The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-20
Press Report. by Western
Union Line, otfice Northwest cor.
Of Main and 18th Sts.
FoRTY-F0URTH CONGRESS.
INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS !
Debates on Senator Davis
Resolution.
Morton's Mississippi Investi-
cation, and the Centen-
NAL Bill.
WASHINGTON, January ls.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, January 1S.
SENATE.
Mr.. Sherman presented twenty-one
petitions from citizens of Ohio, asking
Congressional aid for the construction of
the Southern Pacific Railroad. Refer
red.
Several other bills were introduced and
referred.
Mr.. Bsyard submitted Il resolution as
substitute for that reported by the
Committee on Rules, instructlng the
Committees on Rules Of the Senate and
House of Representatives to examine
and, after conference, report what
amendments should be made to the pres
ent Joint rules for the government OF the
two Houses of Congress; and also, what
legislation is necessary in regard to the
22d Joint rule. Ordered printed and laid
over.
Mr.. Sherman submitted q resolution
that the President be requested to cause
the building and grounds situated in
Columbus, Ohio, known as the Capital
University proposed to be donated to the
United States for the purposes OF mint,
TO be examined for the purpose of ascer.
tanning whether or not said building and
grounds are suitable for such mint.
Agreed to.
After the expiration Of the morning
hour Mr.. Morton moved to lay aside the
unfinished business, the
Resolution or Senator Davis
to appoint u Special Committee to inves-
tigate the books and accounts OF the
Treasury Department, and take up the
resolution submitted by him before the
holiday. recess, to inquire into the cir
cumstances attending the recent election
in Mississippi. Rejected. Yeas -;
nays 80.
The Senate then resumed the consider
alton of the resolution submitted by MIR.
Davis in regard to the books OF the
Treasury Department, the pending ques
tion being on Mr. Edmund's motion to
strike out ~ special committee" and in
sert ".he Committee" SO the investiga-
ton shall be made by the Finance COM
mittee instead of specla committee.
Mr.. Sherman said Senator speaking
IN this body about a matter which affect
ed the public credit should BE exceeding
" careful as to what he says. Any state
ment derogatory to our public accounts
affected the public good more keenly than
ANYTHING else. He denied that there
was discrepancy in the public debt to
the extent of one hundred millions in
1870, as charged by the Senator from
West Virginia, and said there was no
ground for such statement.
He GShcrman1 would be glad to
have the gentleman from West Virginia
GDavis1 90 to the Treasury and examine
tha books fo- himself. He argued that
if the Senator had read the financial re-
ports and compared the different state
ments, he would not have pointed out
sry such discrepancies, as the whole
thing was explained in those reports.
He read from the financial reports OF
1870 TO show that the sinking fund bonds
were not included in one statement. but
were in tie other, and that the total debt
July lst, 1870, after deducting coin, cur
rency, sinking fund bonds, &c, was s.
$50 $5S 500, or nearly one hundred
millions less than the amount given by
the honorable Senator from West Viz
gina T Mr.. Davisl Before the admins
tration of President Grant the public
debt statements were very meagre, but
when his administration commenced and
Mr.. Boutwell, entered the Treasury De-
partmeut. the statements were enlarged
for the information of the public. de
desired to say that the investigation
should be left TO the Committee on FL
nance, that committee would do the best
It could. but he would much prefer
to have special committee appointed and
let the Senator from West Virginia look
for himself. The accounts of the Treasury
Department were extensive and compll-
Gated, and he had often heard it said that
the manner OF keeping the accounts IN
the Treasury should be changed, but h"
thought it would be serious matter TO
improve on the plan of Alexander, Ham.
ilton, ,Gallatine and other noted tinsncIers
Mr.. Eaton SAID he did not want to say
ANYTHING TO injure the credit OF the gov
ernment. but the condition of the &C
counts of the Treasury should be probed
and examined. He WAS engaged himself,
about SIX months ago, with one OF the
shrewdest bankers in the United States,
in the examination of the Finance from
1871 to 1874. The time occupied in
the examination was about three weeks
ard he did not hesitate to assert that
there was not an accountant IN the
limited States who could take the
finance reports and debt statement and
come within fifty million dollars of the
amount of che public debt. In his
opinion there should be three depart
ments in the Treasury, one OF public &C.
counts, another Of commerce and third
of public labor. There was something
wrong in making up the accounts OF ihe
government and there should be
change.
Mr., Herman WAS in favor Of an inves-
,igstion being made by especial commit
tee.
MIR. Dawes said that If the Senator
from West Virginia Davis would state
that he had reason 10 believe that any
one had attempted to make the books OF
the Treasury Department falsely state
the condition Of the public debt he
TDswes1 would vote for special COM
mittee; but If the whole purpose of the
resolution was 10 ascertain whether
the books of the Treasury Depart
ment could be kept in more
simple manner, it was evident to him
that the Finance Committee could make
inquiry, The Senator from vest VIZ
cinis should be more explicit in his state
ments as to whether he charged fraud or
whether his purpose was to ascertain u
the manner Of bookkeeping could be
amphfed.