Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-05-26
ron Y-FOURTB CONGRESS.
Closing PROCEEDINGS Tesferdas.

/ SEN lE~-AItcr our report close
Mr.. Sherman, In executive session. sinh.
miited resolution. THAT W. w. Belknap
| Is liable 20 trial on the articles of impesch-
R Renr pssierred against him by the House OF
nsiion of the Office OF Secretary OF War.
without action on the resolution the Sen
ate adjourned.
HoUSE-After our report closed
Mr.: Hewitt submitted the report OF the
Foreign Affairs Committee
r on THE EMMA NINE InvEsTIeArIoS.
thority OF the dispatch of the Secretary OF
state, that IL was not proper for the Ameri-
can Minister at the Court OF st James 70
Mining Company OF London. This position
is confirmed by the authority OF Phiilimore,
(vol. 2, page fs4) who says: I'm truth. every
state ought, by expressly forbidding their
ambassadors 10 combine engagements in
private trade or commerce with the sacred
duty OF representa- ton, 20 prevent any ques-
ton OF the kind ever arising. The Roman
Law on this point deserves 10 be initiated
Erin Qui legatione fungftur, neQue alienis
peoue proIriis negotiis sc interponere de-
Second. That the relations ofGen. schenck
TO the venoors OF the Emma mine were or
such character as TO cast suspicion upon
his motives. ard subject his action TO unfa-
yoTable criticism. But the committee be-
lieVe that he was not guilty of a fraud or of
any fraudulent intention In his connection
mine.
Tbird. That his subsequent speculative
DEAL gs In the shares OF the conn., any were
not compatible with his diplomatic station
ard the maintenance of a position of honor
ana usefulness at the Court near which he
was accredited.
The committee therefore submit the fol-
lowing resolution, and unanimously recon-
mend Its passage bv the House:
- Rssolrsd That this House condemns the action q
az the Court Of -. James, in becoming dirrcfor Of
his operations connection with the shares Of saii
company and the vendors thereof, al advised un
fortunate and incompatible with the duties Of his
After the reading had progressed for some
lime Rd u was s ordered to be printed in the
by Messrs Hewitt IN. ", Faulkner wv.
Va, and Williams (wisl The report was
then recommitted to the Committee on For
elgn Affairs, with authority TO report al any
time.
JUDGE BUcKNER's REPORT.
question, and ssid2i desire 10 ofIer ivhe pTe,
amble and resolution, but before they are
read will state that offer them at the re-
quest Of the Committee for the District OF
employees of the House who have charge OF
the commfttee-roOm, and upon whom re-
Elections have been cast, and from a sense OF
duty on my own part as member OF this
House.
The Committee for the District of Column
bia have been engaged for the last four
months continuously In an Investigation OF
District affairs. The testimony which that
committee had been taking was closed few
days since, and the chairman, Judge Buck.
ner, on Saturday last. i think, presented 10
the committee his personal views In writing
as to what he considered the committee
should report in the premises. As there had
been no discussion or consideration of the
question by the committee, IL was requested
and agreed that his views, which were in the
| form OF report, should not in any way be
made public or come TO the public notice;
that as they reflected upon the official con-
duct OF six or seven prominent gentlemen
| who were holding public positions in this
~ nnn N
| of the committee, il should be kept secret;
but for the benefit OF the committee a linn
tied number OF copies should be printed at
the Government Printing Office. The en-
ployes OF the committee room were informed
| OF the action OF the committee In this regard,
and the officers OF the Government Printing
| Office were also notified. A few copies were
| printed and brought in a very carefully
| sealed packet TO the room OF the committee
and placed in the hands of the clerk.
This was CD Monday morning last. On
Tuesday morning full abstract of the views
of Judge Buckper appeared Ia the New York
Tribune, and on the afternoon of the same
DAY THE EVENING STAR, of this city con-
tanned complete verbatim report of his
| views as submitted by him as the report OF
The committee. 1t is apparent that the views
| OF Mr.. Buckner, or copy OF them, must
have been taken from the committee room or
from the Government Printing ONCE In some
clandestine and improper manner or that
| the employees OF the House, or OF the COM
| mittee- room, or OF the Printing Office have
been guilty OF some fault, neglect, or ques
tionable act.
Now, inasmuch as that document has
| been printed dS The report Of the committee aud
| has gone TO the country through the press,
| as the report of the committee, L wish TO say
| IN justice 10 the parties whose official con-
duct is criticised In 1t, and in this most pub
| lie manner, and in the plainest language
which can use, that no report OF that con-
mittee In the matter referred TO has ever
| been agreed upon; that there never has been
more than one hours discussion upoa the
SUBJECT in any way, and that not evel the
firSt item OF q report has yet, up to this time
been agreed upon by the committee. For
the purpose of investigating and ascertain
ing how that document or copy Of IT was
| obtained or taken out OF the committee
room, or out of the Government Printing
| Office, or put into the hands OF the news
paper men, offer the preamble and resolu-
ton which / send to the desk. believe, sir,
the secrets and papers OF the committee
rooms should be kept as sacred aud secure
as the secrets and papers of this House, and
| 1tet summary and effective measures should
be taken TO this end; and to prevent as far
| as we may the recurrence Of such an event
as have thus briefly brought 10 the atten-
| objection TO the adoption OF the resolution.
The clerk read as follows:
Whereas the Committee for the District of Column
the affairs Of said district ufder authority Of tins
House. and whereas the said investigation has had
reference mainly TO the official conduct of the Com
missiOners and the board of Lit created under
act Of Congress approved june p, lai aud whereas
month finish and close its investigation far the
taxing OF testimony was concerned, ana the Nth
of the present month Mr.. Buckner, chairman of said
committee presented in the form of a report 20 the
committee his views writing the result of said
| investigation, when, without discussion, it was
agreed 10y said committee that the question 10 the
report which the said committee ought TO make ina
the premises should be postponed. aud that limited
number Of copies of the views of Mr.. Buckner, the
chairman of said committee, should be printed the
Government Printing Office for the Of the MEM
bers of the committee and it Sas also directed that
the said views Of Mr.. BuckneT should not be made
public and the employees of this House having charge
OF the committee-rOOm of said committee and the
clerk Of the notified Of this determination
of the committee TO keep the matter from the public
until the committee had taken action on the SUBJECT
and of this the officers Of the Government Printing
once had full notice also; and whereas said copies
were printed and brought 90 the of the commit
tee and delivered the clerk CT said committee on
Monday morning. the I'd instant, and were by him
distributed to the members Of the committee except
few copies which were put under lock and key ia
the committee room; and whereas the New York
ITtoRHe of Tuesday morning last contained a full
abstract of the said views of Mr. BuckHer, and The
EVENING STAR printed in this city of the date
contained complete and full copy of said doc ument
the Of sad and further said
mittee had not even discussed attempted agree
upon any report until yesterday Wednesday morn
ing, and has not yet by majority otherwise agreed
upon report in the matter referred and whereas
il is alleged that copy Of the said views Of Mr.
Buckner obtained from said committee room by
n 81