The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-01-11

was exceedingly difficult to draw line
He was inclined to go so far As 10 50.
that member should rise in his plac
and say that he believed certail
charges 10 be true. He himself was th
only member against whom the resolu
tion could possibly be framed, becans
hs had been In charge Of departmen
1.-THE Interior Department. In regard tt
which rumors Of fraud had been 50 com.
mon. He could not conceive Of circum
stances under which Il would appear {,
him to be n friendly act on the part o
his political friends 10 object TO any
breadth Of investigation which coult
reach his own official acts, he SHOULD
consider the substitute as satisfactory
and that II any committee should CONT
into the House and say on their homo
that they deem an investigation necessa
~, the power should be Immediately
given. He thought the original resolu
lion went too far for It's own purposes
however with the feeling which he haC
indicated he would be cautious in ever
saying that he would go with the Demo
cratic House for any investigation which
Il might deem necessary.
Mr.. Garfield did not believe that there
was member present who objected TO
any investigation OF any public officer
upon any reasonable ground. But what
was the present proposition3 1t wa
that eighteen committees without any al
legation whatever shall go forth tc
search for something to investigate. he
would not object even TO that II they were
told simply TO use due diligence in order
TO find whether everything was right
within their respective jurisdictions
What was complained Of was that these
eighteen committees were empowered
ia advance OF any allegation, tc
send for papers and persons any.
where in the United States; that
they were armed with plensry authority
to command any private citizen from
Maine TO California to leave his business
to come to Washington as witness, tc
bring his books and papers and disclose
any Of his private affairs, and that not by
express command Of the House debarred
in case he opposed, but by the vicarious
power OF the House given to a
lew gentlemen in committee room. II
was that feature Of the resolution which
lie regarded as unwise and utterly unjns.
tifiable by any iacts known to the coun-
try. IIo did not propose to consent to
throw drag net over 4i,0O0. 600 Of citi,
zens TO drag any one Of them into com.
mittee room, without any hearing, and
without any specific authority Of the
House.
Mr.. Banks piad the pending PROPOSE.
tion was in conflict. with article four ol
the bill OF rights which protects citizens
against unreasonable searches and
seizures. The Senate had once passed an
order calling on officers Of the Govern.
ment TO appear before it aud testify, as to
what they had done, and great man
whu was then President OF the United
states (Jackson) declared that no officer
OF the Government under his administra'
ton, would be required or be .allow.
ed 10 obey such an order.
Mr.. Buckner did not understand that
the object oi the Investigations was to
make political capital. It's main object
was In the interest Of retrenchment and
refortn, as il was impossible to reduce the
expenditures OF the government unless
such power were given to the committees
Mr.. Garfield had called attention to the
fact that Just snch drag net resolution
was passed last Congress aud had cost the
country S5O0,0O0. Did not the gentle
man believe that the investigation by the
Naval Committee WAS worth $4,000
which il had cost?
MIR. Clymer said that the investigation
made by that committee last year would
enable the Appropriation Committee to
make the reduction much larger than the
investigation cost. /,
Mr.. Garfield replied that he was glad
10 hear 1t, but he still believed that when
ever any gentleman wished an investiga-
tion he should state his charges, II the
gentlemen wished 10 investigate the Pres
idential title let them make the charges
and he would help them at the earliest
possible moment.
Mr.. Tucker said he could not see any
danger 10 allowing the committee 10 pro
ceed with the investigations without be
ing obliged to ask the special permission
Of the House.
Mr.. Conger said when this subject was
up for consideration before the last Con-
gfess the gentleman from Virginia
Tucker had exclaimed that there should
be continuous onward investigation.
He had cried In the unknown language o.
Pocahontaah his ancestor, nuLa restigit
Tetrdiatm laughter and taking 1t for
granted that he meant no sleE
backward. The investigations haf
gone forward. II had cost between
800, 900 and 100000 10 make them. Tht
country had been disguised with the
whole proceedings. Witnesses had beer
supenaed whose oaths would not be taker
anywhere. No honor had accrued TO any
Of those investigations except TO hii
theatrical friend from Pennsylvania ely
mer), who had fancied mares nest with
horse on 1t and brought it the House,
mounted she tribunal and presented hi
case with so much glorifcation that th,
country had been astounded, while the
House had stood trembling with terror
That had stimulated every other com
mittee TO emulate 10 equal. The gen
tleman from Pennsylvania, who had
caught fisb, but all had failed to emulate
the illustrious example Of that gentle
man. There could not be two such biz
transactions in one century. Laughter,
The human mind could not bear astrair
OF two such performances. Laughter.
The object OF the present resolution wa
10 set q drag net At work all over th,
country, when the country was already
with political investigation.
Mr.. Burchard did not think II was wis'
In advance TO give the committees suct
extraordinary power, though he wa
willing to give them such powers wher
they should come forward and ask FOL
them.
The general debate having closed, thl
first vote was taken on Mr.. Burchardi
amendment, authorizing the committee
to apply to the House at any time fol
power 10 send for persons and papers
and IL yaA agreed to-0S to 93.
Mr.. Foster offered an amendment in.
structipg the Commits on Public Ex'
penditures also TO investigate the expen'
ditures OF the various sums appropriate,
by the 44th Congress for the purpose o
conducting the investigations and I,
report specifically 10 whom ant
for what services the variou
nayments have been made, He did no