The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-05-20
UNITED STATES SENATE.
The Premature Publication Again.

Not more than twenty-four member
were present at the opening Of the pro
ceedings.
Mr.. Harlan remarked that it appear
ed from the discussion yesterday anc
the day before that certain advance
copies of what purported to be the treaty
Of Washington were communicated t
the members Of the Senate before tn,
official documents were communicate
to this body on the 10th inst.
The Vice President reminded the
Senator that the Senate had not ye1
promulgated the fact that any such
treaty had been communicated to the
Senate.
Mr.. Harlan begged pardon. He
thought that the Senate by it's recen,
proceedings had so declared. '"
Mr.. Sumner said the resolutions
adopted yesterday in open Senate adver.
tised to the world that the Senate had
in its possession the official copies OF
the treaty.
Mr.. Harlan remarked that it had
been stated in debate that certain papers
had been privately communicated in
limited numbers to Senator'S, and that
the text Of these papers was similar to
those printed in the confidence Of the
Senate. 1t was also stated that the
Assistant Secretary of State had in
formed the Senate committee of the ex-
act number Of copies printed by the
Department Of State, and was able to
account for the disposition of each
of them. 1t was also said by
members OF the committee on Investi-
CATION, that if they were permitted to
proceed on the line they had adopted,
the disclosure Of the document would
be traced to certain members Of the
Senate. He supposed that every one
knew that the committee on Foreign
Relations were on confidential terms
with the State Department. and
that if any Senators had copies, the
members OF the committee were fur
nished with them.
They all concurred with him in the
opinion that it wonld be proper to call
each Senator who was supposed to have
had an advance copy Of the paper, that
he might be examined before the com.
mittee. He made the suggestion in
order to relieve the delicacy OF any Sen
ator in the matter The members Of
that committee, as far as he had con-
ferred with them, regarded this as a
thing proper to be done.
MI. Fenton said--I am glad my
friend from Iowa (Mr. Harlan) has
made the request that those Senator'S
who were furnished with advance cop
les OF the treaty Of Washington should
be examined by the investigating COM
mittee with a view to their vindication,
as it affords an opportunity to make a
statement suggested for myself, and 80
far as have right for others, that
that every member Of the Senate may
appear before this committee for the
same purpose. read from the Patriot
OF this city an article referring to this
investigation as follows:
During the last two days Mr.. Car
penter and Mr.. Conkling have been
bold in declaring that if the Senate
would insist upon its rights and exert
its authority, the committee would
fasten the responsibility upon a Sena-
tor, and they have not hesitated in a
semi-public manner almost to point TO
Mr.. Fenton, saving, in the language Of
Nathan to David, Thou art the man. y
If the Senators from New York and
Wisconsin were present | should ask
them to state to the Senate whether in
an official, semi.otficial or any other
manner they had made. statement
or insinuations that would warrant such
publication, but although they are out
of their seats at this moment cannot
allow the occasion to pass without say
ing word, l will simply state the facts.
arrived here on Wednesday, the 10th
inst. | was not favored with an
advance copy of the treaty, nor did /
have or See any advance copy or any
other copy, except as it was read at the
Secretary's desk, until Thursday after,
noon about three o'clock, when the
Senate copy was placed in my hands,
full ten hours after it had appeared in
the Tribune. Therefore the thought
by any one, having far more informa.
ton as a member OF the committee,
that L had anything TO do with or
knowledge of the disclosures in the
Tribune, would have been entirely un'
warrantable bv the circumstances and
most unkind. The insinuation is with.
out the least shade Of justified suspicion
that had anything to do with it and
would have been as cowardly as base.
The positive charge would have been no
less infamous than wanton and ridicu.
lous. l am forced to say that should
not thus characterize the matter had il
not come to me from other sources than
the Patriot, that an attempt had been
made to connect me in some way with
this transaction. In conclusion beg
to ask that every Senator have the op,
portuuity to appear before the commit
tee and vindicate himself under such
forms and solemnities as the committee
may prescribe.
Mr.. Harlan moved that the Senate
proceed to the consideration OF execu
tive business. =
Mr.. Morton said that he had decided
10 make statement He had been fn'
formed of an attempt to connect his
name with violation of the obligation
Of secrecy.
Mr. Trumbull said he was sorry that
the remainder OF the investigating com.
mittee were not present, but as q mem
Der Of that committee, be desired to
say that as far as the examination had
proceeded, there was no information
from any source pointing to or indicat
. !: - S.,s4 - =