Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-12
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
Daily Kennebec Journal.
Forty Second Congress-Second Session
WASHINGTON, Dec. IL.
SENATE.

the resolution directing the military commit
tee to inquire into the defalcation of paymas-
ter Hodge.
Mr.. Trumbull suggested that they had bet
ted wait action of his concurrent resolution
appointing special committee on retrench-
ment and civil service reform.
Mr.. Wilson favored Mr.. Trumbull's propo-
sition.
Mr.. Howe introduced bill for refunding
| the taxes on dividends, interest and profits
earned or added to the surplus named in Sec
ton Is of the act of July 4th, 1870, during
| the last five months of 1870.
Mr.. Scott introduced bill providing for
| the punishment of contumacious witnesses
| before committees of the two houses, no
witness to be privileged to refuse to testify OF
produce paper on ground that il would
criminate himself, and no testimony of a wit
ness to be used in any criminal proceedings
against him except for prosecution for perjury
| in such testimony.
Mr.. Trumbull moved to substitute his res
olution for Mr.. Conkling's, and read from the
report of the joint committee on retrench-
ment on the abuses in the New York Custom
House, showing the necessity for a revival
of that committee. That report showed that
the salaries OF supernumerary weighers alone
| amounted to 900 year. that by the
warehousing system importers were robbed
| of immense sums annually, and great MANY
other kinds of plundering were going on in
| the name of the government. 1t was gener-
| ally believed throughout the country that the
patronage of the government was spent for
mere partisan purposes, or worse in many
| cases, for personal purposes, and the time
had come when il was necessary to investi-
| gate in every department Of the government,
| whether these things were as charged, to ex-
| eaft Ea
public mind at rest by statement of truth.
| In olden times removals from subordinate
| government offices were of rare occurrence.
| There were only nine removals during the
| eight years of Washitgtons administration,
and only ten during that of the Elder Adams.
| Even Jefferson, who, when he came into
power, found the Offices filled with his politi-
cal adversaries, yed only 80 persons
during his two terms Madison removed but
[! five in his eight years Monroe only ten, and
John Quincy Adams only two.
| In those days men were appointed to office
for fidelity to the constitution, their ability
and integrity, and not for mere party reasons.
| Jackson, however, made great many re-
| movals, and introduced the spoils doctrine
| which has ever since been personing the
purity of the civil service. Party organiza-
ten was necessary and proper and when a
party came into power it ought of course to
SeleCl LOT all Offices, the exercise OF
discretion, persons in harmony with itself;
but when it came to filing subordinate and
merely ministerial offices, the question should
not be about mere party connections, hut
about their fitness to perform the duties of
| the office, and their integrity. He did not
believe in using the patronage and power of
| the government for the purpose of perpetual
| ing party rule, but for the purpose of pro-
noting the measures best for the interest of
the whole country, and therefore, he was in
| favor of filling subordinate government offices
with the most upright and capable men who
| could be found to take them, instead of with
mere politicians.
HousE.
On motion of Mr.. Lynch of Maine, the
committee on expenditures of the treasury
department were instructed to report whether
the expenditures of the department are iusti-
| fed by law, whether the claims discharged
are supported by sufficient vouchers. and all
| monies disbursed in conformity with appro-
priations; whether further propositions are
| necessary to secure the government from I'M
just demands, to enforce payment from the
defaulters, secure economy in the depart
ment and accountability of its officers; wheth-
er unnecessary offices exist, and what reduc-
tons or increase of pay would be judicious
economy, and to investigate specially with
full power the recent defalcations.
On motion Of Mr.. Dawes of Mass, the
concurrent resolution for adjournment of
Congress from Dec. 81 to January 8, was
| adopted.
| Mr.. Wood Of n. Y, asked leave to offer
resolution, that the republicans having A
large majority in Congress. the President
| should take measures for the immediate re-
duction of direct taxation and import duties
| to strckly revenue standard for a reduc-
ton of the expenses of all the departments,
for the abolition of sinecure offices, and the
collection of revenue by informers; to re-
store to the people of the States all the rights
| originally possessed under the Constitution
to abolish paper money and restore specie
payment; to reduce the army to a peace
footing and abolish the employment of mill
tary officers in civil duties; to provide
against the selection of large sums in the
treasury to prevent the purchase and sale of
| the public credit at the option of Secretary
to subject the President and cabinet to the
| authority of the law, the same as other citi-
zens; to restore to the Southern States and
people equal rights with other people of the
union, to revive American commerce, restore
American credit, re-inaugurate republican
| simplicity, in the administration OF public af-
| fairs and develope the agricultural mineral,
and navigable and commercial interests of the
country. Mr.. Dawes thought that the reso-
luton should go to the Committee of the
| Whole.
Mr.. Wood-If the gentlemen object would
move to suspend the rules.
Mr.. Mainard of Tennessee wanted to know
| if Mr.. Wood intended to press vote without
| debate
Mr.. Wood proposed to have fair, honest
vote and not put it in the power OF the gentle
| md IN 10Th tl,r
Mr.. Wood moved suspension of the rules
| Mr.. Mainard raised the point of order that
the resolution was net pertaining to legisla-
tive proceedings of the House; that it was
not within our jurisdiction to say what the re-
publican party ought to do.
The Speaker said that the question of pro.
priety would be settled by the House, which
negatived the motion to suspend the rules, II
to 1856.
| Mr.. Randall of Pa, said that the first point
of the resolution was heresay to Pennsylvania
and therefore he and his democratic col
leagues voted against it; but the rest was
sound democratic doctrine.