Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-28
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.
The SALE OF ARMS DEBATE.

SINAI E.-AftgT our report CtO-u-
MIR wIil1It spoke on the resolution for an in
ye-tieat5oE into the sale OF arms TO France,
,TiticI-ins the terms OF the preamble and resO-
iafjon q ~ rrti by Mr.. Sumner, and SAID he would
yote Tor neither The whole thing had 6zZe
ont There no suspicion attached 10 any
,Hrial in connection with the matchmaking
that could reject in any way upon the conduct
81 oar .-,yrTument or Its officers All were now
-atisfed Of th-s. and he did not doubt that even
the move of this resolution himself would
admit that here was nothing to sustain his al
i~gatior> and that nothing could be charged
against the government 0ihCrFS-
MT. Sumner interrupted to say that he did
believe there WAS wTCng and CUNT ia the trans
Nit. w. then spoke in high terms of the char
aGteF of the Secretary of War, ms Iileh1, anu a
citizen OF his own state, Iowa He predicted
the denomination ana
TRlCMFHANr ELECTION OF GEN GRANT
MI Wet <aid the Senate was IN danger of
r,Iariug itself in the unparalleled position of
framing an Indictment against its own govern
usTt for a breach or its neutrality obligations.
I'm concluding. Mr. W. said that when it was in
order Dc shoi.ld CfirT his proposed substitute.
MIR Schurz ,iisclaimed being the accomplished
ContrOvcTslallst which MT. Frelinyhuvsen
ten me Il hi m, and said whatever OF force there
Has in ANYTHING lac had sad vas that il was the
truth, snd all Of force said by the other side was
due 20 the accomplished and skillfui dsbatsrs
Who uttered *. He then discussed at length the
question Of The sale of arms, and maintained
nat 10 answer had a. yet been made to the al
legations OF b mself and Mr.. Sumner, and reiter-
ated the charges that he had heretofore made.
lie also charged that the sales OF arms were so
great during the periods adverted to that this
country was practically disarmed. and in case
of any difficulty with a foreign power, we would
have been practically deiencele-s- He gave
notice of amendment desis ncd to sul,stsn-
late this assertion. In reference to the remarks
Cf MI. fTe!inghuyScp
THE GENERAL ORDER" SYSTEM
he said that IL was the misfortune of the Presi-
dentthat many of his friends lac ked dis cretion
They were so anxious TO make excuses for every
thing
Mr.. Edmunds asked Mr. Schurz if he num-
seTed himself among the patriotic friends of the
President.
Mr.. SChurz said that to the true and hest in
terests OF the President he had always been a
friend He then said the case is this. The ssgen-
CIai OTdef' business Is a system of robbery anil
abuse. The Secretary eff the Treasury has had
doubts as to its propriety, and vet tor a veal il
has been permitted To continue.
Mr. Harlan asked Mr. Schurz what was the
remedy. Had be ever proposed any,
Mr.. SChurZ sald the first remedy was to re-
move the rasca!s who stood at the head of the
business.
Mr.. Harlan said it was the system to DC RENE
Mr.. Schurz said the system was the result of
Executive action, and It's correction should also
lie by Executive action.
MI Harlan said this system had been in on
Grafton for a long time.
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
LC lad beard il complained OF Oh this floor.
MI Schurz said IL was never bad as it is
now. The merchants were never before robbed
- they are now.
MI Harlan said the men who were responsi.
bic Tor this had been confirmed by the aid OF the
Senator. a. they had TO pass through the Senate
MT Schurz said the Senate had nothing to do
with the appointment of leet and Stocking.
Mr.. Harian--The Senate confirmed the col
eCt0T.
Dir. Schurz-Oh, the collector Well, who i
responsible for the confirmation OF Murphy? 1t
won't do TO tell.
The coIIoquy between the two Senators con-
iI'ued tor some time, Dir. Harlan insisting that
Mr. SchurZ was merely attacking men. but neg
Letting To propose any remedy for the abuses OF
which he complained.
MI. Schurz resumed. and said "A whole wear
after this ScandalOus robbery had been exposed
10y committee OF Congress Leet and Stocking |
are still in control. Leet had been put in the
position by reason OF letter which he had from
the President Would not letter from the
President have secured his removal? Or il
Murphy would not remove him, was the reten-
ton OF Murphy OF 80 much Importance" Muir
ply was held until he resigned OF his own ac-
cord and then he received a letter from the
President aCquainting him that he possessed his
entire confidence.
NT. HARLAN demaIi,i several times OF Mr.
SChuTz
WHY HE DID NOT PEoPosE SOME REMEDY,
and further asked him 10 state specifically OF
" lat he complained, when Mr.. SchGrZ said the
usual charge for packages was Sis, while Leet
and Stocking charged as high "a $50. III the
Senator wished further information he Mr.. s.
referred him 10 the q >timOny taken before the
committee. He Mr.. 81 was glad to see by the
laI eT> of to-day that there was at least move
Tor reform ~ this matter; that the President
had ut last found a collector before whom he
need rot how his head in vain.
MI. ;. then read from his Chicago speech the
reasons he had given why he would not vote for
Grant for President. and said he believed in
those reasons then and lie believed in them now.
But he
NOT GOING OWE TO TIE DEMOCRATS;
Senators reed have 10 fear OF that. But he
thought there would be a chance to vote for a
man other than General Grant. who was a. good
a republican any man on this floor.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN COMPLAINED
that Mr.. SchurZ had misrepresen his remark
in reference to the Germans; that he had acted
more ingeniousy than ingenuously. He reIte-
rated that the effect of Mr.. SchurZ's action was
10 array the German vote against the admins
tration.
The question then REQUIRED OF the motion of
Mr.. Trumbull TO reconsider the vote adopting
Mr. COnkling's amendment.
After further debate, Mt. Sumner rose and
stated that he did not feel prepared to go this
evening. and therefore, throwing himself on
their courtesy, he moved to adjourn.
The motion was agreed to, and the Senate, at
SC =. M. adjourned.
HOJSE-After our report closed
On motion of Mr.. Garfield, (Ohio-) the House
then went into Committee OF the Whole on the
deficiency appropriation bill.
Mr.. FaTnSwOrth III moved to strike out the
appropriation OF Slo5, ~, for the marine hos
Iital AZ Chicago, and gave a history OF the
iuiiding. After debate, Mr.. Farnsworth with
Grew has amendment, but Mr.. Peters (Me.) re-
newed IL. and the amendment striking out was
agreed to-
Mr.. Beck IVY moved TO reduce the appropri-
alton OF SEQ coo 10 SO zoo for allowance 10 army
officers for transportation. After long debate
the motion was rejected.
few more paragraphs were read. when the
committee rose, and the House. at i:40 p. IN,
adjourned
ga celebrated writer saws that one gool
mother Il worth hundred schOOlmasters