Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-29
FROM wAsHHNGToe.
sfxefcia of the Exciting Debate on Nr.
Tru5zahuEI-s Resolution.


IN Senate, Monday, December Is, 1871
Dir. Anthony moved to proceed to the
cleatj9irof the committee on investigation
atisls letrenehment,. which was agreed to,
aud the ballot being dispensed with, Mr..
Antlg9ny submitted the following as the
members of the cen miftee: Messrs. Buck
ingiaa1n, Pratt, Hose, Harlan, Stewart,
/ Poofs and Bayafd.
Midsummer asked Mr Anthony whafaNM
any CT the Senators WHO had been aAIis
III asking for All investigation of the diti II
scrvire had been placed on this comnit7
tee @~NsA,
/ Mr. Anthony replied that HIr Sulnndf
knewas well as he did. -AsoIlght tfie
gentlemen nanl4i NeSe judicious, s6asible,
and HltHleratr rf6I, Commanding the con1f4
douee IF their associates.
Dir. Sumner: Ge4taialy. | have nothing
to sayexcept III kindness and goodwill
toward every Senator on the committee,
but wis l heard tire list | was astonishetl
at tse - seI4ce Of certain hames.s ! find In
the list rot the name Of single Sena or
who urged this investigation, or who vote /
for it in the strongest folm, unless it be the
Democratic member (AlT. Bayard.) The
Senators On this list al voted against inveS-
ti9atiOn in its strongest foIm, and under
stand that every Senator in favor Of the in
VeStigatiOn i'll its strongest form except the
Democratic Senator is excluded from the
COMMITTEES. 1t is for the Senate to deter
mine, after the the debate that has occur
red, whether committee organized in that
way can satisfy the country. Perhaps,
also, it would be worth while to consider
whether it is In conformity with parliament
ary law. Mi. Sumner quoted from Jeficr-
sons Manual to show that it was not.
lie continued: This inquiry was first
presented by the Senator from Illinois (AIr.
TrI1AhJllN .:nI -It'-r..I l,,r him il, ol,I,
crate and able speech, which has already
awakened echoes throughout the country.
[ miss his name from that committee, and
l miss the name OF the Senator from Mis-
souri, (Nr. Sci}uIZ.) For five years past
there has been Il committee on rctreuch-
Ineiit, joint III character, but still rcprescn-
tatiy" Of The Senate. L know not whether
any Of the mcmbcr5 Of that committee ap-
per on the list Of the Senator from Rhode
Island.
Air. SchurZ: 10. not one.
Nh. SWnncr-Ay friend before me says
not one, Neither the chairman Of that
committee (Air, PatterSOW, who had gained
much experience iii turrctimg out abuses,
nor one Of his associates, finds Il place on
tie committee. Why, sir, it is simply in
eXplicable. My purpose is accomplished if
L call the attention OF my friend (Alr. An
tlony) to the character Of the committed
lie PROPOSES. Laughter.
Nr. AnthoHy said the committee pro-
posed by the senator from Illinois (Mr
TrlmbllIl) WIS it joint committee, and if it
had been appointed tlat senator would have
had the pleasure of being chairman of it,
The resolution under which this committee
is appointed WAS offered by him (AIr. An
thony). lie (>yr. Anthony denied that
any senator here was opposed 10 iiWeslga-
tion. Every senator who had spoken had
declared il Favor oi' investigation.
Mr. IhinmaIl said Mr.. Anthony was
ouly cy&dinG th@ question: NJ one sought
to impugn the personal clai ,1tcr of t*c
. gentlemen named for the committee.
lir. FIclin9huyson asked MI Thurman
if it was according to parliamentary llW to-
ezplas e.l tais c.'fsifs} }tt.e. men Nl,o did not
/ vo.e tor The resolution which created it.
: air. Thurman said this was qlIibblc.
Tie senators who first proposed this invcs-
tigRtion ought to have a representation
upon the committee, and not one Of those
who voted for the resolution OF the Senator
from illinois IS put ON the committee.
Mr.. Buckingham. said the Senator from
Illinois lIah declined to 90 on the commit
tee.
Mr.. TulmbtiIl slil that after the Senate
had voted down Iii" proposition offered by
him, and had decided to raise a committee
and refer nothing to il and give it no pow
cr except aucn as the Senate i'll the future
might see fit 10 Give it, aft Il this was done,
he had in private conversation with MI
buckingham said that ne would not 90
upon such a committee.
Mr.. Thurman resumed and maintained
that iii order to cripple the Investigation
parliamentary usage Lad been disTegar,led.
! Bat one Of the minority had been put on
it. The senator from Delaware (NIr. Bay
ar,D was acceptable in every way to the
minority, but that senator's time was much
ort'Iq' led now rs member Of the Ku-klIX
and Finance Committees. The minority
were entitled to two members at least Of
This committee, bccattse they come within
SNAIL fraction OF representing onc-half Of
lie people Of tic United States.
III. Bayard said the attempt to construc
any criticism Of this committee into a re-
fCctiOn Of the personal character Of the
members would not blind the eyes Of the
people to tie true facts Of the case. The
general and the Wcll-founded impression
would BE that this committee was organized
10 conceal and not to uncover lie himself
coHli not be il two places at once, and
when il Was impossible for him to attend
on the siltin9a Of this committee he intend
ed that the people should know it, and
should know why. lie continued in COM
mcnt of the civil service and its alleged
abuses, referring to tIc dcIinQucncicS Of the
bauk-cXaminer Calender, the knowledge
Of whose transactions had shaken the pub
b IL. confidence i'll the whole national bank
system. What was the record of this Ad-
u.;:;istration? What was the fate of the
Special Commissioner Of internal Revenue
David y. Welis? ? For advocating reforms
III the service and for pointing out
aliases Nj Wells lost his office
4 Secretary OF the Interior who
liotolcd himself by instituling needed
measures of reform in his department, and
who put a stop to corruption and abuse, had
been sumnarily gotten rid Of by this Adj
ministratiOn, which had retained i'll its EN-
1 brace a IUstmastcr-Gcncral whom the
House Of Representatives condemned for
his connection with She great Ch0Jp"nning
fraud Is it not singular fact that the
very moment any one rises here to call at
tcntiOu to any abuse III The civil service he
is Immediately charged with making Il per-
SOnal attack on the President :: Is it to be
understood that the President is the apollo
+ gizCr and defender Of fraud and cOrIuptOn'
in the Government service ? He asked
What was thought Of the conduct Of Mr..
Akerman, the AttOTney-General, in going
into the State Of North Carolina pending a
canvass and attempting by intimidation
and threats Of Federal interference to over
awe the people OF that State from altering
their State Constitution. He wanted to
know if it was really tTle that the EXecu-
tive influence OVeTShadOWCd this Senate
chamber that Senators were influenced
in their action by hopes Of Executive favor
or tears Of Executive disapproFal ? Pro-
cpp limo tiI3f her Mr.. i5ayaTd i-lSfancpd the