The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-12-21


favor of the investigation in its strong ~
form EXCEPT one, the democratic senator,
is excluded from this committee. 1t Is !
for the Senate to determine, after this !
debate that has occurred, whether a cn,n-
mittec organized in that way can sati,rc |
the country. Perhaps, also, it would lie |
worth while to consider whether it is t. !
conformity with parliamentary law, as it l. ,
| laid down in Jcflerson's Manual, that tho e
who take exceptions to some particulars
are to be of the committee, but none who
speak directly against the boly of the
bill for child is not to be put to a nurse
that cares not for 1t. You smile, Mr..
President. You naturally smile when
chamber. Laughter Jefferson proceeds
to say, it IS therefore a constant rule that
no man Is to be employed in any matter
who has declared himself against it, and
when any member who is against the bill
hears himself named on the committee he
should ask to be excused. Laughter.l
Now, as j understand, this inquiry was
first presented by the Senator from Illi-
nois Mr.. TrumbulD, and urged by him
in an elaborate and able speech, which has
already awakened echoes throughout the
country. / miss his name from the COM
mittcc. In the debate on this subject that
Senator was sustained by the Senator from
Missouri Mr.. Schurz.) / miss his name.
There were other Senators, / think. who
spoke on that side, certainly there were
others who voted for that side. / miss all
their names, and ! think the country will
miss them. For five years past
there has been Committee on
Retrenchment, joint in character, but
| still representative Of the Senate. / know
/ N % wbpt aDy q fbp m bprs of that
committee appear on the list. [Schurz:
none Ny friend before me SAYS none.
Neither the chairman of that committee
Patterson, who had gained much ex-
perience in ferreting out abuses, nor one
of his associates find place on this COM
mittce. Why, sir, to me it is simply in
explicablc. i am at a loss to understand
now my friend from Rhode Island Mr..
Anthony, in whom / believe reigns a
spirit of justice, can bring forward prop
osition for such committee. But have
no desire to 60 into any opposition, ] am
only one. l simply make this statement
that it may be of record, and that hereafter
should this committee fail in its inquiries,
tie country may know that the Senate was
Mt least warned with regard to its charac-
ter. I desire it to be understood that
have not one word, except of kindness, for
the much respected Senators who are
named in this committee. / simply cal
attention TO the fact that they took no par
either by speech or vote in urging this in.
quiry, and that there appears upon this
list no Senators who did. My purpose is
accomplished if call the attention of my
friend from Rhode Island (Anthony) to
~" character Of the committee he proposes
(Laughter.1
T. ha1inyn chat thn
appointment of this committee is strictly
parliamentary. The committee was voted
for unanimously. The Senator from Iii
: nois (Mr. Trumbull) moved joint com
: mittee, and had that committee beer
agreed upon he would have been entitled
to the craftsmanship Of it, but the resolu
n ton under which this committee is ap
pointed was moved by me, and If the com
: mittee were to be appointed by the chat
would probably have to ask TO be cx
cused ms chairman. / don't know wha
e nv friend from Massachusetts, (Mr Sum
Of ner) means, when he speaks Of Senator
here who are opposed to this inquiry.
don't know Of single Senator who is op
n posed to the most searching and thoroug
y inquiry into any charges of corruption, b
IT, whomsoever made, in this chamber
Every Senator who has spoken on thi
subject has declared in favor of thor
en- ough Investigation. and l ask my frien
to to read the names of the men on this con
that he believes would cover up CORFU
NJ ton ! consider this committee an EN-
no inently judicious one. This is the fir:
~ time in my experience in the Senate thC
have ever heard committee objected {
on account the character of its member
rs am glad the first experiment has bee
nj tried upon Senators against whom so littl
can be said.
Mr.. Thurman. The Senator iron
W Rhode ISLAND wholly cvades the question
No Senator will say word in di,paragC
ment of the character of either Of tn
cd Senators proposed as members Of tn
committee and no such issue car be force
on the Senate. We are not here to l. yes
tigate the character of Senators. We al
Il" here to inquire whether this proposed con
mittee will be in accordance with pa
liamentary usage and good sense. TT
ed question is whether, having resolved t
investigate the investigate
shall be committed to
"A committee, the majority of who
Z" are earnestly in favor of tho investigation
or to men who are opposed to 1t. To 81
TINT those who favor investigation Dug
Ills to be upon the committee implies no in
putation on the motives of those who Won
be excluded from it, There is a difierenc
in opinion in the Senate as to the existenC
of frauds and the necessity for an invest
cation.
Mr.. Conkling. What difference ?
g Mr.. Thurman. The Senator frol
Nevada said the other day that there WI
v no necessity for an Investigation at al
Ave- that this administration and its oflicia
were so pure there was nothing to invest
gate.
Mr.. Freinghuysen asked Mr. Thu
man whether "the parliamentary rule vi
not that the senators who voted for Il
measure should be upon the committee p
ho Mr.. Thurman.-Yo cannot evade Il
I'd rule by taking six or seven gentlemC
~. that voted for the resolution. There is
W law that the senator who moves for an il
-" quiry is to be placed at the head of the con
~ mittee, if he is Of the dominant party
:. bat the senator fiom Illinois (Trumbul
r.. is not put at the head of this committee
- Mr.. Buckngham.-The Senator fro
r., Illinois (Trumbull distinctly declined
nd not publicly, but privately, to be eth
y chairman of the committee or on the cor
'" mittee.
n Mr.. Trumbull.-The only conversatic