The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-02-19

other finance reports, ought any one Il
place full confidence in these statement
as to the transactions Of the fnancia
affairs of Government
I I have no suitable words to express
my condemnation of anything that look
like change in the books and state
ments of the departments of the Govern
msnt, and there is no escape from the fac
that changes in the books and statement
Of the Treasury Department have been
mace.
On the 18th OF January the discussion
was resumed, and we again make an alb.
stract of the running debate that fol.
lowed:
Mr. Edmunds-May ask the Senator
q question for information?
Mr.. Davis-Certainly.
Mr.. Edmunds-I should like TO have
the Senator tell us whether it il not true,
as a matter of business necessity, that
there is no day in the year when the
amount of the public debt would appear
on the books of the Register to be the
same for that year that it does On the
books in the Secretsrys office, from the
necessity of business.
Mr.. Davls-I understand the Senator'S
question, and I will answer it as near
as / can. l understand from the Sena-
tor from Massachusetts that up to 1870
there was no table kept IN the Secretarys
office. Since 1870 there has been. un-
derstand, too, that before a statement is
made up at the end Of a year, no matter
what the debt may be during the year
on particular day, there are forty-five
days allowed to get IN all outstanding
warrants, and regulate all differences
that may occur between the two offices,
and that not only are those forty-hve days
generally taken, but sometimes they go
even up to November, am told. If
such is the case there are two or three
or four months to get in the differences,
if there are any differences, between
the Secretary and the Register. But L
cannot understand will say 10 the Sena.
tor from Vermont, when the Register
once makes up his table and reports it
to Congress, and puts down $l0,OOO,OOO
or 81 600, OOO, 000-it makes no difference
what the amount-how, five years after
that, or one year after, those figures can
be changed. l do not understand how
that can be done.
Mr.. Edmunds-Does the Senator mean
to say that the figures on the books of the
Registers office have been changed In
any instance to his knowledge or be-
lief?
Mr.. Davis-Tbe facts are stated as l
find Thorn without my belief, for L have
not much belief in this matter yet. l
hope, though, there will finally be some
one who will get the real facts in the
case. Take the report OF 1862, if you
please. Mr.. Chase reported that the
debt was $5l6,G00000; speak in round
numbers. The Register stated THAT it
was $5l4,00O;000, and so reported to
Congress. Mr.. Chase, in discussing the
situation ofthe country, said it was $5l4,-
100000. Each annual report Of the
Register from that day up to lS7l-l
think certainly up to lS70-contnued to
saw it was 1914 100000; but the report OF
1870 or 1871 said it was 1924, OOO. 600,
difference of $l0,0000OO.
Mr.. Edmunds-Now the Senator has
not answered my question; perhaps he
has forgotten it. The question which l
put to my honorable friend WAS this:
When he speaks about changes being
made in the books of the Registers Of
fee does he mean to say that he has un-
derstood or believed that any change of
entries has been made, like striking out
standing entry and putting something
else in its place? That WAS my ques-
ton.
MIR. Davis-I have not had an oppor-
portunity of examining the books, and
have not asked for it. | take the finance
reports, and | believe they ought to, if
they do not, represent the books from
which they purport to be taken. When
report is made TO Congress or to the
country, | believe it represents the books;
and if that be so, say the reports which
have been sent to Congress from year to
wear have been changed. Now, whether
the books have or have not been changed,
cannot say. l hope they have not
been; but the statements that have been
sent to Congress certainly have been;
and il the statements are not taken from
the books, where are they taken from?
Mr.. Edmunds-I guess they are taken
flom the books.
Mr. Davis-If they are, they have
been changed, for the finance reports
nave been changed, as the honorable
Senator from Massachusetts has admit
ted.
Mr.. Edmunds - Does the Senator
mean. in the sense in which he is wish
ING to have the country understand, that
if he, as my counsel in lawsult-and l
could not certainly have better one
last term charged me with $500 for at
tending to a motion and next term finds
that lie has paid since the last term 800
for clerks fees, and he adds that to my
account he has been charging his books?
Mr.. Davis No. sir, do not mean
that; but mean that if should go
back and change the original entry to a
different amount that would be chang
ing it.
MIR. Edmunds-Decidedly; and yet
when the Senator reported to me state
ment of the account he would report IL
as it stood each time and the two state
ments would differ just as those do.
Mr.. Sherman-lt is clear that there
has been no change of the books.
Mr.. Dav.s-Now the Senstor from
Vermont and the Senator from Ohio both
saw the books have not been changed.
Of course they speak with knowledge. l
take it they would not say so unless they
knew it. Then will either Of these Sen
ators tell me how it is that the reports to
Congress have been changed it they are
not taken from the books?
|. MIR. Davis-For each amount that l
have givenit l could find an explanations
/ have always stated it. Just here let me
saw to nv friend, the Senator from Mas
sachusetts, that certai.ly on one occasion
IN public. and it is the only one | will
speak of, he has said to me that should
have gone to the Treasury Department
and had these discrepancies explained. l
wish now to tell that Senator that did
all in my power in that direction, and L