Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-15
Largest Circulation in the District
The Investigation Business.

The action of certain Senators in continuing
to push for an investigation into the mana gemcnt
OF the several executive departments, after the
House Of Representatives has ordered a full in
yestgation by its appropriate standing commit
ices, looks very much a. though the movement
was for PaTtizan purposes rather than in the
interest of honest reform. The resolution of
Mr.. Lynch covers all tie ground covered by that
of Senator Trumbull, and a. introduced by Mr..
Dawes applies TO all the departments. The sub
jevt primarily belongs to the House of Repre-
>Cntatives, as under The constitution, the repre-
Sentstves of the people and not of the states,
are charged with the control and supervision of
the revenues of the country. For this reason
the House has regular standing committees for
examining into all expenditures in the several
dCrartn utS, while the Senate has no such stand
ing committees The duties of these commit
tyes have been neglected, and they have fallen
into di>use. The Consequence has been the ap-
EOintmeLt OF special committees EhO have made
spaSmOdiCally partial investigations, and then
died out. These sIhcial committees, when ap-
pointed Jointly by the House and Senate, have
Senator rs chairman, and report to the Senate;
thus reversing the theory OF the Constitution and
the practice OF the gOverumen ut. which eccgnizes
the original jurisdiction OF the House of Repre-
sCntatiyes not only in the collection. but in the
ment- IL is absurd to expect any one committee
10 make an Investigation into all the depart
nHents OF the government. Itwas thought neces-
sIry in Isle, when the committees on expendi-
iIres in the various departments were made to
Lave a committee to supervise each department,
and the operations % the Treasury Department
are now many times greater than those of all the
departments at that time. Ii the Committee on
Expenditures in the Treasury Department carry
out the Instructions o. the House, a. embodied
IN It's resolution, il will lie one of the hardest
worked committees of this Congress An exam
nation into the other departments will involve
much less time and labor but will occupy a
committee during the session. ANY attempt 70
examine all by one committee would be a farce
The objection TO a special committee is not
only because there are regular standing commit
ices having no other duties TO perform bat he
cause there j. no special emergency or occasion
for such examination. II i the Performance of
duty. which it was the intention of Congress
when the committees were formed, should be
attended TO during each Congress. and OUCH. not
to be taker up for the purpose OF making parti-
san capital Let there be full and thor
ouGh investigation into the affairs and ,Ioin-s
at all the Departments: brtict ii lie male bv the
standing committees OF the House OF Eepras.n-
t1tives- who have Jurisdiction OF the matter and
not ny the Senate who, by it, failure to provide.
regular standing committees Ia supervise the
revenues and expenditures. acknowledges IFS
want of Jurisdiction The tcmpcrof those Sena-
tors low urging this matter in the Senate is not
favorable t. a fair investigation. II must be ap-
Parent 10 any one who reads the debates that the
object Il to seek paTtiLan capital against the al
miniStratiOn. The House OF Representatives, not
being blessed. or cursed " It'll m'rny Presidential
a>piTantS, approaches the matter i'll a different
NPirit; ard the country will consequently he
much more likely 20 obtain a fair investigation
through this, the legitimate channel.