The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-05-20
lowed to do and if my amendment prevails

lowed to do and if my amendment prevails
they never will do any more.
Mr. e. FL. Roberts of New York, asked
Does the gentleman think it just the thing to
say man is guilty because no evidence is sub
mitted that he cid not receive pay?
Mr.. Beck-No guilt attaches at all. He had
the right to be there under law but say that
law should not exist. 1 deny that a man who
is a leading administration Senator should have
the right to go and advise against citizens and
to have weight of his influence and his name
and his authority, standing as ineance of a
man who comes here to demand justice. l
insist that this third section should be struck
out OF the bill as perpetuating system which
ought not to exist for one minute. Custom
houses have become dens on account of their
political power to contract the primary cleo
tons, pack conventions, stuff ballot boxes and
perpetrate frauds such as ought to be impossi-
Die IN any free country.
Mr.. Kasson of Iowa, another member of the
committee on Ways and Means, while con-
demning the law under which such outrages
nad taken place, warned the House against
sweeping away all guards and barriers. In
!nls position he SAID he was supported by ma
iorty of the merchants who had appeared be-
fore the Committee. He defended the third
section OF the bill and argued that it ought not
to be retained. In regard to the abolition of
all notifies he expressed the fear that in flee
ing from one set of evils they were going to en-
counter some others.
Mr. Bnrchard, another member of the Com
mlttee on Ways and Means, gave his cordial
and hearty support to the bill but intimated he
would have liked to have seen the whole sys-
tenn OF custom house Oaths abolished.
Mr.. Niback. another member of the Com
mIttee on Ways ard Means, also advocated the
Dill, except as to the third section, which he op-
posed as anomalous and unusual. The govern
ment should be allowed to fndi its evidence,
Jusl as private cities, without having to call
on the adverse party for books and papers.
MIR. Beck said he had been Informed by Mr..
ROBERTS that his (Beck's) amendment might en-
danger the passage OF the bill and as he regard
ed the bill too important to run any risk in the
matter he would withdraw the amendment and
offer it with the bill which will be reported IN
the Sanborn contracts.
Mr.. Dawes. chairman of the Committee of
Ways and Means, closed the debate in a speech
supporting the measure
Mr. Butler Of Mass asked his colleague to
state that he (Butler) had been first to into
duce bill this session to prevent customs
officers receiving any part OF the fines, penal
Mr. Dawes Il believe that it is true but that
bill was to take away from officials their share
of these notifies and to leave it to the informer.
The informer is to have half of the whole. In
every position in society, in every place and in
every calling the informer is an odious and de-
spised being Everybody shrinks from him.
By the common sense of justice, decency and
honor, he is universally despised when he goes
about making it his business to inform against
his neighbor. But let him do it for nav. Let
him be understood to go up and down the earth
paid to inform against his fellow men, and the
intensity of the hatred with which he is de-
spsed and with which he ought to be hunted
around the earth is increased ten fold. Add to
that he is to have one-half of all he can make
out or his calling. He is bad enough when he
volunteers without compensation, from mo-
tive of malice or otherwise to inform against
his ne,ghbors, but when he does it for half of
OF the fruit of his cursed employment the door /
of decent society ought to be and will be shut
against him. The lesser may be tolerated among
men. he may be regarded with pity and compass
sion, buo the ul,putrid ,putriscent informer who
goes about the earth assured of half of what he
can make by his information finds harbor of
countenance or society among men. But should
the government of the United States take the
wages Of his sin and of his lniquity and divide
them with him? 1t is he who has the last ref
uge of this system. One after another the 9TH
ers are let go or thrown overheard but the man
who is under no control who is fool loose, is to
be saved and guarded by new legislation.
The official service of the United States is
being Slapped and mined, and no such thing as
honest public service for fair and reasonable
compensation in the revenue service can long
be maintained unless some radical reform like
this il made. The evil does not stop with the
Joyness or the Sanborns or men of tn t class
it spreads like contagious disease to every
official who comes in contact with it. Such
willing to toll as he has done. He turns his
back upon an honest and honorable position
the moment he finds that he can fill his Golfers
under this system which has existed for the
last ten or fifteen years. growing every year in
the enormlty of the amounts gathered by the
men, like ball of snow that has been growing
little by little, until it has become great and
evershadowing evil.
The House proceeded to vote on Mr.. Dawes
amendment to strike out the Sd section of the
tn tn ha Erb
amendment was agreed to, 81 to SO, and the bill
as thus amended was passed.
The bill has been heretofore published the
Sd section is struck out and the 9th section
modified as follows:
Sixth section-That except in cases of SNUG
Cling as aforesaid, it shall not be lawful for any
Fl the s24Es Of hhd fectya of ihdrectS to re-
celve, accept or contract for any portion of the
money which may under any of the provisions
OF this act accrue to any such person furni sh-
ing information, aud any such officer who shall
so receive accept or contract for any portion
OF the money that may accrue as aforesaid
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, aud on con-
viction thereof shall be liable to fine not ex-
ceeding $4,000 or imprisonment for no more
than one yeor at the discretion of the court,
and shall not thereafter be eligible to any
office of honor, trust or emolument; or any
such person so furnishing information as afore-
said who shall pay any such officer of the Unit
ed States or any person for his use, directly or
other valuable thing on account of or because
of such money, shall have a'perpetual right of
action against such officers or other persons
and his legal representative to recover back the
same or the value thereof
Mr.. Smith of New York, from the Election
Committee, made a report on the Louisiana
contested election case, that neither of the
claimants, Pinchback or Sheridan, had present.
ed evidence to establish his right to seat as
the representative at large, but they shall have
the right to take furlher teStimOnv
Mr.. Lamar presented the minority report,
that Pnchback was not elected and that Sher-
man was The reports were ordered to be print
ed and are to be called up hereafter
Mr.. Platt of New York. from the Post Office
Committee, made report on the Pacific Mail
subsidy for sem-monthly service, taking the
ground that the conditions had not been COM
piled with by the company, and that conse-
quently the contract had lapsed. Ordered to
be printed and recommitted.
During the debate on the moiety bill, q mes
sage was received from the Senate announcing
the passage of the resolution of adjournment.
Mr. Beck of Kentucky, who had the floor at
the time, suggested that the Senate should be
taken at its word, and said he would yield to
motion to agree to the resolution.
Mr. Dawes conceded with that view aud ask
ed leave to submit the motion, but Mr.. KassOn
objected until the pending matter was disposed
Of
At the close of the moiety question, another
effort was made to take up the adjournment
resolution but objection was made.
The House at $50 took a recess The even
ing session will be for general debate.
Evening Session. r4 7f
Mr. Barry of Miss, in the chair
Speeches were made on various subjects by
Mr. Southard of Ohm HavnpS Hvda nd Crit.