The Portland daily press., 1877-11-17
XLVth CONGRESS-Extra Session.
SENATE.

hcers OF the savings banks of Worcester, Mass,
against the passage of the House bill for the re-
mone'lzation of silver. Referred to Committee
on Finance.
A similar remonstrance from national hanks
of Salem was presented by Mr.. Dawes. Refer
red to same committee.
Mr.. ingalls, introduced bill to repeal the
act authorizing the coinage of 20 cent silver
pieces Referred 10 same committee.
Mr.. Jones of Florida, submitted the follow
ing:
Resolved, That the Attorney General and
Secretary of the Interior beidireeted to COM
muncate to the Senate what instructions were
given marshals of the United States in Ala
oama, Florida and Mississippi touching the
seizure of logs, lumber and naval stores sus
pected of having been taken from public lands
of the United States, and whether or not, under
orders given said agents and marshals, large
amounts of property 10 possession of citizens
of the United States held under claim of valid
title have been seized without warrant sup
ported by oath or affirmation, and particularly
describing the things to be seized.
The resolution was amended so as to request
the President to furnish information to the Sen
ate il not Incompatible with the public inter
est, and to include the instructions given agents
and marshals, and all other states and terrific
res, and it was adopted.
Mr.. Davis Of West Virginia, called up the re-
solution for the appointment of committee to
inquire iBto discrepancies in the books and ac-
Mr.. Davis disclamed any partizanship, and
said that the facts and figures taken from the
official reports, clearly establish first, that DIFF
ferences. changes and alterations involving mill
lions of dollars .have been made in the annual
finance reports after being made to Congress-
Second, that ex-Secretary Bristow and the f.
nance committee admit that they were made
between 1869 and 1871, without explanation and
without authority, and the reasons for making
them ought to be known. Third that the an
No,a Ill
agree up to and including 1869, and from 1871
to the present. as to the public debt, and the ex-
penditures and receipts of the government; but
between theselyears they differ widely. Fourth,
that in 1870 the register OF the treasury was di
rected to re-state the public debt and eXpendi-
lures from 1885 to 1870, according to state
ment sent him from the Secretary's office, and
not according to the dates books in his office.
Fifth, that between 1869 ar 1871, the Secreta-
rvs new tables, stating and remodelling the
public debt and the expenditures of the govern
ment, first appear in the finance reports which
makes these charges and alterations and in
crease the public debt and expenditures more
than a hundred million dollars
Mr. Morrill, of Vermont, submitted the fol-
lowing substitute for the resolution of Mr.. Da-
Wis:
Resolved, That committee of three be ap.
pointed to investigate the finance reports, books
and accounts of the Treasury Department. par
ticularly the reports of 1869 to 1872 inclusive,
to ascertain whether or not any actual differ
ences or discrepancies exist, and also whether
or not any alterations in amounts or figures
have been made, and report the facts to the
Senate.
Mr.. Beck submitted the following as an
amendment to the substitute:
"And the committee may report to the Sen
ate whether or not the public interests would
be promoted by division of the Treasury De-
partment into two district departments the du-
ties of one to be given to the manager for the
collection Of revenue and to hold them till Or
dered by law to pay them out, and the duties OF
the other to manage the disbursements Of reve-
nue. collected and held by the other. If the
committee determine to recommend such divis-
ion they may report bill for the purpose"
Mr.. Beck said that if the Irregularities com.
planned of did exist he hoped the committee
would determine upon the best method of rem
edying them. He believed that the Treasury
Department was so large that no man at the
head thereof, however anxious to promote the
public interest, could understand all that was
going on in the department.. An experience on
the Committee on Ways and Means of the 9TH
er house of many years, convinced him that the
Secretary of the Treasury could not understand
all the business of his department.
Mr.. Eaton OF the committee, said there was
a committee of the Senate to examine the seve.
raj branches of the civil service of which be
(Eatonl was one member, and the Senator from
New York (Conkling) another. That commit
tee had considered the subject of dividing the
Treasury Department.
Mr.. Beck said he was not aware of that fact
and therefore withdrew his amendment,
Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont referred to the report
made in 1876 by Mr. Sherman, chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee, and by Mr.. Ker-
nan, a member of that committee, and argued
that all the allegations by the senator from
West Virginia, Davis were satisfactorily OK.
planned in that report He tMorrlD had not
the slightest objection to the fullest examina-
W M IT &C of q n lar
committee with several clerks. The senator
from West Virginia himself could go to the
Treasury Department and have the fullest ex-
PLANTATION made of any or all his charges. There
never had been an unwarranted alteration
made on any book of the Department He
made a brief explanation Of the manner of
bookkeeping, &C., and said sometimes war
rants issued in one year were paid after the
close of the year and therefore change in the
expenses for that year would be shown. A
small committee could make the investigation
asked and he would not object to the senator
(Davis) being made chairman of that commit
tee.
Mr. Thurman said this subject was not new
to him, though his recollection of the report
submitted in 1876 by his colleague at the time
(Sherman) and the Senator from New York
tKernan) was not vivid, but be was quite sure
it did not fully explain these alleged discrepan-
cies, although his colleague (Sherman) was
then fully acquain ted with all financial tran
Massachusetts (Boutwell) also endeavored to
explain the discrepancies, but there was a
marked difference in the explanations. This
matter did need an explanation, as it never had
been clearly explained, and he hoped the inves-
tigation asked for would be ordered. He moved
to amend the resolution so as to provide that
the committees authority should not expire
with the end of the present session. Agreed
to.
Mr.. Dawes denied that there had been any
lfnrnf tTra af kha Nonlrn e 81 ~
partment and argued that the whole subject
had been fully explained before.
MIR. Morrill, OF VT said, as partisan he did
not take the slightest interest in this question,
but he did feel that the honor of the country
was somewhat involved on account of the svs-
apprehension that the investigation would de.
velope any fraud by either Republican or
Democrat, whoever presided over the Treasury
Department.
Mr.. Hereford also quoted at length from the
finance reports to show that the discrepancies
did exis and said it would not do to say til ey
were brought about by defective bookkeeping.
Such an answer might be satisfactory to some
persons, but it was not satisfactory to q large
number OF Senators nor to the American peo-
pie.
After further discussion Mr. Morrill, said he
would not oppose the resolution of the senator
from West Virginia, providing he NOV ed to
strike out the preamble, charging positi vely
that alterations had been made, &C., and would
limit the force to be employed by the commit.
tee to one stenographer and one clerk.
Mr.. Davis intimated that he would SO amend
his resolution.
Pending discussion the Senate adjourned till
Monday.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Swami, chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, reported bill relative to the Paris
Exposition. Referred. The bill accepts the
invitation received from France to take part in