New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-25

} time, and he had letter from the Chief o
: Ordnance to General Belknap, stating tina
the arms 80 sold were fit for the United
States service. He felt authorized, there
} fore. to charge fragrant and NANTES
breach OF law. He charged it on the show
ing OF the Chief Of Ordnance himself anG
II there was to be any Quibblng about thi:
point he would be glad to hear it at once
Possibly an attempt would be made to ex
plain 1t away, too; but he would ask the
Senate what would become of the popular
respect for laws if the law makers thus
recklessly quibbled away their meaning
What would become Of constitutional GOV.
eminent in this country if the executive
officers OF the government were to be allow.
ed to feel that they might disregard the
plainest provisions Of law, and that, like
Augustus Cesar they could always rely on
a submissive and obedient Senate! He
begged the Senate to remember that there
was more at stake than cartridges or cash.
On the third point, Mr.. Schurz argued
that the facts already shown were enough
! to justify suspicion of corrupt transac-
tiOns. The testimony of Remington and of
| the French officials, already referred to: the
anxiety of the Chief of Ordnance. to aid
Remington in settling his accounts in
| France. relating to some transactions for
driven out OF the War Department. the diff
ference between the amounts paid by the
French and those received by our govern
ment; the jeOpardiZing of our national re-
lations and the risking of our internal har-
mony; the fragrant and confessed violation
of the War Department, and the mystic
| riOus disappearance of large sums of money;
| all these facts and circumstances went to
| show that there was ground for suspicion
and for investigation, and Senators on
| the other side knew it, and felt it keenly,
| as was shown by their attempts to divert
| the Senate and the country from the true
| question by charging those who urge this
resolution with acting as French agents and
with want of patriotism. These charges
! were tlimsy and absurd. 1t was the duty of
the government to investigate this matter,
and If the wrongs charged on the executive
department have been committed, it was
the duty of the legislative department of
the government to frankly and boldly dis
avOw them That was the only course
worthy of the American republic, and,
therefore, he was not afraid to discuss these
matters in the Senate and denounce the
wrong in them, for be remembered that
Golden and Bright, when they warned the
British Parliament OF the consequences of
its conduct during the rebellion, were far
better patriots than those who decried it,
Mr. Schurz then spoke of the amendment
offered by MIR. COnkling, ordering the COM
mittee to inquire whether any Senator or
American citizen had been in collision with
any foreign agent or spy, etc, and said it
was subject OF rather painful character.
He regretted that the Senator had intro
duced that amendment for his own sake
He reminded him that spies were used only
in time of war, and suggested that he should
strike out that word from the amendment,
as likely to be offensive to the French GOV
eminent
Messrs. Morton and Conkling had offered
gross insult to the German government
by assuming that the agitation of this cues
ton might affect the decision of the German
Emperor as arbitrator between the United
States and Great Britain, and now The Sena- |
tor from New York was going to insult the |
French government also. If the amend |
ment meant anything, it meant collision |
of an improper nature and for improper pur- |
poses, and everybody knew that it was |
aimed at three persons-Sumner, himself |
(Schurz) and Marquis de Chambrun. He |
(Schurz) would vote for the amendment,
and would give the Senate some evidence in
advance of the investigation. The Marquis
de Chambrun was no spy. He was the legal
adviser of the French Legation, French
gentleman Of distinguished family, and
of high character and attachments. Further,
ne was not the man who had given him
(Schurz) the first information ON this sub
ject. Laughter. Bit, said Schurz, what
is the spirit OF this amendment! l have
said that l regretted it for the sake of
the gentleman who introduced it. l do not |
know that l can make llyself Ineligible to
his mind or his moral : cling, except in one
way: by suppOsng til. | had introduced
an amendment directin. the committee to
inquire, also, whether a.. those who gave
letters of introduction j., Remington to
France were guilty of corrupt practices in
with these transactions. Does
the Senator want to know why | did not do
it! 1t was because considered it infinitely
beneath me. Applause in Ire galleries
Mr.. COnkling said he had Ii t given Rem
ngton letter OF INTRODUCED, i to France. |
He had merely addressed note t, Reming-
on himself, the purpOrt of viii, 4 he had
stated on former occasion.
Mr. Schurz-If the Senator hal given
Remington note stating that he bad in
all these transactions, and that
ie would be very glad if the French gov
rnment would settle them, and that he
lad a personal interest in them, even then I
would not be the man to offer this amend
nent.
Mr.. Conkling said that Mr. Schurz lad
een the man to drag in an irrelevant fact;
hat he (COnkling) had written a note to
containing statement which
e had felt called upon to make in justice
o a neighbor and in the interest OF fair play.
MIR. SchurZ said that when the subject |
'as first mentioned 10y him he had repeat
dly expressed the opinion that the giving
the note to Remington was only an act
4 neighborly friendship on Mr.. Conkling's !
art.
Mr.. Conkling disputed this also, and said
hat his amendment was aimed not merely !
t Messrs SchurZ and Sumner and the Mar
uis de Chambrun, but at all who might
ONE within its scope, and he meant to !
tand by it. He had drawn it, however,
IithOut the statute book before him, and if
enator Schurz found any offensive phrase
! it he was willing to withdraw that
hrase.
Mr.. Schurz-Oh, l have no doubt the
enatOr is in earnest in this matter. | have I
ever doubted that 1t looks just like him c
he Senator has referred to the statute !
'hich he held up before lis yesterday,
threatening us with fine and imprisonment | d
n, sir 1t is a glorious spectacle. Here L
tand two American Senators. not entirely
Unknown to the country, whose record is not
ntirely devoid of patriotism and service,
nd whose only aim is to investigate abuses
nd violation of law, and have them pun t
he'd. Those Senators are met here by one
the spokesman of the administration, t
ourshinga statute in his hand, and threat +
ling them with fine and imprisonment. b
ct it be known in every nook and il
,rner that he who is in earnest in setting
is face against those in power, and
no boldly seeks to detect fraud and II
lnish violation of law, is confronted by a
le powers that be with the prospect of a "
1ngeon Why, sir, in such desperate CON |;
ton as that Laughter and applause in the Il
llleries] they are developing very fast. 81
ow long will it be till you can not get I'D a
stimOny against Leet and Stocking, the O
nights of the general order, without hay a
G some statutes dug up that will fine and h