The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-14
FoR1Y-FouRTH CONFESS.
Senator Davis After th Rad
icals.
Synopsis Of his Remsks
Blaine Attempts to Rely to
Hill.
WAsHINaToN, Januar. IL
SENATE.

I SENATE.
Mr.. Merriman submitted resiutin
instructing the Joint Committe IN
Printing to inquire into the expeiepy
of preparing a hand book for theuaef
Congress, embodying q briet accunt,f
the several Executive Department. II
the government q classification ate
officers thereof and brief accosnt f
each. Also like account of the SSRe
and House, and report by bill or oehe
wise. Agreed to.
After the expiration of the mornlr
hour Mr.. Davis called up the resoluf6
submitted by him yesterday and ok
for the appointment ofa committe6 4
investigate the books Of the Trea9
Department &c, and addressed the
ate thereon.
Mr.. Davis said that in examining b
finance reports of the Secretary OLD
Treasury that have been made fof ~
eral previous years he had 7diseoye1et
many alterations Of figures, invoh D,
large amounts, causing them to Oh
widely from each other as TO the traasf
tions in tho Treasury Department ID O.
same years. He quoted eItensivelyfr0r
the annual reports Of the Navy, WF
Pension and Indian Affairs Departures
making comparisons Is to the recftrps
and expenditures for several years -
claimed that the figures in some -
showed an increase in the expetk :
and public debt in the aggrel
of many millions Of d.
and a large decrease. IN the revenue g
lection. The amounts. were increa6
or decreased rs occasion might re4h
by addition to or subtraction from lof9t
and treasury notes, aud if there vs4
errors or frauds an opportunity was gre
to attempt to cover them up. Uad1
that head he also quoted from the Pubt|
debt statement for several years aud
claimed that there were gross die
crepancies between the figures q
the Secretary of the Treasury and
Register Of the Treasury, and also thu
the figures had been changed. No mat
ter, he said, if it should be claimed tbs,
the books of the Secretary of the Treas
ury and Register differ, and no matter u
these officers have different systems ol
book keeping, there can be not satisfac-
tory ways in which TO explain or answer
why solemn official reports made to Con-
gress and published to the country, and
reported ys.. Otter year AZ SHOULD he aE1 Xs.r.
shown.
Mr.. Davis speech was necessarily
largely confined to statistics, and speak
ing OF the discrepancies in the annual re-
ports, he said: The figures and changes
| have referred to in the stticial reports
are so very large and the amounts so tre-
mendous tnat l can hardly believe them
mysels, but after careful and earnest eX-
animation of the facts in reference there
TO, and such information as l could OBJ
tain after consultation with the different
officers of the Treasury Department, l
Am forced to declare that l can
find no satisfactory explanation
of them. If there is one, ! should be
glad to have it. If there is Senator
upon this floor, or an officer of the gov
ernment who can make plain and sat
isfactory explanation of these charges
and discrepancies, | hope he will lose no
time in making himself heard upon them.
In nv judgment, if it is incapable OF ex-
PLANTATION, it is more dangerous than any
default. no matter what the amount.
The facts and figures, as stated, he be-
lieved justified the appointment OF q
Special Commlttee of the Senate to look
into the changes in and the condition OF
the books and accounts OF the Treasury
Department, and he therefore asked the
passage of the resolution.
After the conclusion of Mr. Davis speech
Mr.. Merriman inquired if there were no
notes or explanations Of these discrep-
ances.
Mr.. DAVIS replied in some cases there
were explanations, but he had been un-
able to find how any system OF book
keeping could change the amounts after
they had been reported TO Congress.
Mr.. Boutwell, said there was nothing
new in the statements made by the gen
tlemsn. As to the figures presented from
the books OF the Treasury he Boutwell,
had no observation to make. lie would
venture TO say, however that an
accurate knowledge of the business
of the Treasury Department would
dissipste sll difficulties under which the
honorable Senator from West Virgins
now labored. and it occurred TO him
Boutwell, that the Senator from West
Virginia was dealing with great public
question, as he thought he might have
called upon the present Secretary Of the
Treasury and unfolded 10 him the diff
cul,ies Of which he complained, and ask
ed him whether they were capable oi
fair solution. He Boutwell, was quits
sure thst it was in the power of the head
of ,ha. Department and equally sure II
would have been his disposition 10 have
given 10 any member OF the Senate
an opportunity ot understanding a.
the difficulties to which tne honorable
Senator Dsvisl had referred. There
was nothing whick the honorable Sena'
| tors had presented that went to sho"
that the books Of the treasury had beer
changed. or tampered with by anybody y
| The statements presented TO Congress anC
the country are prepared sothat Any per
! SON can examine the books and see ihs
they concur.
Mr.. Davis asked whether be under
stood the Seua,or Bouiwe!l TO say ,hs
the figures of the officials reports sent :
Congress year sitter year, had not eeer
changed
NJ. Boutwell, said dife-en: state
meats from Tracy's hsd no, been chang
! ed aud 30 we have statements prepare
in the Office OF the Secretary OF tn
Treasury and showed the business II
the cor,rol OF his office, and others wer
prepared By the Register and showed tn
business IN the control Of hi. office
! Rssuming he argument M. Bout
we'll said when he took charge OF IN
Treasury Department in lse0, one of IA
.fr.t things that he discovered was tn
fac. ths. the books Of the Dep.rtfnen
! did sskxepresent the actual amount
the eN,ic debt outstanding and tn
lSrose from succession OF events sine
tthescxanizxtion OF the Department.
.lxFur. Boutwell, then explained at lengt
in tra A