Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-20
EVENING STAR
CONGRHssIONAL
Cosclu-io. Yesterday Preeeed,,x-

THE SALE OF ARMS To THE FRENCH DIS
CUssED.
SENATE.-After our report cloeed-
Mr.. Ccnkling, after discussing the motives in
duciBg MI Sumner to offer his resolution sent
extracts from the New York World and the Nv
YORK "a; Sar 70 prove mat the impression. both
facts hoped 10 be brought out would
RsAFFkcT THE GERMAN VOTE,
snd that he (Mr- z. maintained was the whole
object OF the movement The charge tn At there
vas discrepancy bctw cen the exhibits of the
Secretary Of War aud the Secretary of the
Treasury IN reference to the amount receiy we'd
from the sale of arms, had been abandoned II
had been proved that there was nothing in II
The Senator from Massachusetts, was fond of
quoting remark of Fisher Ames, that a lie will
travel hundred leagues while truth In putting
on its boots Why was this caumny sent on it,
Siaveis over yer. earth and sea? The windows OF the
War Depart. mt; The OCgings of the Secretary
OF War are only divided from the Senator Iody-
ings BY street; the lodgings of the Secretary
OF the rtaSury are in the Senator's way on bis
walk to the Capitol. and vet the Senator never
took the trouble to make the least inquiry,
when one word could have wiped away ali
THIS APPARENT DISCREPANCY
The Senator Mr.. Sumnerl had also hourished
over and over again an Associated Press dis
patch, with the only object to convict the Sec
rotary OF War with being guilty OF duplicity i'm
emitting TO report certain sales which had been
made when IN fact this Associated Press dis
patch did not say that the sales had been IN abe
but only reported that certain bids had been
put in
commenting he
assumptions that the arms were bought directly
of the United States, in proof of which a record
from the French official journal had been held
up, Mr. g said that translation OF this record
was produced in the New York Sun, and Mr.
Dana, whatever his other faults might be- was
an accomplished linguist. He (Mr. CT had a
translation of this record, the correctness of
which no one would impugn- ThisrecOrd shows
that the investigation made by the French GOV
ernment was into the purchase Of arms '.in'S the
United States, and not from" the United States
as bad been sought to make il appear; and there
was not one word in all this record which wouId
show that the arms ever were in the possession
of the United States, or that any Official Of the
United States had any connection with the
sale.
The Senator from Missouri mr. Schurzl savs
there Is widespread impression throughout the
country that there Is a military ring enthroned
at Washington. The people whom he (Mr. C.)
met had no such impression. They heard this
talk, but they regarded il a part Of that slang
which dehles and brutaizes our politics. But
there is wide impression in the country tn At
there IL a ring in existence in this city
SENATORIAL RING,
or rather cabal. The business of this cabal il
believed 10 be to find ammunition for the dem
Ocratic party. They fly the republican flag,
but all their efforts are to strand the republican
ship. They are on the alert to attack every
weak point in the administration. They have
much more power to wound the Republican
party than the democrats have; their utterances
we're much more SENSATIONAL; they had a better
run even than the famous BrOdhead letter of
the Senator from Missouri. [Mr. Blair.I HI.
held up speech of Mr.. Schurz, two million
copies of which he said had been printed by the
democratic committee at Washington, and sent,
under the frank OF democratic members of the
House, to New Hampshire TO operate in the
election in that state. But the efforts of this
alleged cabal were of no use, as the elections
which bad taken place 80 far show great
INCREASE IN The REPUBLICAN VOTE
Why should French spies and French claim
ager-s be assisted by this Sepate to pursue
American merchants, 10 pry into their accounts
and TO defraud them of their dues? Tnis case
was a COLLAPSE. Bat he had an Amendment
yNI wa inf N 40 OF tha
investigation 10 ascertain whether any American
Senator or citizen had been in collision in this
matter with any agents of the French govern
ment. There was law in the statute-boOks
now. signed by President who was citizen OF
Massachusetts
The law alluded TO was then read by Mr.. c.,
who said 1t may be that this statute will have
some bearing on this case. That there has been
communication by citizens of the United States
with French agents Is apparent, and whether
this communication will result in the defeat of
the measures of the United States time will tell
With the Alabama claims in dispute and the
San Juan boundary dispute, and the Emperor
of Germany a. umpire, il may be that, il Prussia
i embitteIed against Us by this endeayor to give
her causes OF complaint, the
FEELINGS OF THE EMPEROR MAY BE INFLU-
ENCED,
and thus the measures of the United States may
be defeated At any rate, II is worth while to
pursue this branch OF the investigation.
Mr.. &. then proposed to read an extract from
German republican paper OF Chicago in refer
ence to Mr. SChurZ-
Mr.. Schurz said the editor was a collector Of
internal revenue.
Mr. COnkling then read the extract to which
be alluded. Ii charged that when the sales OF
arms to France were going on Mr.. Sehurz was
too good an American to interfere, but now he
was such good German that he was trying to
break down the American government.
MR. SEIZURE SAID THE MAN LIES,
and he knows il. The Senator from Indiana
Knows il, too.
Mr.. sumner.-I know it, too. [Great laugh
teri
Mr.. ConkIing said he merely read this to
show the impression produced on intelligent
Mr.. Sehurz-Is IL not rather the impression
produced upon collector OF internal revenue
MT COnEling then concluded his remarks,
andMr. Schurz obtained the floor, but gave way
for the Senate to go into executive session. alter
which, il adjourned
THE KUKLUx REPORTS.
HOUSE--After our report closed
Mr.. Poland, (Vt-,) from the Committee on
Outrages in the Southern States, submitted the
Mr.. Beck (Ky) submitted the views of the
minority, and asked that 1t be printed with the
report OF the majority.
tee could not, q matter of right, ask to have
their report printed. But, by courtesy, it was
s s%ays done he dld nS sheretore
tention to the fact that the minority reflected
unjustly upon the majority of the committee.
the opportunity to know what was contained in
the majority report. This, said Mr.. Poland, Is
substantially untrue, for all the facility neces-
Sary was afforded the minority. Both reports
were ordered TO be printed by the committee.
MIR. Scofeld called attention to the fact thai
there were clauses in the report which denounce
the acts of q majority of Congress and proclaim
them n foul calumny.
MIR. Bingham (Ohio) made the point of order
that those clauses were unparliamentary, and
he objected to the reception Of the report on
that account
The Speaker sustained the objection and
ruled the minority report out on that account.
MI. Cox asked leave 30 make few remarks
on this subject. He said that at the meeting of
the committee this morning the minority had
corrected many things at the suggestion of the
majority OF the committee, and would have cor
rected all other points If other language had
been excepted 70. The minority had been willing
TO correct all points
Mr.. Sconeld called attention 20 the fact that
at another point, and all through the report,
there were reflections upon Congress. The Oon-
gress was accused Of exercising bad faith to-
wards the South.
Mr.. Cox said no reflection upon Congress was
intended.
Mr.. Poland said they had deemed IL necessary
to call attention to these unjust statements in
the minority report, but they did not propose to