New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-05

Gan YOU still indulge in the delusion
that the German government are not as
we'll aware of the details OF this case as you
are, and perhaps even better y
If so. and there has been breach of our
neutrality laws, may we not patiently await
their presentation of claim founded there
on! And may we not accept their silence
that this his first question has no founGa-
ta,n in fact! confess that there is some
thing monstrous in this demand thus gravely
urged upon an American Senate, and that
they shall exhaust their inquisitorial pow
ers. for whatever motive, in the attempt to
fasten a breach Of neutrality upon our own
government: that they shall drag to light
the secret archives OF the nation, and pry
into the secret acts and motives OF any otfi-
cial, high or low. when the result, II 1t
amount to anything, can only be to Fix q
stain upon the national honor! | say II 1t
amount to anything, because the only com
mendable consideration which could induce
our action would be to vindlcate our gov
eminent. NindicatiOn presuppOses charge,
and here has been no charge preferred, ex-
cept it may he III this chamber; and 1t is Tor
the Senate to vindicate itself as patrlotlo
body in refusing to give its sanction to such
an unwarrantable proceeding, and hot
make itself .oartceps c,'iminis therein.
Gentlemen may indulge in rhetorical
rhapsodies about the national honor and
character. These are quite as dear to me
as they can be to any other senator, anu
will 60 as far as any one in maintaining
them, but l do not propose to try whether
| may not dig up something derogatory 10
that character as a means OF MAINTAINING IL.
do not propose to use my prerogatives as
a Senator in aid Of Il government TO which
have never owed allegiance and never ex-
poet to.
can ioin heartily in all the eloquent
Senator from Missouri says of the high
character and true patriotism of the hon
ored few who in the Parliament of Great
Britain protested against that course which
their government was then pursuing, and
warned them of the danger in prophetic
words that time has made into the history
of the present. Gentlemen might place
themselves on the same high platform. ii
the incidents which we are called to lnves-
tigate were now current, and an interpos-
ton were invoked to prevent breach OF
neutrality upon the part OF our gov
eminent, into which we were beng
precipitated by the acts OF the exc
cative. But to make the cases parallel,
and to furnish to gentlemen title to share
in the high praise awarded to the friends OF
America in the British Parliament, it must
be shown that after the deeds had been
done, and now, when the hour tor that rep
aration that they had predicted had in fact
arrived these British patriots had proposed
a parliamentary inquisition into the conduct
of their executive officers, to see if with their
better advantages for exhuping the truth,
and all the power which belongs to such
authority, they could not fix the violation
of neutral obligations upon their executive.
Friendly as they are to us, honest as they
were in their sense of duty, bold as they
were in standing up for the right against an
overwhelming current OF popular opinion,
venture to say that it has never occurred to
them that either honor or duty. required
them to help us make out our case against
their government. Gentlemen may make
higher or more fanciful codes for themselves,
but for myself | am content to initiate that
practical morality of Golden, Bright, and
their honOred associates, which will strive
to keep our country out of difficulty. but
stand by it faithfully when it is involved in
that very Difficulty that ought to have been
avoided.
fear that honorable Senators upon this
floor may live to see the day when a prac-
teal people, finding no sympathy with their
.QuiXotic ideas of fancicd honor, will say of
them that they hated the President more
than they loved their country. And that
day may come right soon. if, succeeding in
their wishes here, they drag to light cir
cumstances that may be sufficient to fix
upon our country a formidable demand from
a nation alien to the great majority Of our
people.
Mr.. President. having called the attea-
ton of the Senate to one subject that. with
que Difference. | submit ought not TO be
included in any proposed investigation. |
wish now to invite your attention to an
other point suggested by the debate that
has occurred. that in my Judgment is
equally beyond the sphere of legitimate in
quiry. | refer to an extension of the in
vestigation so as to include matters relating
to the dealings of citizens Of the United
States with the then government of France.
1t seems to be the purpose of Senators to
invite us to inquire whether the French
government has not been wrOnged by Mr..
Remington or others. Whatever belongs
to this subject is a very proper matter for
the investigation Of the courts in a case
made for the purpose, but in no respect
within any legitimate duty of the American
Senate.
1t is quite important for us to keep steadily
in mind the legitimate range of these con-
gressional inquisitiOns. lest in our zeal for
ferreting out possible frauds we violate the
rights of our citizens ahd convert our com
mittees into SO many star chambers, to out
rage private privileges, by dragging before
whom we have no jurisdiction. A congress
sional committee should never be permitted
to inquire into circumstances which, when
cannot be made the ground
of congressional or executive action. And.
therefore, it has appeared to me that
the inquiry should stop short of ascertain
ing " the persons to whom such sales We're
made" 1t is of no consequence TO whom
the sales were made. in the view have
|.Nx 4
the inquiry be allowed it will be LETT 10 the
discretion of the committee, in pressing the
investigation to this point. to 20 into mat
tiers that, in my Judgment, ought not to DE
inquired of. while within that limit free
range may be afforded for the fullest inves-
tigation. so that if wrong has been done it
may be brought to light, and the guilty be
exposed and punished.
Having thus briefly indicated what ought
NOT. in view Of public policy and our au-
thority to be inquired into, it remains only
to point ont what we have a ight to inves-
tigate, which investigation do not under
stand any one ON this floor opposes. In
deed, those who have been hitherto over
Jealous i'll ohjecting to investigations, have
eylnccd a Willingness to go further than We
perhaps ought to go. And it is because no
one will suspect me of ovef-zeal for secur
ing the denomination of General Grant that
have telt myself at perfect liberty 70 ex
press my convictions Of the limit that ought
to be imposed upon this investigation.
Ii there he guilt let us know il; If any
executive officer, whatever his rank. has
Violated his duties to this country, let it be
made public: If arms or other munitions of
war have been sold without authority of
law, let that be made known: if executive
ofhccrs have entered into combinations to
effect a purchase or sale of arms BELONGING
to the United States at a price less than
that which, without snch combination. could
have been obtained therefor, such con
spiracy should be exposed and punished. if