Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-02-26
EXPULSION.
The Poland Report Debated in
the House Of Representa-
tiTes Yesterday.
A Stormy 1ime-POland Master
Of the Situation and
Holds His Own.
Brooks and Ames Combat Him
But Fail TO Make a Favor
able Impression.

WASHINGTON, February 35.-In the
House, yesterday, the Committee Oh
Education snd Labor asked unanimous
consent to report Coghlan's bill, prOhib-
iting contracts for servile labor; but Beck
objected TO the bill. Not read.
Ii WAS more than hSlf-psst eleven
when reading the journal aud other pre-
liminary business was disposed OF. In
the meantime the crowd became densel
and the scene noisier. Lsdies had been
admitted within the body OF the hsll
and stood grouped at the mouths Of all
the sisles, and pressed around st the
back OF the circle, and many Of them
achieved prominence by gaining pos
session Of chairs Of members. They did
not seem abashed or conscious OF
being out Of place; on the contrary, they
wore an air Of anxious, determined per
sisteuce and eagerness in pursuit OF
their object.
Nj HsldemRn, apparently impressed
with the incODgruity surrounding him,
made a motion that the aOOr be cleared
Of all but members; but the Speaker in
formed him that the dOoTs hRd been
opened by unanimous consent, and that
il was too late TO object now. Hslde-
ElAn EuArluEus anu us LEnLll - kt5 AAdAaEA
with laughter. At quarter 10 twelve
the Speaker announced that the special
order vss the report Of the Credit Mo-
bilier Committee.
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts,, as II
unprepsred, moved that the House go
into committee OF the whole on the legis-
lstive spprop ration bill; whereupon
Mr.. Gsrdeld inIimated that IL would
be just as well for him to attend to his
own business and leave the Committee
on Appropriations to manage his own
affairs, rebuff which brought laughter
against Mr.. Butler.
The House then proceeded with the
special order.
When the clerk resd resolutions
for the expulsion Of Ames and Brooks.
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts, rose and
offered the following substitute:
WHEREAS, The Select Committee of
the House has, after investigation,
reported 10 the House testimony which
is considered by them sufficient to shCS
criminal action in one or more members
Of the House; and, whereas, the testi-
mouy shows that similar sets have been
done BY other persons, not known
members Of the House; and, whereas,
d clearly appears that whatever sets
were done or ofienses committed by
members of the House, or by the
civil officers OF the United States
now in Office, or by others, were
done and committed more than five
years ago, and within the jurisdiction
of the Supreme Court Of the District Of
Columbia; and whereas, no legal or
constitutional right to use its power Of
expulsion Of members as q punishment
for crimes done or committed by mem
Der prior 10 his election thereto exists;
but the punishment Of sll crimes and
oifenses against the lave should be after
a trial By jury and judgment by court
Of competent jurisdiction; therefore,
Resolred, That in the judgment Of the
House, As il appears that there is probs-
ble cause to believe from the report of
the testimony submitted by the select
committee Of investigation in the mat
Ter Of the Credit hobilier, that grave
O1fenses, punishable by the statutes Of
the United States, as well as by COM
mon lsW, such as giving or receiving
brides or false swearing, may have been
committed as shown in such testimony,
within the District OF Columbia, there
fore, the Clerk Of the House be and
Is hereby ordered to cause q copy Of the
testimony so taken TO be forwarded 70
the District Attorney, prosecuting Of
dcer Tor the nited States for said dis (
trict, with the recommendation Of this I
House, and that some other testimony I
which be may deem material he shall 4
Cause 20 be presented to the Grand Jury,
sitting in and for said district, at the
next sezsIon thereof that they may
irSS of issstice shall require
Mr. Poland declined to yield t. I
have subsutute offered. Mr. Poland /
then o!ened the caes for the prose-
cution in q speech reciting the facts
iustifying the report Of the committee.
ar. Poland having spoken an hour, his
time was extended. He ridicUled the
report Of the Judiciary Committee yes
terdsy that the House could not expel
member fOr any conduct prior 10 his
term.
Mr.. Beck, Of Kentucky, disputed the
point ~ 10 expelling = member for any
previous acts, and said the House was
disgrseed by Infamous characters, and
the trouble wss a. to the power TO expel
them.
When Mr.. Poland had concluded, the
Clerk Of the House proceeded to read
the argument Of Mr.. Ames, which was
listened to with the greatest attention.
Il was read at length, and con-
tained the history of the Credit Aobi-
lier transaction, and contends that
il i unreasonable and unjust TO
accuse one Of bribery where It is
not shown that any one has been
JriDed. He cOntroverts the law as sp-
piled in the case by the Poland Com
mittee, and shows the advantages 10 the
Government Of Credit hobilier, and, In
conclusion, declares that Il seems to be
the object to have him made a single
victim, but il this body shall order that
victim, he shall sccep; its mandate, and
leave 10 history his YindicatiOn, which
is denied him here. The peroration was
received with hslfsuppressed murmurs
Of appreciation.
Mr.. FarnswoTth made an argument,
after showing by the testimony that st
the time Of the transactions stock Of
Credit Mobilisr was worth from two
hundred 10 three hundred per cent. he
asked whether Mr.. Ames was so utterly
Insensibls TO the profit which be could
have derived FROM that stock had he
chosen to sell II, that be preferred to
let members Of Congress have it, with
out any profit 10 himself? How came
his charitable disposition all at once to
he 20 extended In favor Of members Of
Congress? His ostensible business in
Washington that winter was his posi-
NAOn a. a nlEulDfI u AAAt AlDArts bAA
his actual business was peddling
ten shares Of stock apiece 20 mem
hers Of Congress.
Mr. Biggs interrupted the argument
Of Mr.. Poland, and asked him 20 state
whether or not the evidence showed
that these leading members, 20 whom
Mr.. Ames was peddling this stock,
knew il 10 be worth from two hundred
% three hundred per cent.
Mr.. Poland suggested 10 his friend
from Delaware that If be would wait,
he Poland would get along 10 that
point. Laughter
Mr.. Biggs-We will wait patiently.
Mr. Poland went on with his Argu
ment and said there vss some mo-
tive 10 the mind Of Ames which in
duced him to let certain men have this
stock at one hundred when he could
have got two or three or four times rs
much for t. Wss there any possible
doubt about the motive OF Ames?
He had designed 10 get this
stock into the hands Of members
not merely 10 rely on the feeling Of grsti-
tude which they might show 10 him
becsus6 he had given them something
worn two, or three, or four times a.
much A. they paid for II, but he relied
on something stronger than that. hr.
Ames bad lived long enough In
the world TO know that q man
= sometimes forgets klndnesses; that
mans gratitude for a kindly act
does not last always. he had
read enough scripture 20 know that
where q mans treasure is, there is his
heart slso." Murmurs and applause.
Mr.. Ames had exhausted his whole phi
losophy on that subject; he had said
that the difficulty IL you cannot get a
man 70 give attention to anything un-
less he has an interest in doing so:
he had, therefore, 10 contrive some
means or other by which be could
make the interests OF those leading men
ia Congress identical with his own, so
hat they should be a. Watehful IN rela-
ion 10 this matter as he himself Mr..
Ames knew that himself and his
riends had started On a voyage which
sooner OF later he knew would be ex-
posed; he knew that the nation had
5een by their performances defrauded
If millions, aud he understood
would be good thing when that
dme came, that be should have, n posi-
Jie, some strong backers, aud he bad In
ended bv his ooursa Of cauduct 10 pYo-
ride himself With them. he had done
for tilis VsF FufPose, and with me