The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-05-28
And l sit and think, when lhe sunsets gold
Forty-third COngress--First Session
WAsHINeToE, May 10, 1874.
THE HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, May 10, 1874.
-.- THE HOUSE.
Mr.. WhitLhorne introduced bill TO re-
move politica disabilities from Thomas
Claiborne, of Tennessee. Passed
The House took up the Senate amend
ments to the Naval Appropriation bill.
Some were concurred in, but others non-con-
CURED in were sent TO 2 committee of con-
ference, and the Speaker appointed as such
committee Aessrs. Hale Of Maine, Scofeld
and Marshall.
The House then took up the bill report
ed by Mr.. e. II. Roberts, from the Com
mittee on Ways and Means. to amend the
custom laws and repeal the System of mol
eties to lnforneFF in customs revenue
cases.
Mr.. Dawes moved an amendment to
strike out the third section and add to the
sixth section provision that any informer
who shall pay to any officer of the United
States any portion of the money received
by him. shall have perpetual right of ac-
tion for its recovery.
Mr. Beck, also ofthe Committee of Ways
and Means, submitted an amendment ma
king it unlawful for any Senator, Repre-
sentative, or Delegate in Congress to act
as agent, attorney, proctor. advocate, So
licitor, or counsel for any person against
whom spits or proceedings are broughtfol
violation of the revenue laws. Both
amendments are pending.
Mr.. 2. II. Roberts opened the DISCUS
sion on the bill.
He explained the provisions Of the bill
and spoke earnestly in advocacy thereof
Mr.. Beck, a member of the Committed
of Ways and Means, said the moietY sys'
tenn was disgrace to any civilized coun'
try. It allowed an equal division to bt
made the Government and the thieYes
The penalties inflicted under the law WerC
altogether out of proportion to the offenSes
Those penalties and forfeitures had beer
| inflicted without regard to the question
of whether guilty iEtent existed or not
| In other words, the committee had fount
a system of things prevailing which rem
dsTed necessary the bill nov before tn
| House He proceeded to refer specially t.
| Phelps, Dodge & Co. How much Senate
Conklirg had got he Beck dld not know
because; although the Committee had in
vited the Collector, the Naval Officer an
the Surveyor of the port of New York t
come before it, they all had declined th
| Invitation.
Mr.. Kasson, another member of th
Committee on Ways and Means, remarke
that there was not particle of evldenC
that Senator Conlhling had received any
thing.
Mr.. Beck-There was evidence that
was counsel and adviser of these men, an
they whose counsel he was, refused to CON
before the committee under its polite inv
tation, and therefore the committee ";
not able to develope what the facts wer
Mr.. Kasson-The evidence simply ";
that the Senator was in room on one o.
easion reading from United States sta
ute, l think; that was all.
Mr.. Beek-l will read from Dodge
statement. 1t is this: "I will add tn
Senator Gonkling was in New York and
consultation with these gentlemen at &
time when for two days the question hui
) whether this thing should be settled
not, and hung simply on the fact that N
Latin said the crime was SO enormo
= that, so far as he was concerned, he neV
a would consent to settle 1t short of the pa
. ment of $5O0,00 by Phelps, Dodge & CC
1 think Senator Conkllng advised him
do better. only wish he had stuck to
n one day longer.
Mr.. Hale, of New York, intimated tt
Mr.. Beck was doing an injustice to Ser
2 tor Conkling.
3 Mr.. BeckeI cannot yield to interru
e ton. 1 have not done Senator Conki
\ any injustice. 1 have made no chal
A. against him. l say that the testimo
shoEs that he was counsel for these m
Mr.. Hale-The gentleman is certain
in error in that regard.
Mr.. Beck-He was eounsellng and 6
! vising with them. But what / want
4. get at is, that no Senator or member sho
Or be allowed to act as counsel IN such cas-
y and that Is the object of my amendme
Mr.. E. H. Roberts said that Mr.. Do'
explained that Senator Conkling happel
to be in the room, and that he suppo
he was there not as counsel.
nd Mr.. Beck-Mr. Dodge did not say Il
have read what he said. Judge Ds
said that Senator Conkling was there re
ing law, expounding it, appearing as
friend and adviser Of the Custom -ho
officers, a thing which he mad no bush
, to do, and which no Senator and no K
& resentative ought to be allowed to do;
if my amendment prevails they never
: do it any more. insist that the u
section should be struck out of the bill
perpetuating a system which ought nc
exist for one moment. The Custom no
have become dens of corruption, and
I kept up on account of their political ?
y er to control primary elections, pack
ventlons, stuff ballot boxes, and perp
ate frauds, such as ought to be impes'
in any free country.
At the close of Mr.. Beek's speech
Kasson quoted from the testimony of
ON Dodge as follows:
the "Mr. Dodge-I never had the most
tant idea that Senator Conkling was
professionally, but believe he happ
n to be in New York at the time that
thing was in process of settlement,
or was in. council with some Of the other
VI tlemen there, particularly, l believe,
reference to the position occupied by
Latin. have never mentioned his
.oo before in the matter, Ny own i'm
CS sions were that he had no pecunisI
terest in it in any way. have Al
looked upon it as a mere accidental
: on his part, to the city. Still the fac
lO he was there, in connection with
gentlemen, showed what an array
was against Us"
Mr. Beck said that he had been info
&c. by Mr.. Roberts that his Mr.. B
amendment might endanger the pl
of the bill, and as he regarded the
too important to run any risk in the
-%S3dSI %onI ter, he would withdraw his amen'
and offer it with bill which wou
reported in regard to the Sanborn
ice tracts.
Mr.. DaWes, Chairman Of the Conn
on Ways and Means, closed the deb
@yFsa q speech supporting the measure.
4 - | farred tn the fact that two wears q