Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-18
PROTECTING THE COOKIES.
A Suit that May Produce Some
Astounding Revelations.
An Attempt to Rush Through the
House n Bill Repeating the Bank
ruptcy Act i'm the Interest Of JAY
6OOIxc a Go.

An Attempt to Rush Through the
House n Bill Repeating the Bank.
ruptcy Act i'm the Interest Of JAY
Cooke a. Go.
From the Cincinnati Commercial.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The ses-
sion Of the House opened to-day with
the introduction Of something less than
five hundred bills and joint resolutions,
the reference of which, without discus
sion, occupied Just two hours. When
the avalanche was finally stayed, Mr..
Tremain, of New York, arose and SUBJ
mitted a bill to repeal the bankrupt
law without reservation, moving that
the rules be suspended, and the bill be
at once passed without discussion. On
making this motion, Mr. Tremain pro-
ceeded to the delivery of an argument
in favor OF the bill, when Judge VII
son, of Indiana, interposed spirited
objection, unless the opposition to the
bill were also permitted to speak. Mr..
Tremain was 10th to grant this, but he
could not 90 ON under Mr. Wilson's OBJ
lection, and was compelled finally to
consent that the bill should be set for
special order tomorrow, to be discussed
two hours, and then to be voted on.
The bill is almost identical in words,
and is precisely the same in substance,
as that which was prepared by William
E. Chandler, Jay Cookies attorney, and
given by him to several members of the
House, with the request that they in
troduce it. Two copies of this bill were
introduced in the House by two gentle
men who do not intend to Support it,
and who introduced it merely as a per-
sonal favor to Chandler, without hav-
ing examined it. 1t was also brought
forward in the Senate by COnkling.
The bill provides not only for the re-
peal of the Bankrupt Law, but also
contains provisions by which parties
situated as are Jay Cooke & Co., can
have the proceedings against them
stayed by securing the consent of ma
jority of their creditors. 1t is drawn
with much verbiage, so that the true
meaning of its provisions may
not be apparent at first glance,
and SO that they seem to be directly
the contrary Of what they really are.
The Committee on Judiciary, from
which this bill purported to come, were
not united ON it, Messrs. Wilson, of
Indiana, Poland, Of Vermont, White,
of Alabama, and Frye, of Maine, OPP
posing it, while Messrs. Tremain, Cess
ma, of Pennsylvania, Ward, of Illinois,
Eldridge, of Wisconsin, Potter, Of
New York, and Jewett, of Ohio, were
in favor of it. Butler, the chairman.
refused to vote one way or the other,
and to-day managed to keep out of the
discussion, and only aided Tremain by
suggesting points in the parliamentary
management of the effort to force the
bill through the House. The attempt
to pass it without discussion, is regard
ed as an outrage without justification
When Tremain made his motion, he
did so with the remark that he was in
structed by the Judiciary Committee
to do so. This gave it, of course, great
weight. as the natural inference would
at once be that the Committee, COM
posed IN part of some of the ablest and
purest men in the House, had, after a
careful examination, agreed that it was
4 measure Of such singular merit that
it could be very properly pushed
through under whip and spur. Both
Poland and Wilson, however, indig-
nantly and pointedly denied that Ire
main had authority to make such a mo-
ton, his authority being simply to
move the suspension of the rules, that
it might be considered at once.
The point is, that if the trial Of Jay
Cooke & Co, is proceeded with, ravela-
tiOns viii he made damaging Ill the ex-
IRENE the characters of members of
Congress, Government officials, and
public men generally. To stop pro-
oeedinga which could not but prove dis-
aStrous to so many hitherto unsQspect-
ed men, there will be no effort spared.
The movement to-day was step in the
way Of sealing up bad records. If Jay
Cooke x Co. have not the money to Sc
cure the assignment of a majority of
the claims against the firm, they have
in the implicated public men allies who
Will see to it that the necessary
means are forthcoming. Mr.. Ire
main starts out badly as Con-
gresham when almost lis first act is
one which would be expected from a
paid attorney intended to cover up
frauds and corruptions, and to give
thieves d longer lease OF iibetty 10 prey |
upon the country. 1t was a bold effort |
and boldly played, but it was hand
somely met and checked Tomorrow
two hours time will be- given in which |
to discuss it, and sOme frank, free talk is
looked tor. There Is 40 DOUBT as to
the position that Ben Butler will take, |
as it was indicated by his course to-day |
il prompting yremain, the latter know
ing little or nothing Of parliamentary |
usages. The measure is one Of the sort |
that has always commanded the admi. |
ration and support Of Butler, and we
may look for a ringing speech from him !
in its defense, unless indeed. o. ont hr,s+
OF ,,c% ,.,S. laoIon at the beginning of the
debate should deter him, which is alto
gether unlikely,