The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-06-21
CON c R E s S.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, June 20.
Illuminating Oils.

Committee on the District Of Columbia
reported bill to prevent the sale and usI
Of adulterAted and explosive illuminat
ing oils. Passed. -.-..
roSTooSISo THE MISSISSIPPI.
Mr.. Dunnell, from the Committee OF
Commerce reported a bill TO authorize
the construction Of pontoon bridge
across the Mississippi river from some
point in Buffalo county, Wis, to some
point in Winona county, MINI. Passed
,s. LAND PATENTs.
Mr.. Lawrence from the Judiciary Com.
mittee, reported the bill relating 10 land
patents. It provides that whenever q
party is lawfully entitled to a patent, j
he delays to take out patent II shall
have the same power as though 1t was is,
sued at the time the party was frat en-
titled to it. Passed.
THE fREEDMEN's BANK.
Mr.. Douglass, Of Virginia, chairman oi
the Committee on the Freedmen's Bank,
made report in reference to commu.
nitation from the Secretary Of War as to
the payment Of moneys due TO colored
soldiers, sailors and marines.
The statement Of the committee is that
provision for their payment has in the
past been defeated Of its purpose by
fraudulent contriyance OF the late B ureau
Of refugees, freedmen and abandoned
lands, whereby many such soldiers, sail.
ors and marines have been prevented
from receiving payment OF their Just
claims; also that settlements covering
these delinquent claims have been filed
with the Second Auditor Of the Treasury
by General o. o, Howard, late Commis-
sioner, and G. W. Bullock, late Chief
Disbursing Officer Of the Bureau, in
which fraudulent vouchers and other
false evidence Of payment have been
filed and used by those officers, by which
they obtained improperly credits for
moneys alleged to have been paid out by
them to such colored soldiers, sailors and
marines. . tE.
To remedy this evil the. committee re-
ports a bill directing the proper account
Ing officer Of the Treasury TO settle the
claims for paying the bounty money or
other monies due to the colored soldiers,
sailors, or mariners, or their legal repre-.
sentatives in cnse it shall be established
on proper investigation, that they have
failed TO receive payments on the settle
ments heretofore made, in which youch-
ers purporting TO represent their actual
payment, have been fled with accounting
officers Of the Treasury by the disbursing
officers fthe late Freedmens bureau.
The second section directs that in every
case where the investigation shall prove
that the claimants have not in fact re-
ceivcd payment Of their claims, the
facts shall be reported to the proper ac-
counting officers Of the Treasury, who
shall thereupon settle each claim.
The sixth section directs the Attorney
General 10 institute proper legal proceed
ings against all persons who shall be
shown TO be implicated in those frauds in
order to vindicate public justice, and TO
prevent loss to the government.
Mr.. Kasson made il point OF order
that as one Of the sections OF this bill
provided for an expenditure OF money
il should be referred TO the Committee Of
the Whole.
Mr.. Douglass-Thc correspondence shows
that these accounts have been settled, the
money paid over to the Freedmen's
Bureau for the purpose OF paying these
men, and the bill simply provides that
these accounts shall be settled and
charged against appropriations herereto-
fore made.
Mr.. Kasson-Do 1 understand the gen.
tleman. to say that no money has been
paid to any OF these colored men.
Mr.. Douglass-lthas been paid over to
the Commissioner Of the Freedmens Bu-
reau and has not been paid to the parties
entitled 10 it.
Mr.. Kasson-Then 1t is very clear that
this bill provides for another disburse.
ment and Of course il is very desirable
TO see the evidence before the House
shall pass that bill.
Mr.. Douglass-If the gentleman had
not been 80 prompt in making thepoint
Of order, l had intended to state to the
House that the preamble was intended
to be only an epitome of the report as it
came from the Secretary OF War.
Mr.. Kasson-It was necessary TO make
the point Of order promptly or it could
not be made at all. a.lrlur- aer
The Speaker protein, Cox-It is very
evident that the point Of order IS we'll
taken as the fifth section provides for the
payment Of such expenditures as may be
necessitated by the investigation provided
for. -.A
Mr.. Douglass-I yield to the decision Of
the Chair and now move the House 60
into Committee Of the Whole for the pur-
pose OF considering bill.
Mr.. Kasson-I suggest to the gentleman
from Virginia to allow the report 10 be
printed as we do not know the amount Of
money that may be called for under that
bill.
Mr.. Hoar-This bill recites an asser-
ton Of grossly fraudulent conduct on the
part OF distinguished Major General Of
the army, who gavehis right arm to the
service Of his country. This House took
pains the other day TO remove from q
member OF this body on the other side
(meaning Brown, Of Kentucky, a censure
which affected his personal honor, the mi
nority Of the House vieing with his polit-
ical friends in their desire to do that gen.
tleman most ample and abundant justice.
Now l ask a majority Of the House II
they think 1t is fair to pass that bill in re-
lation to Major General Howard, without
having the evidence on which the bill Is
based printed.
Mr.. Holman-At any rate the paper
ought TO be printed, inasmuch as the gen.
tleman from Virginia has the right TO re.
port at any time that he will allow 1t to
be printed.
Mr.. Douglass thereupon moved that the
bill and correspondence be printed Rhd
recommitted, and It was so ordered.
Mr.. Sherman said the question Of print
ing this report had better be referred to
the Committee on Printing, the document
wasso voluminous and had great deal Of
information in it that was ofno importance
whatever, OF no interest to man, woman
or child. There we're in IL charges against
consuls who died abroad and their ac-
counts could never be settled. There were
many acts Of honorable men which had
| never been settled on account Of disputes
about dollar ortwo, and the publication
Of this list would only cause scandal.
Al II