New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-31
corrected. To apply a remedy we must

give narrative, Which l think ought to e
to the country, and ought to be UNDERSTOOD
by the Senate. of this resolution, and of tn
course which has been pursued here in re
gard to it, In July. 1866, g proposition was
made in the House Of Representatives I,
raise joint committee on retreuchMent
That resolution came to the Senate and wa
acted upon in that body ON the thirteenth
of July. 1866 The Senator from Vermont
(Mr. Edmunds). from the committee OF
commerce. Of which the Senator from Mich
igan (Chandler) is chairman, and who, il
will be remembered, has taken such higl
ground against this committee, that com
mittee having considered the resolution, re
| ported it back to the Senate. 1t was moi
then as full as it is now. 1t provided fol-
inq,uring into the the civil service Of the
country. The Senator from Ohio (Mr
Sherman, whom do not now see in his
seat, and who has also been amazed thai
l should have offered this resolution in the
| Senate, moved to amend the resolution by
striking out the word ''civil' before ser
| vice. wherever it occurred. SO that the in
| quiry might apply to all services. That
amendment was agreed to- The Senate,
| from Vermont then moved 20 amend i,
| further. He said:
II move to amend the resolution. by III
serting after the word reduced in the sew.
| enth line the words. what are the methods
| or agents in the care and disbursement Of
public moneys, whether moneys have been
paid out illegally, and whether any officers.
or agents, or other persons. have been OK
are engaged in the service without autLori-
ty OF law or unnecessarily.
The amendment was agreed to-
And then my good friend from Rhode
Island (Mr. Anthony, who now wants to
strike a particular clause out CT the resOlu-
ton. offered this amendment
'And also to consider the eXpediency of
SO amending the laws under which appoint
ments to the civil service are now made as
provide for the selection of subordinate OIL
GERS after due examination by proper boards.
their continuance in office during specified
terms, unless dismissed upon charges pre-
ferred and sustained before tribunals desig-
mated for that purpose. and for withdraw
ing the civil service from being used as an
instrument Of political or party patronage"
That amendment. after being very highly
commended by the Senator from Vermont
was also adopted by the Senate, and the
Senator from Rhode Island, not satisfied
that that was broad enough, also asked to
strike out the word civil" so as TO have
the provision apply to all services.
Mr.. EdmunGs-Had not that already
been done on the motion of the Senator
from Ohio
II IL
Senator from Rhode Island had inserted the
word civil. and he asked TO strike it out
of his own amendment. After this resolu-
ton had undergone these various amend
ments, it was submitted TO the Senate in
the very same words il which l offered it
here on the seventh day OF December.
The resolution was again adopted on the
sixth Of March, 1867. in these words:
Mr.. Anthony submitted the following
concurrent resolution, which was considered
10y unanimous consent, and agreed to:
Resolved by the Senate 1.-THE House of
Represen datives concVrng) that the Joint
select committee on retrenchment raised
by concurrent resolution of the two
houses IT the first session of Thirty-ninth
Congress, be and the same is hereby re-
vived and continued for and during the
Fortietil Congress, with all and the same
powers and duties appertaiuing thereto in
sand 1hirty-ninth Congress. and with power
to appoint clerk, and with power in its
to administer oatils: and that any
in said committee be filled by the
presiding officer of each house respectively
The Senator from Ohio Mr.. Sherman),
who was so amazed at this resolution the
other day, on the sixteenth OF March, ls67,
offered the following resolution:
Resolved by the Senate the House of
concUrringl. That the
olnt committee on retrenchment he and is
hereby instructed to make a careful and |
minute examination of the method adopted |
~ the Treasury Department 70 print the |
bonds. notes and securities of the United |
states: what guards have been adopted to |
prevent fraud or mistake. ana what addi- |
lonal guards, if any, ought 20 be adopted |
% prevent fraud or mistake; whether there |
lave been any fraudulent or erroneous is
ues OF bonds. notes or coupons and. if so. |
y whose fault or negligence. aud -he prop
II remedy and prevention thereof: and es-
,eclaliv 10 examine the official conduct Of |
hose charged with the printing. resistra-
ION and issuing OF any notes bonds or St
turtles OF the United States: and that said
committee have power - sit during the re-
ess OF Congress, to send for persons ami
'apers. To examine the sane. and to take
estInlonv and 10 report az the next session
II Congress.
Then discussion followed. which was
anticipated il by the Senator from Ohio
Mr.. Shermant and Others: and The Senate
dopted this resolution with this "luon-
trous power in it to send for persons and
apers. and 70 sit during The recess OF Con-
ress.
The resolution was again adopted at the
of the Forty-.irst Congress
70 that we have had the resolution adopted
1iglnally in the Thirty ninth Congress at
be instance of the Senator from Vermont
Mr. Edmundsl. in the FortietL Congress at
he instance OF the Senator from Rhode
sland Mr.. Anthony. and III tie Forty-iirst
congress at the instance. l think, in this
ody. of the Senator from New Hampshire
Mr.. PattersOn), and we have had various
entlemen upon this committee The first
mt committee on retrenchment consisted,
n the part OF the Senate. OF Messrs. Ed
lunds, Williams and Buckalew, appointed
l 1850. In 1863, Messrs. Edmunds, Williams.
atterson and Buckalew constituted the
1anmittee on the part of the Senate In
so. Messrs. Harris, Patterson. Schurz and
thurman constituted the committee ON the
art of the Senate.
AT the third session OF the Forty-first
ongress the committee was presided over
:. Mr.. Harris, and Mr.. Patterson Mr.
churZ and Mr.. Thurman We're the other
embers of the committee.
Now, sir, supposed that a proposition I
raise committee that had an existence
'er since 1866, with precisely the same
overs that | asked for it in 1871. would
ave been adopted in this body without OBJ
elton. On the seventh day of December.
~, offered resolution 10 revive this t
on retrenchment. which had ex-
red with the Forty-tirSt Congress on the {
lrd OF March last. After | offered the !
solution the Senate immediately adjourn {
without any action upon i. t
Mr.. Edmands-You offered it az the last t
Oment. 4
Mr.. Trumbull-On Monday the resolu- G
IN, II recollect Alright, came up and was t
nsldered to some extent. but without ar |
wing at any definite conclusion. On Tues t
y the Senate sat but few minutes: and S
ain, if recollect Alright. the same thing Y
as gone through with on Wednesday. and t
e newspapers OF the country say that Il
ucus OF Republican Senators was held in 7
terence to this resolution. | wish the
natoT from Indiana to consider what | b