New-York tribune., 1873-02-28
PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE.
DEMOCRATIC OPINIONS ON THE QUESTION or
EXPuLSION-JUDGE PoLAND's CLOSING ARGU-
MENT-AMEs AND BROOKS CENSURED-AN
ATTEMPT TO EXTEND THE PUNISHMENT.

| pEMONhAIlt OIlNIoNS ON TIE QUINElON Up
EXPuLsION-JUDGE PoLANDs CLOSING ARGu-
| MENT-AMEs AND BROOKS CENsURED-AN
| ATTEMPT TO EXTEND TIE PUNISHMENT.
IGsNERAL PRESS DIsPATCHl
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The House reassem-
bled at 10 O'clock the hour up TO the regular time Of
meeting having been considered part of the egsa-
tive day of Yesterday. and to he divided out in small
parts among members who had not yet been heard
the expulsion resolutions and who desired TO say
| thing on the subject.
Mr.. Wood (Dem., n. W said that the question Of
jurisdiction he differed somewhat from the views
pressed either side. He made distinction between
the classes of oenses which the House might cxer-
judicial power He held that IL had such power
Official ofenses committed before the person was mem
Der, where the results Of such ofenses Of a eoDnu
ing character. affect their votes and acts as
members. His conclusions on the facts were that
| the Special Committee had exceeded its authority,
which was simply to find ont and report what members
Congress had been bribed by Oakes Ames. That
tanly did not Justify resolution Of expulsion against
| Oakes Ames, who seemed to be chosen a victim
simply because he told the truth, because he
made clean breast OF it, because in fact he
! had turned States evidence. His colleague. Mr..
| Brooks, was in regard cOmprehended within the
| scope Of the Jurisdiction OF the Committee He GER
| tainly not bribed by Oakes Ames. He was not
member of Congress in the OF the resolution ap
| pointing the Committee.
! WARNING OPINIONS.
iolltI kDtin'' ~ ~ ItSuiuru tic 1t0'loh rs "S
form OF condemnation. But the expulsion OF members
happened he Objectionable form'of condemnation.
| II happened 10 he form which some thought would
establish precedent that might at time he danger
ous. lie had. therefore, hoped that in some way or
other the condemnation of the House might take some
which did not involve that difficulty But the gen
tlemen of the Special Committee seemed to have treated
the case as If it important TO establish par
! amentmy precedent than 10 do anything else. lie
trusted that the House might be allowed to vote IN refer
ence the Credit MOblier transaction without being
tntangled in a parliamentary difficulty For himself lie
was willing that in this there should be condemna
ton Men could sit in the House representing great
railroad corporations irOn-mls or other special in
! tcrests without being subject to it's Judgments.
aMr Speer Dem, PENN declared that the position In
which he was placed painful TO him, painful almost
beyond expression; but he had lived long enough 10
learn duties not 70 be avoided simply because
they were unpleasant He confessed TO have entered on
the consideration OF the question a partial judge in
favor of Mr. Brooks step by step his mind had been
brought resstably to ths copclnsions yhiGh he was
about 10 EXPRESS He mad doubt OF the power OF the
House TO expe member for OfenSes committed before
| election.
Mr. Sargent Gsep., Cali offered an amendment to the
resolutions, recting the parliamentary doubts In the
case, and condemnDg the conduct OF oakes Ames and
James Brooks.
Mr. Hoar (Rep., MassJ suggested that the amendment
OF the gentleman from California would establish "A
parliamentary precedent worse than anE that had Deen
! proposed.
Mr. Poland then TO close the debate He began by
saving that he did not expect TO entertain the
House and the large audience that he saw before him.
He knew nothing about stage tricks He knew nothing
abOut playing the buffoon the harlequin. He never
had had any gift for saying dong things for the pur
pose of splitting the of the groundngs. Even if he
had those gifts he should not have deemed this the
proper occasion 10 display qualities Of this
kind, He could not do such things II he
would and he would not if he could He pro-
posed to make a plain and sober attempt TO CON
vince his feowmembers who were TO act on the reso
lutons as 10 what their proper duty n relation 10
them He would begin where he had left of the other
day on the question Of jurisdiction. Mr. Poland then
proceeded to reply TO the arguments made against the
power the House TO expe members for ofenses CON-
nitted before election and 10 sustain his position by
| parliamentary preeedents Having disposed Of that
subject Mr. Poland back to the facts in the
and TO scheme of the Credit MOber and its inventors
He said it did require great ingenuity TO get up
a scheme to cheat the Government out OF $OOOO0o0
but it did require good deal of wit 10 get the ma
| cbpery necessary 10 IL successfully. They had
| contryed the scheme, but there no man in New
York sbrewd enough 10 get up the running machinery
They had send almost as far RS Boston 10 find man.
and they got the right man. But difficulty grew out OF
that This Boston lawyer said: "a mill with fortyseven
millions in the hopper; mill by which you going
when you have got a man with wit enough
| TO devise the by which You
can do that and cover 1t up, you cannot put of that
man with fee OF s3COO. He must have $1,000" The
machinery had Just into operation, so that there
would be no difficulty IL they could stop investigations
| in Congress and not De troubled by Government d-
| rectors Congress and Government directors the
only things left that wero be feared and these had
10 be taken care Of Accordingly, Mr. Ames had come
TO Congress with of Credit Mober stock in his
| pocket aud went around to various members Of Con-
eress and leading and said that he had got excel
lent investment thing which would pay 10 per cent, and
| offered It to members who. he said, had been good
friends OF the Union Pacific Railroad He fixing II
so that those who shares from him should think
was an honest thing He had found 1t necessary 10
clohe il In the habilimens OF honesty. Here the ham
| mer fell.
Mr. Farnsworth Qib. Rep, Ill), for the purpose OF
referring the whole to the public. moved to lay
IL on the table The vote was taken by Yeas and Nays
| and resulted Yeas. 59 Nays lei.
A VOTE OF CESsURE PASSED.
The next onestion Substituting Mr sargents
resolutions for reported by the Select Committee
The vote was; Yeas. us; Nays, no.
Messrs Eldridge Dem, WIS., and voorhees, Dem,
Ind), having originally voted Ssy," changed their
votes 10 Yea" and endeavored 10 give their reasons
I'm, were not permted under the rule which forbids de-
| bate during the roll call
The question then the first of Mr. sargents
| resolutions, as follows:
| Resoired That the House absolutely condemns the
conduct OF Oakes Ames member OF this House from
the State OF in seeking 10 procure Con
essoh' s wss Interested aud Whose interest directly
dependcd on the legislation OF Congress- by inducing
OF Congress to invest in the stock OF said cor
p0iation.
The resolution was adopted.-Yess. isi; Nays. 90:
yr.s-Acksr Amber Areher, Arthur Banks. Barber
Bsrs" Beatty BsSE Gs' s.s S Dssy Bpeyon n''b briSS
Buekey Bannell Burchard, Burdett, oa.d.