National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-23

ment was copied each day into the Boston
IaQers which are under the control of come of
my colleagues from Massachusetts,, who were
endeaVorng TO convince the people that was
newspapers were so put to it for evidence of the
fact that they declared that Sanborn's lawyer,
Mr. Prescott, was my, private secretary and
| henchman, whatever that may be, and cited ms
proof that he once had his office in four-story
oulioing where have mine, with twenty other
tenants. Let me say that never saw Prescott
three times in my life, and did not know him
| oy sight till he was sent for as q witness.
Besides that, when the gentleman made his
| speech ne alluded to me twenty-eight times,
making axty-one in al; and then. after his
| slxty-one questions and personal illusions in
the examination and in the speech, the editor
OF the Tribune thought that my "coat-tails'
could DC seen In the affair. And this is the
kind OF attack to which men in public life are
exposed from Investigations when somebody
wants to "get even with them"
NOW, have no objection to being investi-
gated by anybody and everybody, friends or
enemies; for the more the latter investigate
me the worse they will like me. But / do
object to the public money being spent for
that purpose under the direction Of the Com
mittee on Ways and Means when they ought
TO have been perfecting q finance measure, so
that the two thirds Republican majority of
this House should not now hang their heads
with shame that this Congress has to go home
| after more than six months session and no
| comprehensive financial or revenue measure
| perfected and passed, or any even come from
that committee on which the House may pass
| But, on the contrary, they have been engaged
| in Vilifying the Administration, rapping "old
| Cock-eye," and "eetting even with him, T" even
| to examining into his private affairs, the fees
he received from private persons, and his per-
sonal acts to the number of thirty-three ques-
tions. And thus having learned how unjust
| and improper it is for anybody ever, anywhere,
| to examine into another's private affairs, the
| committee reported bill that mans books
and papers ought not to be seized or bis private
affairs inquired into without an order Of court
upon a COMPLAINT under oath. Why was not
| this committee legislating about the dropping
business and unemployed labor of the country
| and trying to find remedy for that
How will they answer 10 their constituents;
nay, how will this committee answer to the
country, that they frittered away their time in
this pursuit of personal revenge, and have done
nothing with either finance or revenue except
to pass two bills; one of which, If you look
back at the tables have presented, cuts off
81 200 900 of moneypaid into the Treasury
last year, and the other the best-informed man
upon the subject swears will prevent the COL
lection of at least four millions of taxes more,
all which should come from those who have
tried and are trying to cheat the United Statesl
Is it not wonderful that the interests OF the
Republican party and the interests of the coun-
try have been neglected while the Committee
on Ways and Means, under the leadership of
the gentleman from Kentucky, endeavors to
break down the Administration, as he had a
right to do, and under the lead of the gentle
man from Ohio, mistakenly thinking he had
private grief against me to assuage, have frit-
tered the time of Congress away for more than
six months in striking at one of their fellow
members who had not injured them, and
against whom, although pursued with the hate
of hell, they found nothing and reported moth
ing after six months of investigation. No,
thank God; as usual, cold Cock-eye escapes
without a rap"
do not desire the House or the country to
blame either of the gentlemen of the Commit |
tee on Ways and Means too much in this mat |
ter, because there were those IN this House |
who were egging them on, advising them to do |
it. Nay, they were those of my colleagues |
from Massachusetts who, In order to strike at |
me- were willing to strike down the Republi- |
can party. The speech of the gentleman from |
Kentucky against the Administration, FOUNDED |
upon bringing the Sanborh matter to the
front" o very able, denunciatory arraignment
Of that ADMINISTRATION, put with all the power
he could, and quite worthy of the successor of
Clay in the Louisville district, was launched at
our party like q thunderbolt. expected and
SuppOSeQ, dIfu Inc eApCClCu, IuhL
Democratic associates would circulate it every /
where to break down the Republican party,
even at the cost Of paying the postage on the
distribution. ..l.
But what shall we say of Republican Repre-
sentatiyes who subscribe TOR and circulate such
q speech by the thousands speech Of the
leading Democratic orator of the other side by
the thousandl Why, Mr.. Speaker, the State
of Massachusetts, has more Of the Kentucky I
speeches circulated in it by one Of my colleagues
than of any Republican speech made in this
House during the present session. Aud wbyl
Having circulated everywhere through their I,
living newspapers that was connected with
the Sanborn contract, it was thought by some
Of my colleagues that the arraignment of the
gentleman from Kentucky Of the Administra-
lion would be an indirect trap at old Cock
eye;" and as my enemies either could not or
lare not make any speech against that long
suffering individual themselves, they chose to
send out this attack upon their Administration,
thus to belittle their Secretary of the Treasury
from their own State, to be the means of circu-
ating the charge of corruption sgainst their
party, IN order to get an indirect "rap" at one
IF their colleagues.
Now, call Upon the gentleman from Ohio
% deny, If he can, that more than one Of my
colleagues have been to him to give him in
ormation about me and to have questions put
lbout me, and to advise with him as to the
course that might be taken in his committee to
investigate me. Sir, was that so or nota VIII
he gentlemen answer upon his honort Does
he House wonder now that almost the only
nan who was found to object to my address,
ng the House at this hour was one of my col
eagues from Massachusetts,
Mr.. Speaker, have done my duty to this
natter have shown by such evidence as has
,ome to me, and by the facts, what was the
groundwork, in fact, of this investigation and
-,
because of the Sanborn contracts. There is
not man within the sound Of my voice that
now does not understand it.
Mr.. Speaker, more than one half at least Of
all the investigations carried on in Congress
are for the purpose Of striking down some ri.
val, or running some enemy, or fhjuring some
administrative officer, or gaining some party
end, not for the purpose of aiding legislation.
This business of investigation is carried too far.
can speak plainly in the face of the country,
because for myself defy investigation. For
fourteen years, since the commencement of my
public life, have lived under the focus of q
magnifying and distorting every
action Of mine q million times, except, per-
chance, 1t was q good one, which it blurred
and covered altogether. Living under such
inspection, therefore, whether / would or no,
must lead an honest and upright life, or some
man would in all these years have got "rap
at old Cock-sye," and propose TO take very
good care of him now and ever. desire in
vestigation. Hook forward to the time when
the majority of this House will be opposed in
politics to mine; and then ask them to inyes-
tigate every act of mine and publish the re-
suits TO the country. invoke the investiga-
ton of geptlemanly political opposition, and
not of malignant personal spleen and spite,
egged on by political rivalry; becauseI humbly
trust that when my every act is known and
understood authoritatively and exactly in its
breadth and in its motives, the kindly judg-
ment Of my countrymen will be, after all r.
valry and unkindness of thought have passed
away, "He was q man whose virtues over
balanced his faults, who loved his country, his
kind, justice and nobleness."
UNIVERSITY FOR THE BLIND.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE REGENTS
AND Ell EflTIAN lE QEEICERS