The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-09-04

| VIII OF the people III form which viii do
| Justice. and secure their interests. In
my public career have endeavOred TO
keep this steadily in view. and i'll the
| future l will not depart from it. Be
| tween this time and the election | shall
have an opportunity TO discuss in differ
ent localities the principal issues, State
and national, on which the people are
divided into political parties Time will
not permit me to do this now.
But | will now discuss briefly the
work of the recent session of Congress,
| and endeavor to prove that this body
! has been faithful and honest, that il has
| shown Il purpose to require fidelity and
honesty in all the departments of Gov
| ernment, and that it has so far as posi-
BILE met the just expectations of the peO-
| pie by legislation to secure their inter
eSts.
CONGRESS HONEST.
The fidelity and honesty of legisla-
tive body may be proved, not only by
what it does, but by what it omits or
refuses to do. This Republican Con
gress has neither done, nor attempted to
do, any act which the Democratic party
has ventured to denOunce as unfaithful
that it has neither ommited or refused to
do any act, and defeated every scheme,
which would merit public censure. The
Cincinnati Commercial, one OF the
ablest of all our great dailies, but by no
means Republican in its politics, in its
issue of June 30, reviews TO some extent
the work of the FOrty-third Congress,
and concludes by saying: FINALLY We
have to congratulate the country that
all the great jobs, with the Centennial
Subsidy at the head of them, failed of
enactment by a Congress in whose pub
lie virtue we had at one time but little
faith Let the Representatives of the
people stick to this course of action
another session, and they will go out of
office ,Cith honor far beyond that of
their predecessors.
This Republican Congress then has
been faithful and honest
CONGRESS- REQUIRES HONESTY or ALL
OFFICERS.
Aud it has shown a purpose 20 require
fidelity and honesty in all the depart
mentS OF Government.
Before the meeting of the last session
of Congress, grave complaints were
made of fraud and mismanagement in
the government of the District OF COlum-
bia, of oppression and wrong under what
We're known as the 'SanbOrn Contracts
and of fraud and Of reckless eXpcndi-
lures in the Western Judicial District of
Arkansas.
by the act of February y, 1871, Con
greSs against my vOteI created Il new
Government for the District of Column
bia. Ii was not party question. I'm
der it there were doubtless, i'll the let
ting of contracts for public works and
the Improvement of the streets, and in
disbursements therefor, extravaganza,
mistakes, and some fraud. These fell
mainly, though not entirely, on the peO-
pie of the District. Congress appointed
IL Committee, composed of Republicans
and Democrats, among them Senator
Thurman, to investigate the whole sub
ject. The Committee did so, and made
Il unanimous report, which disclosed l.
fectS in the form of Government, some
errors and some mistakes, ana some, but
perhaps no very great, frauds-nOne. at
least, like those stupendOus Swindles
which were perpetrated and covered up
year after year in that strong hold Of
Democracy, New York City. Congress
at once abolished the District Govern
ment, and provided for the reform Of Jll
abuses
In the closing hours of the Forty->cc-
Ond Congress there WAS engrafted on an
appropriation bill clause which author
lied the Secretary of the Treasury to
employ persons TO assist the proper Of
ficers in discovering and collecting any
money belonging to the United States
withheld by any person or corporation.
The purpose of this was right. 1t
sought to collect taxes and other mon
eys due to. but fr;ludulently withheld
from, the Government Under it, five
contracts We're made, four of which
practically resulted in nothing \ con
tract was made with SanbOrn. under
which he collected Sl27, 900, of which he
received moiety for his services and
expenses. Congress appointed a Com
mittee to investigate the whole subject.
and unanimous report was made that
the Committee ''linG nothiI inpeach-
ing the integrity Of the Secretary of the
Treasury, but that "a very large per
centage, if not all OF the taxes collected
by Sanborn We're not proper subject
of contract under the law, aud because
of this they declared that the Secretary,
Assistant Secretary and Solicitor of the
Treasury deserved severe cOndemna-
tion for the manner in which they have
permitted this law 10 be administered.
They were as "A consequence compelled
to retire from office, and the law author
iZing the contract was repealed. Here
officers admitted to be honest were com
PEELED To retire for an error III Judgment
When the Republican party i thus eX-
acting in its demands. it i safe to trust
it with power, for here i the evidence
that it requires not only integrity. but
drives men from Office for mere error in
Judgment or mistake
When did the Democratic party ever
give equal evidence Of honesty or regard |
for the public welfare,
Complaints had been made that some !
of the officers in the Western Judicial |
District OF Arkansas had been guilty Of |
extravaganza or fraud in public eApendi- |
lures.
\ Committee of Congress inve>tiga- |
ted these and reported the complaints |
well founded. Congress abolished che |
district-a fearful warning TO all trans |
greSSOrS. that the Republican party will !
not tolerate or permit either fraud or |
extravaganza. The amount expended |
was comparatively small and insigniii- |
cant, but there was extravaganza. and |
that was enough. No abuse has ever /
been charged which Republican Con /
greSs has failed 10 investigate, and no /
wrong has ever been found which was
not promptly remedied. With such 1
record il can 20 before the country and |
assert its claim to favor and confidence.
Congress. at it, late session. met the
lust expectations of the people in an /
honest purpose TO secure the public i'll
terests. 1t has not accomplished all that
Is required but it has done much, and
has made progress in more.
Among the subjects requiring 1t soon
sideration were a reduction of national
expenditures. the question Of currency.
the repeal of the sO-called salary act,
cheap transportation. and other meas
ures 10 promote the interests of the Ia
borer. the farmer. the mechanic. the
nanufacturer-all our vast and varied
interests.
The panic of September, 1873, had
interrupted the business Of the country.
and in some measure reduced the reve-
nues of the Government. IL was not /
the result of any error or omission Of 4
the duty of the Republican party. IL \
was temporary alarm, produced by |
the failure Of one great private banking |
house This failure grew out of the /
exuberance Of our prOsperity-the at
tempt to build a great railroad across