Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-19

committee.
Mr.. Howe protested against being cIsssed
as an opponent of Investigation, because he
had not thought tit to vote for Mr.. Trumbull's
resolution. i~rss .fsiGg
Mr.. Bayard thought Mr.Sumner,sc criticism
just. He believed the design in making up
the Committee with only one Democrat,
was that when Senator offers resolution
OF inquiry on some particular case, be i'm
| plies no other case should be investigated.
Mr.. Howe desired Mr.. Bayard to under
stand that he would go as far as he (AIr.
Bayard) In Investigating any branch Of the
public service, and vote for the most radical,
sweeping, searching investigation he knows
how to contrive.
Mr.. Bayard accepted Mr.. Howe's pledge,
ana would oiier as a substitute, Mr.. TruIn-
bulls proposition, believing, although Mr..
Conkiing voted against it before, he would
vote for it now. p SUI 19kE. =
Mr.. Conkling said he voted against en-
bodying Mr.. Trumbull's proposition on the
rules Of the Senate, but he was ready TO
vote the most sweeping investigation. The
country should understand there was no
monopoly of public virtue by the gentle
men Of the other side, and Mr.. Bayard
knew him (Conkling) well enough to know
that be earnestly desired 70 discover and
punish frauds.
/ Mr.. Bayard was stiH under the impress
sion that there was an inconsistency be-
tween the position of Mr.. Conkling Thurs
day and to-day. 1t was a singular thing,
that notwithstanding his protestations of
desire for reform, every man who attempted
TO initiate reform, or even to point out
abuses IN the administration, had been at
tackled, and, if possible, crushed. David A.
Wells, genuine and valuable reformer, had
been treated in that way, and there was a
very manifest disposition on the part of the
administration champions to treat later re-
formers in the same way. Another singu-
Lar TACT was, that whenever any one on the
| other side of the house asked for an inyesti-
CATION OF fraud or corruption, he was at once
accused of aiming at the President. Why
should the friends of the administration
identify their chief with its abuses? New
| ertheless the country would insist on an in
| vestigation. The country would like to
| know whether it was true as stated by the
New York Tribune. The country would
like to know whether it was true that the
executive power had ever cast its shadow
into this chamber and attempted to influ-
eHce the action of Senators either by the
dulcet tones of promises of reward, or by
the threatening tones of vengeance to be
taken upon those who had the misfortune
to be the Offenders friends. All these were
tt subjects for investigation. The investi-
| CATION, to effect anything, must be made by
men who were willing to investigate. 1t
was not question of character but of opin-
ion. The Senator from Indiana, (Morton)
| for instance, would be unfit to be a member
ofthis committee, because he had declared
the other day that ours was the best civil
service in the world
MIR. Morton reiterated that our civil ser
vice is better than that of any European
country, more free from abuses, equal in
integrity and most efficient than any other.
MIR. COnkling said he thought it but
right that the desire of the Democrats to
have IFS additional members of the com,
mittee should be granted.
Mr. Bayard said his enquiry so far as he
had made one was directed to the Senior
Senator from New York.
MIR. Conkling said he was the Senior
Senator.
Mr.. Bayard-I meant the other Senator.
] have been so accustomed to associate the
| ideas of youth and beauty with the Sena-
tor who has just spoken, that it never oc-
CURED to me that be was the senior Senator.
[Laughter.]
MIR. Frelinghuysen argued that the Com
mittee as proposed was in accordance with
requirements of parliamentary law and be-
lieved Trumbulrs proposition contrary to
the Constitution.
Mr.. Sumner said, the Senator from Con-
necticut, (Buckingham) before taking his
place OF chairman soothed his parliamenta-
ry conscience by ascertaining that the
Senator from Illinois (Trumbull) would not
accept the place, but his conscience did not
require him to ascertain whether Schurz or
Patterson, or any other Senator who had
been pressing this inquiry would take the
place.
Mr.. Hamblin argued that the constitution !
of the committee was in accordance with |
parliamentary, and eulogized the Admins
tration.
Mr.. Scott moved to add Mr.. Casserly |
OemOcrat) to the committee. Carried.
Mr.. Logan said it was almost impossible |
to act an Independent part in the Senate |
now these three or four men, perhaps |
five, who undertake the management of the |
party. k-s115
HOUSE.
A large number of bills were introduced, |
including the following:
To punish bank, insurance, State and /
Government officials for bribery and cor
ruption.
By Mr.. Williams, of Ohio-To prevent /
cruelty to animals in transit by railroads.
By Mr.. Stevenson-To prevent the ap-
pointment of dishonest and incompetent
Government officials, and making officers
appointing, and members of Congress re-
commencing them, responsible for their
misconduct.
By Mr.. Arthur: To abolish export bond
ed warehouses for tobacco and snuff. Also
for the repeal of the special tax on manu-
facturers and dealers in tobacco and cigars.
Cotton Tax-NashvfIIe CustOmhOuse.
By Mr.. Golladay: To refund the cotton
tax collected in 1S65-66-67. Also for
Government buildings in Nashville, Tenn.
Utah.
By Mr.. Blair (Mo.): To legalize polygam-
ist marriages in Utah, and dismiss all orr
ginal proceedings in Utah against poly
gamists.
By Mr.. Taffe: For the admission of Utah
as State.
The House then took up and adopted
Mr.. Cox's resolution in regard to Interna-
tional copyright. 1t directs the Commit
tee on Library to inquire into the whole
subject.
Mr.. Conger, from the Committee on Com
merce reported bill modifying the steam
boat act, allowing boats on the Mississippi
and tributaries to carry $50 instead of Ito
pounds of steam to the square inch on
standard boilers of 43 inches diameter, and
on plates quarter of an inch in thickness.
Passed, -
Thursday next was assigned to general
debate.
Mr.. McNeely offered resolution inquir-
ing into the cause of the removal and con-
dition of the accounts of Gen. Balloch of
the Freedman's Bureau. Adopted.
The Paris Commune.
Mr.. Haldeman asked leave to offer res
olutiOn expressing the profound regret of
the House at learning of the angry severity
with which the French government, of
which Theirs is President, has punished the
prisoners captured from the government of
the Commune at Paris.
Mr.. Pierce objected.
= Mr.. Haldeman moved to suspend the
rules SO that the resolution might be offered
and adopted. ,
Mr.. Cox wished to offer an amendment
the atrocities Of the Spanish