The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, December Is.
Eg { SENATE.

foVertlng the statements In numero,
petitions lately presented for the repe
of the duty on salt.
| Mr.. Sumner presented a memori
OF D. III. Loudon, of New York, for Il
establishment of an exchequer of Il
United States. He. also presented
petition of colored citizens of Rhod
Island complaining that they are ou
ragged and degraded and asking for tn
passage of supplementary civil right
bills.
Bills were presented and referred 9
follows: ..'..
BY Mr.. Pomeroy-To set apart
certain tract of land near the hea
waters of the Yellowstone river as
public park, to be under the Secretar
of the Interior.
Mr.. Conklin offered the followin
preamble and resolution.
WHEREAS, 1t has been declared by
Senator that at the port Of New Yorl
there exists and is maintained by tn
officers of the United States, under tn,
name OF General Order Business" ,
system of frauds in character; ant
whereas, the following statement hal
been made by Senator here, (the pre-
amble sets forth Mr.. Schurz's statement
about Mr.. Leeb, the head of the Gen
eral Order Business, and the mysterious
power which sustains him against the
protests of the merchants of New York
and the wish of the Secretary of the
Treasury; therefore,
RESOLVED, That the commi ttee on In.
vestigation and Retrenchment, be in
structed to inquire into the matter fully
and particularly whether any collusion
or improper connection with such busi-
ness exists on the part of any officers of
the United States, and that said COM
mlttee further inquire whether any
person holding offices in the Custom
House in New York, has been, or is
known by his experimenting officer to
be guilty of bribery; or of taking bribes;
or of other crimes; or misdem eanors, and
said committee is hereby authorized to
send for papers and persons.
Mr.. Conkling said he preferred to let
the resolution lay over until the com.
nittee shall have been reappointed.
Mr.. Anthony offered a resolution for
he appointment ofthe following COM
nittee on Investigations and Retrench-
nent; Messrs. Buckingham, Pratt,
Howe. Harlan, Stewart, Poole and
Bayard.
Mr.. Sumner-"I ask the Senator who
offered that resolution to state whether
here are named as members Of this
committee any Of the Senators who
brought forth this investigation and
no Svua,c. ,
Mr.. Anthony-"The Senator knows
hat as we'll as | do. | think that tne
,eptlenen named are exceedingly judi
,ious. sensible and moderate men, who
command the confidence OF their asso-
,iates, although l don't know that they
have made themselves very conspicuous
in connection with the charges that
have been made here"
Mr.. Sumner-"Certainly, have
nothing to say except in kindness and
good will toward every Senator named
ON this committee; but when l hearu
the list read / was astonished at the
absence of certain names. | find on the
list not the name of single Senator
who urged this investigation; who Votea
for the investigation in the stronges'
form unless it be the Democratic
Senator from Delaware, Mr.. Bayard;;
The Senators on this list all voted
against the investigation In the strongest
form and | understand that every SEN
ator in favor of investigation In the
form, except one Democratlc
Senator is excluded from this committee
1t is for the Senate to determine ailef
the debate, whether a committee organ
;zed in that way can satisfy the country.
Perhaps, also, it would be worth whiie
to consider whether it is in conformity
with parliamentary law. 1t IS M ia.u
down in Jefferson's manual that those
who take exceptions tq some OF tpe
nsrticulars in the bill are to be OF tne
Committee, but none who speak dlrectiy
AGAINST the body OF the bill, for a child
is not to be put to nurse who cares
Tbe Committee on Elections submit
tod a renort in favor OF Mr.. Norwood as
senator from Georgia and against tue
claims of Foster Blodgett. ,
Mr. Fenton, of New York, introduced
q bill to refund all excess OF duties ou W
Russian hemp over Manila hemp re-
ceived since August 5. 1911. -
NJ Corbett introduced bill to pro
mote the return to specie payment: IL
nroyides that all National b anks snall'
n July, 1872, have in their possession
three per cent. in gold coin on the aggre,,
sate amount of their circulation, ano
from that time, three per cent addit9nal
in gold coin every six months up 10 81 = uiT oi'
/ iS74 and thereafter each bank snaiI
teen itself in gold coin. The debate %a'
,ben M referred on Mr.. Anthonys resolu
t;on @ 70 appoint a standing committee OF
re,renchment, ,,S and it was continued
until 10 P. NJ. r.,,, NOR
The discussion was exceeo'ns! psti
sonai at times. Messrs. Logan ano
TIumbull each declared that they "oui'
not be bound by the action OF the cAu
Gus. 6ve Sen
ators virtually controlled the Legislation
0' Mr. Mr. Morton, of Indiana, said 5s that tn, tn
Civil Service Commission a. wou.o SOB ~
submit it's report and to prsven. a1.,.; IN
President from getting any credit cel.sl e.,D
senators were trying to take this matte
0u,i Messrs. Edmunds and Hamilton 81 sal =
~ arsst excitement was sought to .
orss,sd .nS, over a matter which was noll
isaue ine more than the selection Of St staI' ,S
iug ius Committee ce and the minority Of ;,t;, tn
tus o ous ws,e carving the msJori'