Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-17


cy.
Mr. Schurz said that the secretary Of the
treasury had admitted to him that all monies
paid into the treasury from the sales of arms
did not appear in the reports for the reason
that some accounts had not been settled when
the reports were made.
Mr. Sumner said that the secretary told him
that it had taken some time to look in the ac-
counts at the treasury to sltt this matter to
the bottom.
Mr.. Morton-Yes, and he told you in the
same conversation it was all right
Mr.. Sumner-Ies.
Mr. Morton-Then we will consider the
discrepancy out of the case.
Mr.. Edmunds insisted that there was no
apparent discrepancy and Sumner and Schurz
had fallen into the mistake of supposing there
was by looking for an item under the wrong
heading in the treasury report.
Mr.. Sumner said that in his remarks the
other day he contrasted the figures in the re-
port of the secretary of war for the fiscal
year with those in the report of the secretary
of the treasury for the same year, and said
that the discrepancy showed that there was at
least reason for inquiry and he insisted that
the fact that three days discussion was neces-
sary to explain the discrepancy fully justified
that assertion.
MT. hOTtOu sdlu tldt IL was IlOh ddilItttu
that there was no discrepancy at all. The
next question was whether there ever existed
any sufficient ground for suspicion to justify
its introduction into the Senate, and he in
sisted that there was not. All great govern
ments were always selling arms for which
they had no use, and that was what our gov
eminent did in this case. The cartridges
were manufactured because the arms could
not be sold without them. But it was mis-
take to say that special order was required
to manufacture that ammunition. That man
ufacture was going on all the time under the
general law authorizing the disposal of dam
aged ordnance stores.
Mr.. Schurz asked him whether ammuni-
ton not yet manufactured could be classed as
damaged ordnance stores.
Mr.. Morton said this case came expressly
within the meaning of the statute.
Mr.. Schurz said the powder used for max
ing cartridges must necessarily be of good
qualify, and asked whether it could be classed
under the head of damaged or otherwise un-
suitable stores for the United States SER
vice.
Mr.. Morton said that was standing upon
words. The Senate insisted that under the
statute we could not sell powder until dam
aged SO as to be useless, and then of couse
we could not sell it all. That construction
of the law was new and absurd.
Without reaching vote the Senate at
40 adjourned.
HOUSE.
In the House to-day Mr.. Beck defended
himself against the charges made by Governor
Brownlow.
He said that Governor Browlow had made
a pandemonium of Tennessee. He had been
on the committee to investigate the condition
of things in Tennessee, and saw such a con-
dition as existed nowhere in the American
continent, and because he found such state
of things he made remarks to which excep-
tons had been taken. He proceeded to-show
the condition of affairs in that State from 1865
to 1869; how the legislature by series of
sets unparalleled in American history const-
tuted itself into body not representing one
tenth of the population, how seditious laws
were passed; how persons were arrested for
speaking disrespectfully of the Governor;
how there was outlawry of the franchise and
outlswry of everything which did not bow to
the mandates of the men in power; how
1000 citizens had been DISTINGUISHED by law,
how the Governor had DISTINGUISHED % coun-
ties in Tennessee because they elected to the
legislature men hostile to him; how he had
reduced the vote of the State from l50,O0
to SO 900; how he allowed only 10 men to be
registered in the whole county of Henry, and
how NO man was allowed to vote who was
not known to be in favor of the legislature
and Governor and of everything they did.
Messrs. Garfield and Stevenson made a
point of order that the remarks of Mr. Beck
were not in the nature of personal explana.
ton.
The Speaker overruled the point and was
sustained by Mr.. Banks, who said that the
Speaker was entirely correct, and that Mr.
Beck was in accord with the practice of the
House. The great point that he desired to
make was that he did not falsely charge any
man when he said that pandemonium had
been made in Tennessee. If he said that the
condition of things in Tennessee was He'll he
would have been nearer the truth.
Mr.. Stevenson (eXcitedly) and made so by
demons.
| Mr.. Beck-I say now that no man can
read the record of Tennessee, and see how
step by step that condition was produced,
how men were disfranchised, how the militia
was organized and put over the people, how
military orders were executed how procla-
nations were issued, how martial law was
declared and executed, without seeing that
what said of Tennessee was strictly true,
and that it was the worst governed State on
the American continent. He went on to
quote from the testimony of witnesses, and
said; On that was assailed; l was charged
with being the vilest of men, with having left
the livery stable and taking up the slave
drivers lash, and with deserving the scorn
and contempt of all decent men. l would
not notice it, but the fact that what had been
said against me will go out to all the world.
am willing to stand on my record before
my people at home. They knew me and
they have t u ted me, but they cannot speak
to the whole American people as can to-
day; and when, gentlemen, in their places
anywhere, charge that am man not to be
trusted or believed, because l am so vile and
came from SO vile quarters, and am guilty OF
sncb vile practices, denounce it here, and
denounce it everywhere. l know why all
these charges were made. What said about
the pandemonium in Tennessee was said