Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-20

expOundiDg il, appearing as the frlend anu
adviser of the Custom-house officers, tnillg
which he had no business to do. and when
no Senator and nc Representative ought 10
be allowed to do and If my amendment pre-
walls they never will do it any more. IN
sist that the third section should be struck
out of the bill as perpetuating system
which ought not to exist for one moment.
The Castom-houses have become
Dens OF Corruption.
and are kept up on account of theirpolltlcal
power to control primary elections, pack
conventions, stuff ballot boxes and perpetn-
ate frauds, such as ought to be Impossible
in any free country.
At the close of Mr.. Beck's speech Mr.
Kasson quoted from the testimony oil Dodge
as follows: IL never had the most distant
idea that Senator Conkling was there as
professional, but believe he happened TO
be in New York at the time this thing was
in process of settlement, and in coIn-
Gil with some other gentlemen, particular
", believe, with reference to the position
occupied by Lafflin. / have never men
toned his name before in the matter. My
own impressions were that he had no pecu-
MARY interest in it. | have always looked
upon it as a mere accidental visit, on his
part, to the city. Still the fact that he was
there in connection with other gentlemen,
showed what an array there was against
u.s."
Mr.. Burchard, another member OF the
Committee on Ways and Means, gave his
cordial and hearty support to the bill, but
intimated that he should have liked to
have seen
The whole system
of custom-house oaths abolished, as had
been done in England.
Mr.. Niblack, another member, also ad-
vocated it, except as to the third section,
which he opposed as anomalous and un-
usual. The Government, he argued, should
be allowed TO find its eyiaepee Just as pri-
yate citizens do, without having the right
to call on the adverse party for books and
papers.
Mr.. Beck said that he had been informed
by Mr.. Roberts that his (Beck's) amend
ment might endanger the passage OF the
bill. As he regarded the bill as too i'm
pOrtant to rln any risk in the matter he
would withdraw his amendment and otier
it with the bill which would be reported in
regard to the SanbOrn contracts.
Mr.. Dawes closed the debate in speech
supporting the measure. He referred to
the fact that two years ago he had intro
duced bill, which the House had passed,
on the question of fines and penalties, but
through some influence or other, he knew
Lot what, that bill had been
Pus 10 Sleep
in the Senate, and slept there to-day. A
similar bill had again passed The House
and had gone to the same slumbar as its
predecessor.
Mr. Butler. of Massachusetts,, asked his
colleague to state that he (Builer).had been
the first to introduce bill at this session
to prevent customs-officers from receiving
any part Of the fines, penalties and forfei-
tures.
Air. l,awes-i beiisYe that is trusi but
that bill was TO take away from the Of.
ficials their share of these mOieties and to
leave it TO the infOrmer. The informer is
| to have one-half Of the whole. He is bad
enough when he volunteers without COM
pensation, from a motive Of malice, or 9TH
erWiSs, 10 iIIOIIa against his Ieighbor, but
when he does il for the half fruit OF his
Cursed Employment,
the door of decent society ought to be, and
| will be, shut against him. The leper msy
be tolerated among men. He may be re-
gsrded with compassion, but the foul, pu-
| trid, putrescent informer who goes about
the earth assured Of one-half of what he can
| make by his information, finds no harbOr,
or countenance, or society among men.
The evil does not stop with the Jayneses, or
the Saaborns, or with men Of that class. II
spreads like a contagious disease ID every
official who comes In contact with il.
Every such official becomes uneasy in his
He turns his back upon an honest and hon
orable position the moment he finds that he
can fill his Golfers under this system.
The House proceeded to vote on Mr..
Dawes amendment to strike out the third
section of the bill and to add a sixth sec
ton. The amendment was agreed tO-97
to 95, end the bill as thus amended passed.
Republicans 90 Back on Pinohbaek.
Mr.. Smith, of New York, from the Elec-
tion Committee, made a report in the
Louisiana contested election case that
neither of the claimants. Pinchback or
Sheridan, had presented evidence to estab-
lish his right to seat as representative at
large, but that they shall have the right to
take further testimony.
Mr.. Lamar presented a minority report
that Pinchback was not elected and that
The reports were ordered printed and are
to be called up hereafter,
The Adjournment Question.
During the debate on the MOiety bill
message was received from the Senate, an
nounoing the passage Of its resolution of ad-
journment. Mr.. Beck who had the floor at
the time, suggested that the Senate should
be taken at its word, and said that be would
Weld to motion to agree to the resolution.
Mr.. Dawes coincided with that view and
asked leave to submit motion, but Mr..
KaSsOn objected until the pending matter
should be disposed of.
At the close of the mOiety question, an
other effort was made to take up the ad-
jogr4ment resolution but objection was
made,
The House then took recess till $50, the
evening session to be for general debate.