO papers, both st
ally, was SO sratified with the stamina l
o weeping when the President went to l
and came back, and Forney I'll
as MATE collector OF the port of PhiladeI- to
hia Then | supposed he was sold l Ell
ever expected to hear any further denun- W
'atlon from him OF what thought was a ia
reat wrong upon the dignity Of the Senate. ii
pom the rights OF a Senator and upon the eE
lSnity at individual man Therefore | a,
amt a committee to watch him. l in is
lni"u the customhouse in Louisiana. be- pl
ause did not wish to be invidious, and | til
"w release it, having accomplished my IA
hlect. daughter co
hnt, SIR, desire to retain also the second an
roposition contained in the resolution OF hi
ne hohoraoie Senator from Illinois. He ba
tEs he wants This committee to inquire 81
hat are the methods of procuring Account De
bility in public officers or agents in the co
IRE ana disbursements Of public moneys: bu
f1ether moneys have been paid out lille
ally; whether any officer or agents. or In;
her persons, have been or are employed 81.
the publc service without authority of
W, or unnecessarily; and, generally, how al;
III TO what extent the expenses of the ser- M
ce CT the country may and ought to be Sc
lrtailed. -"
The honorable Senator from Nevada saws tr.
e occasion has passed BY when We want a ar
rutlny into the manner in which disburse- | oh
ents are made under this government. m,
ink not. ] think the hour is Just dawn. no
z, and now - in which if we ever wante, IL,
Oh committee we want it now How of
1t happen-we must know it and the to
uptry must know it-how did it happen wi
at the defalcation Of Hodge could extend m:
nearly half million dollars, and vet. co
tn all the vigilance of the officers of the Sc
easury, not be discovered through so at,
any years. How did it occur in the to
sbnrsements Of the Treasury that right MI
the Treasury itself, right in the cash. an
uSuEt = Al.