The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-17

bUiuGs WI |
The Speaker asked whether there was
any objection to the offering of the reso-
luton.
Mr.. Crittenden (Mo,) objected.
ARGUMENT OF MR.. WOOD FAvoRINd HIS RE5o.
LUTON.
Mr.. Wood declared he personally knew
of nothing that it was intended to do be-
yond fair, legitimate honest inquiry |
and investigation for the purpose Of leg
islation, for the purpose of instruCting |
the House in the discharge of its legisla'
tive duties. 1t was designed to enter
into a wide and extended attempt to in
jure the personal or private character OF
any public official. 1t was for the pur-
pose Of carrying out that power and that
authority which the Constitution appear
ed to impose expressly on the House OF
Representatives. to investigate the con-
duct Of public officers, looking to a puri-
ication of the civil service, and to laying
the foundations for impeachment, if the
House should deem proper to take that
course. His idea of the powers and du
ties of the House was that they were CO.
ordinate with those of the President and |
Senate. The Executive nominated and
appointed, the Senate confirmed or re-
fused to confirm. 1t remained with the
House to know how the persons appoint
ed and confirmed discharged their du
ties. The President himself had very |
clearly laid down that principle in his !
annual message. He believed it neCes-
sary, in order that the House should ex'
ercise its rights, to have its power in the
matter delegated to committees to exam
inc witnesses and take testimony, in or.
der to lay the facts before the House, and |
to lay the foundation for the action of
the House in the way Of impeachment,
or of recommendation to the President
for removal, There was no reasonable
right to complain of the resolution. Ger
tainly the investigations of the last Con-
gress had resulted in great good to the
public service in many regards. Some
of the Executive departments had been
improved, but they would not have been
improved but for these investigations.
The resolution had been subject to great
consideration by the Committee on Ways
and Means. Every feature had been ex-
dullutu. IIdCl CuDllllblNO tldb Woo w
be clothed with power was thrown on
its own responsibility for the proper ex'
ercise of that power. Under these cir
CumstanCes it appeared to him that there
could be no objection to the adoption OF
the resolution, and he hoped there would
not be.
RADICALS ATTEMPT TO sTIFLE INVGsTIGA-
TION.
Mr.. Hale offered as a asubsttute reso
luton providing that whenever any com.
mittee Of the House shall ask for special
and extraordinary powers in regard to
the time and conduct of its meetings, the
power to send for persons and papers, or
any other extension of its power, and du-
ties, for the purpose of investigating tie
conduct of any offices of the government,
the charges on which such demand for
investigation is based shall be presented
in writing to the House, with the name
of such officer as is charged with improp-
or and unlawful proceedings and par
ticular statement of the charges against
him, and the same shall be acCompani-
ed by statement in writing, signed by
one or more members of the House that
he has or they have reason to believe
The facts set forth in said charges.
He advocated the adoption of his sub
jtitute and said it proved the good faith
)f the Republican side of the House.
Nobody desired to stihe legitimate in
Vestigation, but the House should not 60
further than was comprehended in his !
resolution. After the adoption by the
last Congress of resolution similar to
that now before the House, almost the
entire business of the House has been
given up to investigation. The mania
had spread to nearly every committee,
even the staid Committee of Ways and
Means had been affected by it. Every
1isaffeCted man; every broken down ex-
PEELED Office holder; every dead beat who
had not received what he wanted, had
been summoned before the committees,
and the whole business session was given
up to these Investigations which were al
most all fruitless. The only committee
which had not got into the investigation !
business had been the Committee on APP
presided over by the pres.
9nt Speaker of the House, who had rig
dly kept the committee to its duty, and t
more valuable work was done by that
committee than by all investigating COM
nittees together.
Mr.. Wood opposed Hale's substitute |
IN the ground that to consent to itwould I
be to put an end to all investigation. 1t :
would publish beforehand parties to be ,
Investigated and witnesses to be sum- !
noned, and thus give time for papers to ,
% removed and for witnesses to ab-
jCond.
Mr. Clymer conceded that Republican
of the House were justas earn
,st and sincere in their Willingness for
Investigation (where there was proper
,ause) as members on his own side. He I
,ould conceive of nc more disagreeable t
iHty that could be imposed upon any S
public servant than that of becoming a
public informer. He knew from his own
experience that thousands of rumors
cached committees in which possibly I
here might be grain of truth. He 2
Knew that in the last Congress he had ex. .
smined patiently, and carefully, rumors
If most monstrOus character affecting a =
hen high officer of the government, on
hAIL luLOlD AlO WOuiu lO lllOlO DdfO | -
,ome into the House and made charges
against him than he would have dared
o assassinate him, and had not the com.
nittee been armed with a power of at I
achment, the crime and disgrace and l
lishonor of that officer would not have t
1een exposed. He did not doubt thatin
Executive departments, as now admin /
stored, the heads Of these departments c
,ourted investigation in order to protect
themselves from the derelictions of their Z
predecessors. lie believed that many of v
hem were anxious that the past should t
)e examined. They did not wantto turn c
nforn ers; did not want to appear as in a
ormers and spies on their predecessors I
Unless they we're compelled to do so.
Mr.. Cox (0hio) remarked that he alone
IN his side of the House favored the !
adoption of the resolution before recess. :