The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-19
neuse Of Representatives.


The Speaker laid before the House q
communication from George Nj. Adams, the
Clerk OF the House, asking for an investigation
into the charges made against him in the Chica-
go Lntcr-OcedH, that a member OF Congress
claims to have in his possession facts which he
will make public, showing that he (Mr. Adams)
has been selling his appointments at sums rang.
ing from tl0o to 500. He respectfully asks for
an early and thorough Investigation, aud says
that the charges are absolutely false.
On motion of Mr.. Brown lDem.. XVI the mat
ter was referred to a special committee Of i've
members Mr. Brown said that MIR Adams re-
Quested that no Democratic member from Ken
lucky should he on the committee.
he House proceeded to consider, unnn-
ished business. the resolution reported yestcr-
day 10y Mr. Singleton OF Mississinpi, from ths
Committee ON Printing, relative 10 the Govern
ment printing oice.
Mr. Hoar iRep., Mass. having raised the point
Of order That tpe resolution WAS not privil G-d
report, the sneaker tMr. Cox OF Kew lorkl oycr-
ruled the point Of order, and quoted the de-
c.sipns Of Speakers Winthrop and CobD To forti-
fy his decision. He said he was of The opinion
til the point II order would have held good I
made at the proper tlme, when the report was
INST made. but the report having been received,
read. recommitted to the committee, again re
ported, partly disposed OF. and partly recom-
mitted with nstructions TO modify the same. he
ruled that the ONT Of order WAS not well taken.
Mr. Hpar said ne had not raised the poin. of
Order for the purpose of embarrassing the Com.
mittee on Printing, and was entirely satisfied
with the decision OF the en- ir.
Mr. Banks tl.ib Mass suggested that the de-
cision OF the Chair was dangerous one. as. for
instance, petition la relation 70 the currency
might DO referred to the Printing Comm Tee,
and 1t could report "a currency bill at any time AS
a privileged report.
Mr. Randall objected to that part OF the pro-
posed Instructions wnich looks to giving a con-
tract TO Franklin Rives for printing the Congress
sional Ceba es, and moved ~ amend by requr-
ing the work to be open to competition. The
amendment MAS agreed 70.
Mir. Ballou rep, X. H., the minority member
OF the committee, defended the Congressional
Printer from the charges made against hun Ia
Printer had been treated unjustly, aud tnat he
was not guilty OF fraud In any respect.
MIR. Singleton dem. Miss) defended tho ac-
ton OF the committee. In the course OF nis re-
marks he was interrupted by suggestion iron
MIR. Foster (Rep., Ohio) to the eject that the
committee had been in constant consult ton
wiz h Franklin Riyes, to which 1ir. sing etou re-
sponded that tho committee hal consulted
with MIR. Hiyes as IL had done with other ex-
Lerts but there was nothing IN that fact which
should lead TIE gentleman (Mr. FOSTER to IN AXE
any reflections on the committee.
A disci OF any such intention was inter
posed by Dir. Foster. and Dir. Singleton went on
10 declare that the committee had not been
actusted by any unfriendly spirit toward MIR.
Clapp: that he had an opportunity given to him
to be present AZ the examination OF witnesses,
and that pefmiseion bad been offered him TO DO
represented 10y counsel, OF which he had not
availed himself lie also quoted from the evil
dence TO show that whereas Mr. Clapp had de-
MED having had any bank account IN washing.
ton, the cashier OF one Of the banks testified
that Mr. Ciapp mad rs high as $1,000 on deposit
a. one tine and sd at that time 900 or ST. 500,
Of when d discrepancy Mr.. Clapp had given no
exclamation. He said that the testimony also
showed the receipt OF public money by Mr.
Clapp which WAS not accounted for on the
books. Did his colleague (Mr. Is Hon call this
honesty For his part 1e asserted that there
was no soundness, no honesty, no integrity In
MIR. Garfield (Rep. Ohio) argued against the
abolition Of the Government printing and turn
ing the work over to contractors. and he re-
minded the House Of the great scandal that had
arisen from con racts for the public printing,
referring specially 20 the fact that one con-
tractor, Cornelius Wendell, had paid con
troun n TO a political party 81 per cent. Of his
gross CONDENSATION.
ar Vance Dem. Ohio said that the entire
cost Of printing in those days, swindles aud III,
would not cover the excess In charges IN ole
Mr.. d4rneld went on to say that the trouble
WIS not 80 much IN the rates phid for printing
ordered hy Congress. As 10 the rates, they
were contrnled by the Printers Union, and
were lfty per cent. higher IN Washington than
IN New ! orki baltimore, or run uclphlh, ne
Committee on ApprOpr atoms had reported two
years ago nlo'lslon mi INC iaus pAlu at the
/ Government printug ohte slould Mt exceed
by more tnan hye per cent. the ratios pad IN
those cities, but IL had failed In consequence IT
the opposition maze To- thy the frinters Union
all over e country, which controlled the local
press. his own poi.Ich slaush ter nAd oeen
threatened for his course m the matter, but the
| opposition TO MIN mad iailed.
the discussion was closed, and the resolution
was ado,ted nN "a party vote.
! priation Committee, reported the Indian Appru-
pltatnn MI, ana II was made lhe spetlal order
| after the val Appropriation MI snail II Vo
teen discussed II. lhe blli appruprIaics 9dNOl
/ "a, aud provides for the lansler OF tno Indian
| bureau 50 the War Department
| ine House then took NJ tho JOINT resulution
| her ofore iutr. duced by Nh Ely ward y o.
v'dlht ,nr We appohtl4enl oi
| part of Great BRIAN, aud ascertain on what
! b siS mu'uaiiy brnehclll treaty OF commerce
betwern the uniLod States and Canada can DO
Effected.