The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-03-22

Condemned by Themselves.
~ No language could more impressivel
III condemn the action OF the Grant Sem
totOrs for their determination 10 suppres
wi investigation into the corruptions an,
~ ontrages OF the administration than tina
e used on the floor Of the Senate by Re
publican Senators who have the honest,
hIto speak out. What could be more sc
a|vere than the following extracts from
n EX-SENATOR Trumbulls speech on the 23rt
h |of February?
II MR.. PREsIDENT--Every effort at re-
and 10 expose and correct abuses !.
+ met in this body by assaults upon those
). who make the effort, by aspersions on
thelr motives, and by allegations of bad
party faith. Questions affecting the Gov
-Iernment, the interests of the people and
!, he welfare Of the public, in the opinion
: of some members Of this body who as
' sumo to be the peculiar exponents OF the
,,lKepublican party, should no longer be
decided upon their merits, but with q
i|vicw to their political effect.
Chief among those who would subOr-
climate the public welfare to party stands
the Senator from Indiana (Nfr. Morton)
who, in the discussion Of the resolution
under consideration, has devoted several
nours IN speeches made upon different
DAYS to party politics.; and not content
with assailing those who have thought
IL their duty to move the present inves-
Itigation and have taken part i'm the pres
ent debate, the Senator wanders away
from them and takes occasion to speak
of Senatorial cabal, and to refer to
movements made at other times and
other stages Of the session in favor Of
\ propose to show how an attempt is
made on every occasion to defeat everv
enort at reform, no matter from whom
~ comes nor in relation to what subject,
lest 1t should injure the party aud in
this chamber,whcre party considerations
ought never TO interfere with the dis
charge OF public duty, where the legis-
lation should be for the country, and not
Tor any particular party in the country,
we have time and again heard made. ap-
peals to party for the purpose OF carry
ing measures. When it was proposed to
raise committee to inquire into the
Abuses OF government, the proposition
was met by certain Senators with all
sorts Of obstacles. You will remember
the first instance it was proposed to !
'aiac a joint select committee Of the
wo Houses OF Congress. such a commit !
&c As we had lad for several Congresses 9
:itLout objection, to inquire into exis- !,
ing abuses IN all the departments Of the !
know whether there were !;
upernumerary officers employed, ,wheth- +,
4 men were in the public service who !
reformed no duties and ought to be dis :
harged, and generally TO ascertain the !,
ondition Of the public service with the !,
lew OF purifying and improving il. -
nc objection was made that a Joint !,
ommittee was improper, particularly a \
omrnittee vested with power to send :.
or persons aud papers TO make investi- 6
atoms. Twenty-four Senators had \
oted to clothe this committee with am !,
le authority TO inquire into existing II
buses and expose them; thiriy-fve had n
Oted against it; and when the public u
eminent Of the country had forced Sem
tors to agree to an investigation, them
ie party cry was raised to so organize
ne committee that Of the twenty-four y
enatOrs who voted in favor Of clothing tt
le committee with authority to inquire u
ito abuses, one single one, and he De-
Ocrat, alone was put upon ii. Of the Z
her six, not one had voted in favor Of m
wing authority to the committee to
nd for persons and papers, and make y
vestigation thorough, as originally ol
opposed. 1t is true, that when that SUBJ p
ct was brought to the notice of the le
nate, one of the six declined, and an OF
her Senator was substituted in his "i
ace, the Senator from California (Mr.
'sserly, } making two Democrats on the :.
Why was the committee so I'll
ganized! 1t was done in obedience to pc
rty dictation. The cry Of party alle- WI
lance was invoked to accomplish it, &C
Iesc were the words Of the Senator tn
I'm Indiana: I'll
: We were asked to create smelling w
to be set upon the President ~. ".s
I'm that time until the election, Just rs a. ~
u would put detective upon sus- IA
,ted criminal. No sensible partyI
uld do that. We did not do it. Welho
ated committee that was denounced st,
a embarrassing committee but il da
already vindcated ITSELF" no
Vow, the Senator from indiana tells an,
why the committee was created AS r. ,
vas. We were not going "to create a
elling committee" as he says, to be
t upon the President" No, sir. But 4
the Senator from Indiana opposed to re re
anizing committee in favor OF ex- 'o'
ing abuses ii they existed? And is no'
setting smelling committee upon 20
President of the United States! ma
udiatc such an idea. Nothing could ~
e given greater strength to the Pres pol