, 1876-05-27
THE INVESTIGATIONS.
Attempts Of the Republicans TO Beiittie
Them-A Summary Of the Results
what Has Bees, Accomplished In Cat
ting Down Expenses.

1hem-A Summary Of the hesuits-
what Has Been Accomplished In Cat
ting Down Expenses.
wAsHISeTOx, May 10, 1875
The illness or absence Of members Of Con-
gress. and the impending holiday for the
opening of the Centennial exhibition, have
combined TO put d temporary stop to most OF
the Investigations going on in the House, and
the results 20 far shown have naturally be-
come a matter Of conversation and discussion
Many Of the republicans try to belittle the
whole course of the Investigations. They
point out that bIuuders have been made, some
! of them laugbable and ridiculous, and they
attempt to cast upon the whole OF the in
quiry the odium that they are partisan.
They say, too, that nothing has been discov-
cred that it is doubtful if Mr. Belknap will
be tried by the Senate, or if he will he con-
demned if he Is tried and that nobody
else has been impeached." Bat the result of
these Inquiries cannot be successfully belittled-
1t is quite true that Mr.. B7lkDsp may es-
cape; that some Of the Investigations have
not produced the startling results which were
too confidently expected Of hem; that some
witnesses have had a bad character, and
their testimony was not creliiable, and that
early in the session some inquiries were be-
gun, like that Of Mr.. Black burn, into the
Presidents absence from The seat of govern
menf, with which Congress had no business.
Bot the general result OF the Investigations,
as the democrats rightly claim, has shown
condition of affairs which, i: it Is laid before
the people, as they mean to d in the canvass,
the public mind. These inquiries have shown
q prevailing looseDess in the administration
of public trusts, which is for the present
overlooked, because only few people keep
UP with the progress of the numerous investi-
cations, and because the time has not yet
come to make an intelligent summary of
them for the popular instruction. 1t may,
for instance, be impossible to convict MIR.
Belkuap, but the evidence before the Ciymer
committee proved beyond doubt that post
traderships had become during the present
administration simply perquisites, given
away by high officers 10 relatives or favor
ties, and sold by these to the actual traders.
Ii has been shown that brother of the PI es-
ident was employed at regular salary by a
mercantile firm TO procure them government
contracts Mr.. Robson sits securely III his
seat, but it has been shown that brother of
his most intimate friend made a great sum OF
money out of naval cou;rac'oIs, aud that he
himself favored banking firm with large
loans Of government money IN time of panic
aud commercial depression
The Investigations of the Frecdman's Bank
management shows loOseness, extravaganza
aud favori,ism in all lis affairs. which, CON
sideripg the Ejects of tha: bank, are really
criminal
OF the management Of Indian affairs It is
needless to speak. The Investigations have
shown, even at iheir present stage, the uni
versal prevalence of favnritsm, was,efulness
in the expenditure of pubic money, looss-
ness in the execution of trusts, the careless
spending of money " itbout the authority of
regular appropriations, lack OF vigilance In
the chief officers and oondoning Of neglect
and incapacity in the lower officers, especially
where they had powerful political friends.
1t will not do before the people, democrats
saw, TO assert that all this amounts to moth
ing, and that so long as pablo officer has
not been impeached before the Senate or put
in Jail by jury, his conduct shall be held
blameless. And in this they are right. They
have already gathered materials which, IT
they knew how to digest them aud pu; them
forth in readable shape, will give the re-
publicans great difficulty 10 explain The
economies made on the appropriation bills
themselves show how careless and extraYa-
CANT the Administrations Of the government
had become. In the diplomatic and consular
bill the democrats made mistake, which
many of them now see. But the naval APP
| preparation has been cut down So, 600, 900 be-
low that Of last year. and with no injury TO
the tffiCirDcy of the navy, as is udmI'ted.
The army bill was wisely sent to Secretary
Taft for revision, and he has easily recom-
mended a saving of over s., ,000,0O0 In the
Indian service S7,000,0 600 or 5000, 600 will
be saved, if the Indian ring does not prove
too powerful for the House. And all these
great savings are on the basis OF the forces Of
last year.
1t is understood that some Of the absent
democrats In the House are engaged il sum
marizing the result of the Investigations, and
that before the session closes these results will
be presented TO the country in one or two
speeches which will show IN an intelligible
and readable form hat the Congressional H.
quiries have developed. But the committees
are by no means done. Some of them, as that
appointed 10 inquire into The management OF
the New Orlesus custom house, have scarcely
begun. A good deal OF work remains AID
there is no disposition TO leave nything I'M
done-N Y Herald
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T,r Ef uur paR THIS COAST