The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-01-27

lie debt. This mistake was afterwards
discovered and corrected.
In reply to question of Mr. Sherman,
Mr.. Boutwell, said that the first monthly
statements which contained an account
of interest were issued in July, 1863.
Mr.. Davis said he could not under
stand how figures could be changed hye
years after the Register had made up his
report and sent it to Congress.
Mr.. Edmunds said he happened 10
know, from an examination which took
several months, made with Mr.. Bucka-
lew. then Senator from Pennsylvania,
that the books of the Treasury Depart
ment had not been tampered with.
There had been nothing Of the kind, yet
it was impossible for all accounts to agree
on account of being kept in three or four
different Offices, as they were.
Mr.. Davis said the accounts might
show a change from day to day, but he
did not understand how figures could be
changed four or five years after they
had been reported to Congress.
Mr.. Edmunds said the changes which
the Senator complained of were the re-
suit of book keeping. One of the good
things which the Senator from Massa..
chusetts did while he was Secretary OF
the Treasury was to 60 through all of
these accounts and simplify them as far
as possible.
Mr.. Davis said he understood there
was no double-entry bookkeeping in the
Treasury Department. In the remarks
he made the other day, he had no in
tention to throw any discredit upon the
Treasury Department or the national
credit. If errors existed in the Treasury
Department they should be corrected.
The Senator from Massachusetts, Bout
well) admitted that the figures he Davis
presented were correct, but denied that
the books had been tampered with. Was
it possible that the books Of the Treasury
would not bear out the figures of the
finance reports from which he Davis
had taken his figures?
Mr.. Edmunds referred to the error
mentioned by Mr. Boutwell,, where a
clerk added the internal revenue to the
public debt, and humorOusly spoke of
such clerk as being bad boy.
Mr.. Davis-It appears to me that there
are good many bad boys in the Treas
ury Department, and hope some of
them will be found out. Laughter
Continuing his remarks, Mr.. Davis said
he desired to look over the remarks OF
the Senator from Massachusetts Bout
WE'LL, and would have something to say
in reply hereafter. The Senator from
Massachusetts had overlooked several
instances where he Davis showed that
there were errors.
Mr. Sherman, of Ohio, said he had no
objection to voting for the resolution,
and the debate could be resumed when
the report of the committee should be
made. He thought the best thing for
the Senate to do was to adopt the reso-
luton without the preamble; that he
could not vote for, because he did not be-
lieve it to be true.
Mr.. Edmunds also favored the passage
of the resolution, but said he was opposed
to appointing a special committee. The
Senate had Committee on Finance, and
that committee could do the work better
than any special committee. The FL
nance Committee was composed of gen.
tlemen from both sides of the Chamber,
and fair report would be rendered by
them.
Mr.. Thurman did not agree with the
Senator from Vermont as to having the
investigation made by the Finance Com
mittee. Although the Democratic party
was ably represented on that committee
by two members, they had not devoted
any particular attention to the subject of
Treasury investigation. The Senator
from Connecticut (Eaton) and the Sena-
tor from West Virginia Davis had stud
led the subject, and they should be men,
bers of the investigating committee.
Mr.. Edmunds said the expenses Of
every inquiry made by special commit
tees was very great. 1t could be made |
by standing committee for one-half the
sum.
Mr.. Sherman said he saw no reason
why the committee should be author
zed to send for persons and papers. The
could go to the Treasury De-
oartment, to the very place where these
books we're kept, and examine them.
They could go with the power of the
Senate to make such examination.
Mr. Edmunds moved to amend the |
resolution so as to have the investigation
nade by the Finance Committee, instead
If special committee.
Mr.. Bayard favored the appointment
# special committee.
Mr.. Thurman quoted at length from
he speech of Mr.. Boutwell, on Thursday
asst, and said the main question now be-
ore the Senate was as to tie truth of
he finance reports upon which the peo'
Die of the country had relied. The Sena-
or from Massachusetts had distinctly
aid that the accounts of the Register of
he Treasury did not state the exact
ruth in regard to the public debt for the
ong period of eight years, when the
Government was seeking a loan from the
people of Ohio, and said our public debt
S so much, our interest is so much The
people relied upon that statement. Now
he Senator from Massachusetts Bout
VelD said to those people they were very
simple to rely upon these reports for the
ruth. If they were good accountants
md went to the Treasury, they could
ascertain there whether the sfficial re.
ports of the Treasury were correct or
not. 1t was high time this inquiry should
be made. The thanks of the Senate and
Of the country were due to the Senator
rom West Virginia for calling attention
% this subject. The investigation should
be made, not in party sense, but on
business principles, to see if the accounts |
Of this Government could not be kept |
The same as the accounts of great rail.
road or mercantile establishment. He
favored the appointment of select COM
mittee to make the inquiry.
Mr.. Morton said he was in favor of
having an investigation, but it should be
made by the Finance Committee, and
not by select committee. No special
committee would be more energetic or
determined than the Committee on FL
nance.
Pending the discussion, at 4:15 the