The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-23
WHEELING, W. VA. TUESDAY MORNING JANUARY 2av1s72

for the Committee 70 90 TO New Orleans
or TO investigate the matter here. If 4
ever had been necessary he thought tha
necessity was less so now than 1t had beer
before. ,,..
Mr., GARFIELD said it seemed To him
that there was little to he investigated con
cerning the State government OF Lousi
ana, SO far rs Congress had power to 10
vestigate it,but there was an element down
there which he thought Congress ought
TO investigate he referred to tho conduct
OF officers OF the Government Of The
United States III the city of New Orleans,
Alr. SIlELD0N remarked that the Presi.
dent and Secretary Of the TrcaslFy'Bcrt
in possession Of all the facts relating tOtlle
action of the United States officials at
New Orleans, and we're competent to
manage the affairs themselves.
Mr.. BECK said he believed that II any
investigation was had it should be held
upon the spot, and the House ought there
tore either to withdraw the committee al
together or direct 1t go to New Orleans,
or furnish it with the means of doing so.
II should do something or do nothing, An
investigation at Washington would
amount to nothing at oil, and the reports
from Louisiana were not TO be relied on.
MIR. BECK hoped that this Committee
would go down there. The Committee
could not touch anything that il would
not find to be rotten to the core, boiling
over with corruption, and rising TO rot.
MIR. SYPHER agreed with Mr.. GARFIELD
that the investigation should reach the
Government officials there, and he con.
Cured with Mr.. BECK as to the prevailing
corruption in the State; but he thought it
prevailed among Democrats rs much as
among Republicans. Ifever mn occasion
existed for the Committee TO go there that
occasion was now.
MIR. GARFIELD wanted to know what
the Committee was to do against Carriers
two thousand men, and his two pieces Of
artillery! Laughter.
MIR. DAWES said that since the appoint
ment of the committee il had been stated In
the newspapers that efforts had been made
by the Executive and others to prevent
1t from going to New Orleans. BE had Il
word to say. That 1t was not true that
the Executive was opposed 10 the appoint.
ment Of this committee or its going tc
New Orleans, nor was it true that those
people in New Orleans VINO were gener-
ally supposed to be adverse 10 the Exec.
utlve were opposed to this investigation.
1t had been said by some when the reso-
luton was pending in the House that it
was best not to uncover the proceedings
in New Orleans; that such q condition Of
things existed there that they had better
not be brought to light He did not be.
long to that class Of men :. he didnot care
for either side, only TO bring them to the
surface and let the world sec what they
were doing. He thought the House
could not now afford to stop the investiga.
tion. ..... ....
Mr.. VOORHEES, said that no member had
exaggerated the importance OF the events
transpiring in New Orleans, and that in his
judgment, Mr.. DAVIS was entitled to the
thanks OF his country for his conduct in
asking for an investigation which would
fall on his own political friends. lie de-
scribed the state Of affairs transpiring in
New Orleans, and said If such things did
not demand an investigation at the hands
Of Congress he did not know what would
do so.
Mr.. FARNswoRTH then asked Mr.,
VOorhes what Congress was do when ii
found out the facts TO be rs stated
Mr.. VooRHEEs, eXcitcdly, Oh, don't ask
me what Congress will do.
Mr.. FARNswoRTH- What ought it to
do?
Mr.. VOORHEES, In myjudgmcnt It
ought TO do great many things connect
ed with Southern Affairs, which the gen.
tlemen from Illinois, with even his strong
sense OF Justice would not agree
with me in. l have been in the
South this summer; and my judgment
Is that the Southern governments are the
worst in the world without any exCep-
tion. There is nothing comparable 10
them anywhere else. They are unparal.
lelled for their iniquity, their infamy and
their ignorance. The law makers are
incompetent to make laws. When you
show me a legislature, four.llflhs Of fwhose
members can neither read nor write, who
do not pay even poll tax, and set them
to the duty OF arranging taxes for the
untold millions on the property and
intelligence Of the community, and l
will show you, as have said, govern
mcnt that Is the worst beneath the sun.
MIR. VOORHEES, went on to depict the
terrible condition Of things, not only in
Louisiana, but in all the Southern States,
attributing that condition TO the recon-
struction laws OF Congress. 1t mattered
but little what became Of the factions
now warning in Louisiana. But it did
matter much to the character Of the
American government whether State
should literally disorganize itself and
dissolve into the elements. OF anarchy
As well at most might they allow Bra
lillian pirates TO raise their flag once
more in the Gulf Of Mexico, as to allow
those people to 60 on as they were going
In his deliberate judgement the govern
mentsin the south had been built on the
wrong end The pyramid stood not upon
It's base but upon its apex. They had
bulls these governments on vice and ig-
norance or responsibility, not on stabili-
ty, not on intelligence, not on the classes
who IRE responsible for the peace and or
0SA uuu WSllu1G VI IuO SOuIHuultJ' hs
the end ol six and q half years ol Re
publican rule and government at the
south this was the result Were tho Re.
publican members of the House content
with Il? Would they go before the coun.
try and say as honest men that their plum
had borne fruits OF peace, prosperity and
integrity? E.s..
Mr.. SHRLI.ARARaER replied to Mr..
VOORHEES,, but first defended the Presi.
dent from the insinuations published
against him that he was opposed TO
the Committee going TO New Orleans. He
happened to know, accidentally, how eX-
aclly opposite to the truth that cruel state
ment was. lie wished the gentleman
from Indiana (Mr. VooRnEEs) had been
more explicit on that cardinal elementary
proposition Of his, that the Southern gov
ernment had been set up on the wrong
end. He didnot mean that when Con-
placed the government Of those States on
ihn ,ntRa nj all tho nennle that was sit