The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-11
WASHINGTON.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


TIE INSTRUMENTATION OF THE RE-
PUDLIcANs TO BELIrTLE THEM-A SUMMARY
OF THE REsuLTs-wHAr HAS BEEN ACCOM-
PLIsHED IN CUTTING DOWN EXPENSES.
The illness or absence OF members OF Congress and
shc impending holiday for opening OF the Cenen-
NAL Exhibition have combined 10 put temporary stop
TO most OF the investigations going on in the House,
and the results SO far shown have naturally become a
matter OF conversation and discussion Many oil the
republicans try belitte the whole course OF the In.
rcsfigations They point out that buntcrs have been
made, some OF them laughabe aud ridiculous,
and they attempt TO cast upon the whole or
The inquiries tho odum that they are partisan.
they say too nothing has been discovered; that
is doubtful II Mr. Bc!snap will be tried by the Sen
ate or if he viii be condemned II he Is tried and that
'nobody else has been impcachcd" But the result OF
these inquiries cannot be successfully bcttled 1t Is
quite that Mr. Beknap may escape; that Of
Tho Investigations have produced the startling
Iults which too confidently expected OF them;
mat witnesses have had n bad character,
and their testimony credible and
that early in the session inquiries begun,
like that OF SIR Blackburn into the Presidents absence
from the seat OF government with which Congress had
no business But the general result of the invcsga
tons, the democrats rightly claim, has shown a
condition Of affairs which, Is laid before the people,
ms tncy mean 10 10 IN the canvass, can scarcely
fail to have powerful effect the
public mind These inquiries have shown
prevailing looscncss in tho administration
'f public trusts which is for tho present overlooked
because only few people keep up With the progress
N the numerous Investigations, and because the time
has not yet come to make an intelligent summary
81 them for the popular instruction. II may,
Tor instance, be impossible to convict Mr..
Bclknap, but the evidence before the Clymer
committee proved beyond doubt that post trader
ships. had become during the present administration
simply perqustes given away by high officers TO rcla
vcs avoritcs ami sold by these to the actual trad
1t has been shown that per OF tho President
was employed at regular salad by mercantile nrm
~ procure them government contracts Dir. Robson
sits securely in his seat, hut il has been shown that
brother OF his most intimate friend made great sum
OF money naval contractors and that he himself
favored banking firm with large loans Of government
money in a time OF panic and commercial depression.
The investigation of the Frcedman's Bank manage
shows looseness, extravaganza and favortism in
NIL its affairs, which, considering tho objects OF that
bank, really criminal
or the management OF Indian affairs II Is needless to
speak. The Investigations have shown, their
present stage the universal prevalence OF avoritism
wastcfuncss in the expenditure Of public money,
looseness in the execution of trusts, the careless
spending OF money without the authority OF regular
appropriations, lack or vigilance the chie officers
md condonng of neglect and incapacity in the lower
ulcers especially where they had powerful political
heuds
II Will not do before the people, democrats say, to
assert that all this amounts to nothing and that SO
long public officer has not been impeachcd before
thVSenatc put in jail by jury his conduct shall be
held blamcless. And In this they right They
have already gathered materials which, IL they know
how TO digest them and put them forth In u readable
shape will give the republicans great difficulty
plain The economies made on the appropriation bills
themselves show how careless md cStravagant tho ad
ministraton OF the government had become In tho
Diplomatic and Consular bill tho democrats made a
mistake. which many OF them now see. But tho naval
Appropriation has been down So 600 coo below that
Of last year, and with injury the efficiency of tho
navy, as is admitted. Tho Army bill wisely sent
TO Secretary TAFT for revision and ke has easily
menued saving Of $4,000, 900. In the Indian
service 000 600 S., 900 900 will DO saved il tho
Indian Ring docs not prove too powerful for tho House
And all these great savings the basis Of the
forces OF last year
II is understood that some OF the ablest democrats
n the House arc engaged in summarizing the result
OF tho Investigations, and that before the session
closes these results viii be presented the country
IN speeches which will show in nm in
teligble ana readable form what the Congressional
inquiries have developed. But tho committees are
by no means done. Some OF them, as that appointed
10 inquire into the management OF the New Orleans
Custom House, have scarcely begun. good doal of
work remains and there disposition any
thing undonc
THE RIGHTS AND IMMUNITIEs OF AMERICAN
CITIZENS ABRoAD-AN ACT FOR THEIR DKFI-
MILTON BEFORE THE HoUsK-How THE
DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP ARE AVOIDED.
Tho bill defining the privileges and immunes OF
American citizens living in foreign countries will prob
ably come Up in the House within few days Its OBJ
ject Is, by cw plain and definite regulations to enable
Americans, whether born natura.zcd, while iiv-
Ing abroad, to make known their citizenship to
establish their right to the protection Of the govern
ment without delay or dispute. lit becomes law 1t
VIII be an important convenience and safeguard to
Americans in foreign countries; will prevent set
tie without delay expense, all disputes
upon the subject with foreign govern
mcnts and will prevent persons not citizens
from using fraudulent naturalization papers, Is
done to very great extent to assert vague but
troublesome claims to the protection OF the Gag under
which, In many cases, has been found thcy never
lived simple registration at the office OF an Ameri-
Minister consul Of the name and address OF .
citizen aud proof OF citizenship secure him all the
rights Of citizenship so long he chooses ROMAN
abroad The bill also likes the status OF chill.
dren born abroad OF American parents, or where
one Of tho parents IS an American citizen, and
regulates the manner In which marriage between
Americans may DO solemnixcd In foreign Countries
residence abroad for years with failure
register in the provided in the bill works for
FIXTURE Of citizenship IL is suggested that II the
privilege Is not worth that much trouble IL is not
deserved.
The questions which this bill intended to settle
have up within tho last dozen years before
civilized governments for settlement and, In connec
tion Herewith, has become known a singular fact
that very largo number Of persons
nowadays, prefer TO 1.-Two out Of the
country In which they claim citizenship |
or Of which they acknowledge themselves subjects.
Various motives impc them to this but one OF the