The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-26

tlon over the past conduct of the mem
bers prior to their election. Mr. Polan
had not the slightest doubt Of twhen tn
question as TO Bowen had been raised,
had been prematurely raised. A man be
ing u murderer did not make lin ineli
gible as member OF Congress, the vote
cast for him had TO be voted, and had to b
admitted, but when he had got seat
was the duty Of the other members OF tn
House, as honest and decent men, TO eG
pei him, and II what was alleged ugains
Bowen was true, he ought TO have bee
expelled. The gentleman from Kentuck,
(Beck) seemed to know more about tina
case than he (Poland) did, and therefor
he was to be more blamed for non.actioI
in the matter than himself. Ii B0WeI
had been guilty Of the charges alleget
against, the House had ample stand and
the fullest legal Jurisdiction Of the matter
and most certainly, il the case had eve
been properly presented, and II his con
duct had appeared TO have been wha
was charged, The (Poland) would hav
voted for his expulsion.
Mr.. Poland then proceeded TO discus
the report made by Mr. Butler, Of Mass,
yesterday, and denied that there was an.
PRECEDENT in parliamentary law for th
assumption in the report. On the contra
~, with the little search he had beer
able to make since last evening, he ha(
found in English parliamentary histor!
two cases subsequent 10 that OF Johr
Wilkes; one case, that Of Wood, charged
with forgery, and the other, that Of At
kins, charged with perjury, who werI
both expelled from the House OF Com
mons, the oHenses having been committed
before their election. There never haG
been question raised in the English Par
lament as 10 its power TO expel unwor'
thy members, no matter when the odense1
were committed.
Mr.. Eldridge-Does the gentleman
claim that Congress has the same power
as the British Parliament! '.t F'i
Mr.. Poland-Certainly | do. arz
The half hour extension having CONT
to an end 1t was proposed by some mem
bers that the time should again be e1-
tended.
Nr. Butler, Of Msss.-The gentleman
(Mr. Poland said that he would dtvidI
his time.
SIR. Poland-Certainly.
Mr.. Butler-Ith he goes on much Longer
1t will be dividing eternity. [Roars o
Laughter Iobject to his going on. =.
Several members-0h do not object.
Mr.. Buller-I withdraw my objection
Mr.. slocum-I object on the ground
that there are fifteen or twenty members
who desire TO speak. 7 r--.
Mr.. Poland, courteously-If the gentle
man withdraws his objection, was about
to say that did not desire any further
extension of time, laughter at Mr.. Slo-
GUMS expense as / shall have an oppor-
tunity to close the debate, gEgs
The Speaker-The gentleman from
Massachusetts, (Mr. Ames) who Is affected
by this resolution, desires TO send TO the
Clerks desk his remarks to be read.
Mr.. Mcpherson (Clerk) then proceeded
to read the argument prepared by or fol
Ames, who occupied one Of the front seats
and with his head resting on his hand
watched attentively the effect on the au-
dience. Some OF the close, keen hits in
the argument ELECTED whispered COM
ments Of approval and occasional laughter
1t was listened to throughout with the
greatest attention. The peroration was
sRlendidlY read, 80 that even the sensible
ties Of Ames himself could not be restrain
ed sufficiently to keep tears from sufusing
his eyes, and it was received with hall
suppressed murmurs Of appreciation all
over the House. The reading closed at
half.past 9 o'clock.
Mr.. Potter reverting TO two precedents
cited by Mr., Poland to-day, remarked
that though persons who were referred to
were expelled for acts committed before
their election. yet they had been indicted
for them during the sitting Of Parliament
Mr.. FarnsWorth then rose and proceed
ed to make an argument In favor OF the
accused, and against conclusions Of the
select Committee, what he asked was the
the statement ofthe Committee as against
Oakes Ames. First, that he bribed his
friends; second, that they did not know
that they were bribed; third, that they
were not effected by bribery, ahd fourth
that neither Ames nor the persons bribed
knew what they were to do, or obstair
from doing, and yet this Committee
had concluded its report by charg'
ing that Mr.. Ames was guilty
Of bribery because he made these sales
Of stock. He (Farnesworth) could
not sec nor understand the laws
Of bribery. In the first place ono man
could not commit bribery any moro
than one man could commit conspira.
cy, or any more than ono person could
commit matrimonY. Laughter 1t re.
quired two parties. Again there could
not be bribery unless tho person bribed
was 10 do or abstain from doing some
thing. Besides q man did not bribe his
friends. A man never went to his friend
committedto his side Of the case, IN ia
yor OF his interest, to bribe him. BrlbeE
were offered to men to convert them
they were offered TO those who were dis
clined, to prevail upen them to do whal
the briber desired them to do.
Passing to the case Of Brooks, Mr.
Farnsworth called attention 10 the fac
that the matter charged against him tool
place during the time when Brook
was not a member Of Congress, and wher
he was under no greater obligation o
duty in regard to the matter than vert
Durant, Dillon, or any one OF those gen
tlemen who were engaged in the enter
prise. It was then that Brooks first made
tho negotiation for the Credit Mobiliel
stock. The subsequent transfer Of thii
stock by Brooks TO his son.in'law, Neil
son, was only a proof ofhis extreme deli
cacy In not wishing to be connected per
sonally with tho matter while he was q
government director. Besides, It was
one OF the most natural things in thI
world Ior a man TO lOokaIter the enterestf
Of his kith and kin. The people had beer
told SO very often in the past year in re
spect to persons higher in office thar
Brooks. Laughter. II this transfer L