The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-23
HOUSE.

Mr.. Rice, from the Committee on In
valid Pensions, reported bill providing
that ali pensioners on>account of death,
wound received or disease contracted in
the service Of the United States since
March 4, 1871, shall commence from the
date of death or discharge, to receive pay
ment OF arrears Of pension. Referred to
the Committee of the Whole, and made
the special order for Wednesday next.
Mr.. Hopkins offered a resolution call.
ing on the Secretary for all the CORES .
pondence on the subject OF a change Of
officers in the Custom House at Pitts
burgh. Also for statement of all the
lnfluen o which induced the revocation
OF the request for the resignation of the
Surveyor OF tho port of Pittsburgh.
Adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Atkins, Senate
amendments to the bill to supply def
cheney in the appropriation Tor certain
Indian tribes, were non -cOncurred in.
The House then took up the bill re-
ported yesterday from the Judiciary
Committee, prohibiting contributions to
Election Funds
bv officers of the United States Govern
ment, the question being on the amend
ment offered by Mr.. Blaine TO extend
the application of the bin to Senators,
Representatives and delegates in Con
gress.
Mr.. Blaine proceeded to address the
House. He regarded 1t as very signlh-
cant and very gratifying circumstance
that the Judiciary Committee composed
of majority of Democratic members
and presided over by a strict State rights
Democrat had reported unanimously a
bill proposing to give Congress the right
to take coguizsnce et local elections even
in counties and districts. He regarded
that AS surrender of the doctrine here.
to.ore held by the Democratic party on
that subject. II was admitted every
where that there was as great Recassity
for legislation to secure an honest vote
and a fair count as there was to guard
poor clerks from five dollar contributions
for election purposes. With that portion
Of the bill he sympsthized. He did
not think there had been under the Re-.
publican regime in Washington any CO.
ercion Of clerks or any dismisssls for not
contributing, but both parties were in the
habit Of receiving assessments and con-
tribu:ions from office holders. That WAS
something too well-known and too noto-
rious to be denied. 1t might run into n
great evil. He thanked the Jud ciary
Committee for proposing remedy for
- hA .hapkaJ Tho IL a
for the very large majority with
which Ii had Yesterday indicated It's pur-
po.e to strlkcat an evil lar greater than
that. He undertook to say that contri-
buttons made in Congressional elections,
both by successful and defeated can
didatcs exceeded by many times over, A.
every election, the contribution by per-
sons holding State or federal offices,
though it was equally notorious, and if
the House designed TO correct that evil
and tear il up by the roots, the bill would
have TO be so amended that neither
Senator, Representative nor delegate,
nor candidate for such position
could safely use money for the
purpose of securing his election.
Mr. Brown replied 10 BlaineIs sug-
gestion ~ to the Democratic party sur
rendering its state rights and principles
and said that the substitute proposed by
himself was not open to that criticism.
Mr. Goode also replied TO the remarks
made by Blaine illustrating the mode by
which elections are perpetrated IN Viz
ginia and which Mrs Blaine had described
as playing dice for an election with one
side using loaded dice.
Mr.. Blaine referred to distinguish.
ed Democrat from Virginia as his su-
thority, and mentioned the name Of Gov.
Henry 4. Wise.
Mr.. Goode, energetically-We DO not
recognize him as Democrat in Virginia.
Mr.. Blaine-verv we'll; he certsinl '
is not on our side. TO use Governor
Wises own words to me,..'the fraud
was one which out Kellogged
Kellogg, which out-csrpet-bsgged the
carpet baggers. Laughter.
Mr.. Stowell-And that WIS in refer
ence TO ar election case is which my col =
lesugue Mr.. Goodel WAS ono OF the
parties.
Mr.. Blaine-l do not say that. Ihsve
not made any suggestion.
en-. Goode-I will be prepared when
thatfcsse comes up TO NEE: you or any
one else.
In the further course OF his remarks
Mr.. Blaine quoted :he testimony given
bv Cornelius Wendell, former Con.
gressional printer to the effect that forty
three per cent of the gross amount ap-
propristed for printing purposes had