Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-01-04

the Washington real.estate pool, the
brooklyn naVy-yard, the District of Co
lunibia Lunatic Asylum, etc. In fact,
a list of the matters investigated would
occupy more space than list of the
laws enacted by that Congress. And,
after all, the smelling committees failed
10 find anything of great Importance.
II never seemed TO occur to them that
there might be nothing to find.
Mr., Glover, of Missouri, was one of
the most ardent of the trail-hunters in
that Congress. 1t was he who made
himself a laughing-stock by his childish
treatment of the case of Hallet Kilbourn,
the pontumacious witness in the investi-
CATION Of the Washington real-estate
pool. Although Charles A. Eldridge,
Democratic Congressman from Wis
consin, was ready and anxious to give
the information required of Kilbourn,
Glover would not have it, and when the
recusant witness had been sent to pris-
on for contumacy Glover rushed before
the House, his hair on end and his eyes
dilate, to charge that Kilbourn had ter
rapin, Bermuda potatoes and other ed
ible luxuries conveyed to him daily in
hack, in defiance of the Congress OF
the United States. The torrent of rtdt-
cule which overwhelmed Glover and
his incendiary indictment Of the luxuri-
ous Kilbourn silenced that excitable
son of Missouri for the remainder ofthe
session. But he has broken out afresh.
He desires to cast another drag-net over
the country. Not satisfied with the
meager haul which was made by the
last Congress he began last November
preparations for general grand in
quest. Having drawn up resolution
to authorize the various standing COM
mittees of the House to make investiga-
tions into the branches of service over
which each had any jurisdiction, Mr..
Glover had this referred TO the Ways
and Means Committee. Mr.. Wood,
Chairman of that committee, reported
back the resolution "as amended" "
The resolution simply ordered that GER
tain specified committees be instructed
to inquire into any "errors, frauds or
abuses in the several branches of the
public service, have power to sit during
the recess, send for persons andpapers,
etc. The committees named were as
follows: Indian Affairs, Military AT
fairs, Naval Affairs, Postoffice and Post
Roads, Public Lands, Public Buildings
and Grounds, Claims, War Claims, Ex-
penditures in the State Department,
War Department, Navy Department,
Postoffice Department, Interior Depart
ment, Department of Justice, and on
Public Buildings; and, to crown all,
the Committee on Public Expenditures
was also instructed to make an inquest
for aforesaid abuses, errors and frauds.
Usually, committee may conduct
any investigation which the good of the
public service may require without eX'
traordinary powers being granted
When special occasion arises, the par
ticular need for extraordinary author.
ity is made known, as in the case o
Secretary Belknap. But in this case
there is no special purpose referred to-
nor even a single committee mentioned
as needing the extraordinary and un
usual right to summon witnesses, de
mand persons and papers, and to exer
else the functions of judicial tribunal
1t is monstrous perversiOn of power
which should, at one fell swoop, by tn,
passage of simple resolution, give
eighteen standing committees of thu
House rowing commission to investi
gate everybody and everything withou
so much as specifying what they are t.
investigate or why they are to investi
gate Just before long recess it wa
sought to give these eighteen commit
tees authority to go all over the United
States, compelling the attendance o
witnesses, the production of papers, ant
the testimony of private citizens, unde
severe penalties. Fortunately for tn
country, this outrageous scheme wa
defeated, and the resolution went owe
until Jan 10, when Mr.. Wood, as he de
clared, will force it day after day, weel
after week, and month after month
There can be no possible objection t.
inquiries and inquests by committees o
Congress. Each committee has powe
to make inquiry, and the House can en-
force those powers. But to send on
all the committees, with extraordinar
powers of seizure, on general search
warrant is an outrage which shoul
not be permitted Y. Times.