The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-11

could not conceive of the circumstances under which
1t would appear to him to be friendly act on the
part of his political friends to object to any breadth
of investigation which could reach his own official
acts He should consider the substitute "a satisiac-
tory and that if any committee should come into the
House and say their honor that they deem an in
vestigatiou necessary the power should be imme-
diately given. He would go with the Democratic
side of the House for any investigation which it
might deem necessary.
Mr.. Garfield said what was complained of was that
these eighteen commissioners were empowered in ad-
vance of any allegation to send for papers and per-
sons any where IN the Uhted States; that they were
vate citizen from Maine to California TO leave his
business to come to Washington as a witness, to
bring his books and papers and disclose any of his
private affairs, and that not by the express command
Of the House delivered in the case proposed hut by
the vcarious power of the House given in advance to
q few gentlemen in committee room That feature
of the resolution would be regarded unWise and nj
terly uujusUfable by facts known to the conntrv
He did not propose TO consent to throw a drag-net
A 600 900 OF citizens to drag any one of Them
into committee room without any hearing and
without the specific authority of the House.
Mr.. banss Opposes a. tne resolution on the ground
House, which duties were those pertaining solely to
legislation The pending proposition was in conflict
with article OF the Bill of Rights which protects
citizens against unreasonable Searches and sei1nres
Mr.. Gar6eld-Just such adrag-net resolution pass
ed the last Congress and cost the country $500 OOO
Did the gentlemen believe the investigation bv the
cost?
ME- OlyIA6E EAU INC l0VeSJIgaU1On made by that
committee last year would enable the Appropriations
Committee to make reduction much larger than the
investigation cost.
Mr.. Tucker favored the resolution
Mr.. Conger Of Michigan, said that when this sub
ect was up for consideration at the last Congress the
gentleman ftom Virginia (Tucker) had exclaimed
that there should be continuous investigation He
had cried out in the unknown language of Pocahon-
tas "Nulla vestgia retrorsum,' Qaughter) and TAX
ing it for granted that that meant "No step back
ward" the investigations had gone forward. 1t cost
between 100000 and $780, 600 to make these nvest-
cations. The country was disguised with the whole
proceedings. Witnesses were subpenaed, whose
oaths would not be taken anywhere. No honor had
accrued to anybody from those inveA legations except
to his theatrical friend from Pennsylvania (Cymer)
who found mares nest with horse on it, (Iaugh-
ter and brought it to the House, mounted the tri6u-
nal and presented his with so much glorifca-
ton that the country has been astounded while the
House had stood trembling with terror daughter
The general debate having closed the first question
was takenon Burchard's amendment authorizing the
commission to apply to to the House at any time for
power to send for persons and papers and it was
agreed to, 68 to SO.
Mr.. Foster offered an amendment instructing the
committee public expenditures to investigate the
expenditure of various sums appropriated by the 44th
Congress for conducting Investigations and to report
specifically to whom and for what services the pay
ments were made. He did not believe in this drag
net process of investigation. He asked his Demo-
cratic friends whether they wanted to continue that
kind OF investigation which had blackened the char
acter of a gentleman, who had been before the
Democratic national convention as a candidate for
the Presidency and was now prominent candidate
for Senator from Ohio (Pendleton) 1t seemed to
him the country had had enough of that sort OF
thing. He would not say there had been anything
eating committees of the last Congress- but state
ments had been made to him which led him to be-
eye there had been gress carelessness if not down
right corruption in the expenditure of that money;
that "dead BEATS from all parts of the country had
come to Washington and been made Witnesses; that
one person who wanted to 60 to tn centennial exhi
witness, while he knew nothing about the matter
to be inquired into.
aad Mo;no Ii,
gentleman from New York (Wood) who had charac-
terzed the House as grand inquest Of the nation
which should investigate all the wckedness OF the
land, should be unwilling to investlgase some pet
wickedness. He was also surprised that the intima-
ton that such Inquiries should be carried with
cresy and he ridicued the idea OF having anything
OF public character Kept secret in Washington. The
investigating committees of the last Congress had
gorged themselves with accusations made by persons
OF no character in the community, and then let
them ooze out to newspaper correspondents thus
tablishing public competition on tbe subject Of
enough of all that and would be disguised with any
repetition thereof. He thought it discredt that
the House should be spending its time In attempting
to make political capital. II any member knew Of
any matter which ought to be investigated, why
should he not come before the House and make the
charge, and allow the House to say whether it will
Mr.. Cox of New York, followed in support of the
resolution and intimated that the counting in Of
President Hayes might not bear investigation.
MIR. Foster-Lest the innuendo comprised in the
remarks OF the gentleman frsm New York Cox
might be misunderstood by my silence, reply to his
remark, "How did you get the President in" In
reply to numerous allegations that have been made
by the public press and by some gentlemen through
out the country say that so far as am concerned
so far as any knowledge Of mine is concerned there
is not one scntills of truth in those charges.
After considerable discussion Fosters amendment
was adopted.
The question then required on Hales substitute
and it was adopted 101 to SO.
When the result was announced it was greeted
with demonstrations of triumph on the Republican
side.
The committee then rose and reported the resolu-
1 ton and substitute.
MI. Hale of Maine endeavored to get action in the
Bouse but Mr.. Wood of New York moved for ad.
Journment, characterised by Hale as fibustering
which was carried 101 to &c. and the House at 43t
adjourned until tomorrow.