Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1880-06-12
Investigating Committees.


The people of the United States
have certainly long since become thor
oughly Disguised with congressional
investing committees, which have ac-
complished nothing whatever except
to expose to the world the huDiliating
fact that there are hundreds of Williams
in our country in the employ Of polili-
cal parties as perjurers.
If the money that has been squan-
dered in these useless investigations
had been applied TO some useful pur-
pose, we would have navy that
would not be disgrace to our Gov.
eminent and leave our country exposed
to the dangers of invasion and insult
upon the high seas; it would have
improved many OF our harbors and
navigable streams or saved our coun-
try from inundation by the recent
high water, and our people would now
be enjoying the benefits thereof, in
stead Of being scandalized at the dis
graceful conduct Of corrupt and ras-
cally politicians, who have not and
will not be deferred from continuing
their villainous pursuits.
The last and most silly farce enact
ed upon our national stage is the in
vestigation of the Kansas Exodus.
Men have been summoned from all
parts of the country, at On enormous
expense, to tell congressional COM
mittee as to what influenced q certain
class Of citizens to emigrate to Kan
sas-a matter with which Congress
had no authority to interfere. Some
have sworn that they were influenced
by one consideration and some by an
other. But no matter what influence
was brough. TO bear upon the emigrant
or what motive prompted him to
change his place Of residence, what
does Congress propose to do about it?
Can it prohibit his going or compel
him to return to his former home?
This is free country, and every man
has the right to remove from one
State to another, without interference,
unless be is a fugitive from justice or
is fleeing his State to avoid paying an
honest debt. Then why all this in
vestigation: What is the object to
be accomplished by it? We asked
this question when the committee was
first proposed, and have never recciv.
ed an answer to it, that would justify
the appointment of the committee.
None of these com mittees have ever
even established fact with which the
public was not already familiar, ex.
cept that there were more scoundrels
in the country than our peni,entiaries
would hold, who were using perjury
end other villainy as an occupation,
and the further fact that even the
members Of the committees were such
political bigots that they would not
admit a fact that did not accord with
their views of party interest-or in
other words, that exposed the rascali-
ties of the managers or employees of
their party.
Now We warn the next Congress
that the people have had enough Of
these investigating committees, un.
less they are instituted for the express
purpose Of asce-taining the titles of
claimants to seats in their bodies or
the impeachment of officials, and the
administration of strict and impartial
justice. We know enough of politi.
cal rascality. unless they propose to
remedy the evil by some other means
than its mere exposure. If they do
not propose to punish the rascals, then
we do not care to know who they are
or of what disgraceful acts they are
guilty; for such exposures only serve
to bring our country into contempt
and familiarize our young men with
crime and tempt them to commit like
ofenses. so long as they see that the
offender not only escapes punishment
but is rewarded for his crimes.
Senator Gibson.