South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-04-14

Alien u. hamm0n0s The security thus
petitioning. resided in the Stsfe Of Mary.
land. Mr.. UBrien, lof tat State. very
kindly took charge ofthc petition and
hal il referred 70 tic Comnittee on mil.
itary Affairs. That committes sent the
petition to the Chiefofthe Ordnance Blu.
rcau to examine the statements contain.
eel i'm it, to return copies OF any papers
bearing upon the subject, andt express
his opinion upon all the ey violence before
his Bureau whether paymastar Murphy
was in default or not, and, Is so, to what
amount. A report was made by the
Chief Of the Ordinance, Bureau, which
passed from. him into the hands OF the
Second auditor OF the Treasury, who
also made q report. and thence through
the Acting Secretary OF War, George
NJ. Robson, to the Committee on Mill.
tary Affairs OF this. House. Twill quote
but two short paragraphs from the re-
port. Of the Ordnance Bureau. e
II all the checks thereon reported wcre drawu
in favor OF pubic creditors and from the balance
shown TO be ON hand December 81, incl ud,uc
rcmitiances after THAI date a. sh own by state
ment u. IL would seem that he b nd sccoun ted.
for all the public money iutrustsd to him.
And again, at the conclusion OF his
report. he says:
In my opinion the. surelies, of Military Store
keeper Murphy should be relic red from rec snsi-
bility under them bondi
1t was obvious that under these re.
ports the Committee on Military Affairs
could have done nothing less than re-.
port a bill discharging the securities
from. all further liability. But said to
my friend, Sir. Hardenbergh, of New
Jersey, member Of that committee.
when he showed me these re ports, that
did not wish the Committee on Militia
ry Affairs to report any bill in conform
ity with them; that could not consent
that any bill should pass Congress W lille
| was member of it that would release
me from pecuniary liability to the Gov.
eminent; and | accordingly requested
my friend, Mr.. OBrien, to withdraw the
papers from the files Of the House, MS L
also informed him that !. could no. con.
sent that any legislation personally ben.
citing me should take place while was
member of that body. The papers
were accordingly, on the motion Of Mr..
OBrien and with the assent of the peti.
toner. Hammond, by his agent and rep.
resentative, withdrawn from the files Of
the House about four weeks ago.
And yet these are the facts upon
which the leading organo the Admin.
istration in this city announces in star
ing capitals, "a serious charge against
Z. j. Faulkner" and asks that an inves.
tiSation shall be made into it. Sir. if |
do not characterize the editors sof this
public journal in the terms which they
merit, and this Administration which
feeds and nourishes these vipers that
bask in the sunshine Of executive pa.
tronage, it is not from any respect to
either. but because feel restrained by
that sense of propriety which is due to
unanimous vote Of this House accord.
ing to me the privileges of personal
explanation. / have been honorcd by
the people with many positions Of high
trust and responsibility, and. while
boast no higher purity or exemption
from infirmity than. should characterize
every ordinary Americas citizen. vet
should welcome with unaffected pleasure
the most rigid and unsparing scrutiny
into every personal aud Official act Of
my life
The public press is one OF the grand.
est instrnmentalities ever designed for
the perpetuation Of free institutions and
for the good OF mankind. But to fulfil
its exalted destiny it must be honest and
under the dominion of truth. A cor.
rupt. prostituted, dcbauched, and mer.
cenary press is an enemy Of liberty and
curse to the human race. No one
who has observed the course of the lead
ing organ of this Administration during
the present session of Congress but
must have been struck with the unutter-
able baseness and degradation of its
columns. You find this fully illustrated
i'll the facts that have this day been
brought to your attention.. With the
privilege OF free admission within these
walls 10 obtain correct Information OF
pre- ceedings OF this body and for the
purpose OF Importing that information
correctly to the public, you find it lie.
liberately preventing innocent. if not
meritorious, acts OF member OF this
House AMI spreading through tho com
mnnity the most unblushing peryerson
of his acts. Their ignorance Of the facts
il no excuse for their misrcprcsenta-
tons. IL, as the celebrated Fox once
said, Ignorance in d stateman i. n crime.
equally crime, where that is made the
cover under which he falsely ard wick.
edly holds up TO public accusation and
scandal a meritorions act OF one Of the
representatives Of the people
The Senate bill fixing tho Presidents
salary ut $4,000 after the 9TH OF March,
1877, was passed without discussion.
In the House, OH the 9Th, a resolution
was adopted instructing sub.committ
&c on naval affairs To- inquire into alleg.
Ell abuses in the Philadelphia and
League Island nayy-yards.
The proceedings of the House, on the
9Th, were uniuteresting, consisting Of
speeches OF the finances, Texas Pacific
railway, and the disposition of the public
lands.
In the Senate on the 10th. resolution
was adopted authorizing the Missiasir,