The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-07
Interview with senator Msxey
Galveston News

in you: opinion will be the ultimate re-,
suit!
Here the senator stopped and stated that
he did not wish to be- understood as making
any apology or explanation in answer to any
attack that had been made upon him through
ignorance on the most part, but stood upon
the record to bear him out, but at length
said:l
Senator Maxey-I have 10 other means of
determining the probable result of this inves.
tigation than others who read the pspers,
unless in the fact ihstI have examined the
testimony taken by Messrs. Blackburn,
Blount, Clymer, Hswley and Cameron, sub
committee of the house appropriation COM
mttee, and the people have not had the
opportunity, as congress did not order its
publication, The appropriation committee
had few copies struck, one of which have
at my house. There is not sufficient in that
examination to prosecute any one, and the
committee evidently SO considered, as they
made no final report. What evidence the
postmaster general and attorney general
may have do not know Success, of course,
depends upon the evidence they may be able
TO procure, and this evidence must come
frt m outside sources, as think the action of
the Apr, priation committee clearly shows
that they did not consider what they had
sufficient
Reporter Much has been said about the fail.
ure or neglect on the part of our senators to
see that the guilty parties, if such they were,
had not not been brought to justice. Was
it in the power of the senate TO commence
such Investigations as would produce such re-
suit?
Senator Ms1ey-I know that there is an
idea with some that senators and representa-
tives should have known all about these
alleged frauds, and should have ferreted ont
the guilty parties and brought them to trial,
conviction and punishment. 1t would be a
complete answer to say the house sub, com.
mittee on appropriations was an able and
honest body of men that they worked faith
fully for the country and made no report,
and that the postmaster general and attorney
general, with all the power Of the govern
ment behind thom, have worked diligently
any case before the grand jury. 1t is not
reasonable, therefore, that any senator or
representative, by bis own efforts, and with.
out the power the house appropriation com>
mittee had, and without the power which the
postmaster general and the attorney general
have, could have succeeded, when these gen.
tlemen, with all diligence, have not been
able to present n case. You ask If it is in
the power of the senate to begin such ill.,
vestigations. Ianswer, the senate, under the
constitution, is not only absolutely without
grant Of power to originate Investigations
inv oving official corruption " the alleged
corruption), which, if sustained, would
necessarily result in impeachment, but by
express grant Of the constitution the sole
power of impeachment is in the house of
representatives, and the sole power to try all
impeachments in the senate. Investigators
OF this kind always originate in the house,
and in this case, by resolution of the house
passed on the 9Th of January, 1880, the house
referred the whole mstter 10 the house
appropriation committee, and that committee
have sole charge of the investigations. The
senate never ordered any investigation by
any committee, because it was the special,
right and duty the house 10 take the lead.
The investigation in the house, as far as it
went, WAS directed TO the cause OF the con,
templated deficiency, and as to whether the
discretion vested by law in the postmaster
general TO expedite the service and increase
number of trips had been wisely or unwisely
exercised. This is clear by the fact that the
principal witnesses before the house COM
mlltee were the postmsst general, the second
assistant postmaster general and a number of
contractors. In discussing the deficiency ap-
preparation bill reported by the house ap-
propriation committee, Mr.. Blackburn
stated that the question Of fraud was not
presented by the committee, nor was it be-
tore the house. When the bill reached the
senate 1t was referred by the senate TO the
| appropriation committee. Neither of the
texas senators was on that committee. II
was by the committee submitted to SUBJ
committee, consisting of Messrs. Wallace
Beck and Booth. Mr.. Wallace, in reporting
me Oil back, stated they had taken some
oral testimony, as some of the contractors
cia'med they had not chance to appear be>
lore Inc house committee. Mr.. Wallace
stated to the serste that there was no fraud
shown IN the testimony examined;
inc house testimony was before
Them and the only question
before them was whether II was best TO
break down large number Of routes west
OF the Mississippi, or was it best to continue
inc mails that the committee thought il
best to continue tho mails. Fraud was not
charged by either committee, but on the
contrary the committees, through their
spokesman, declared that it wa tot an issue
In the passage Of tn" III 1t is proper 10
this connection TO saJ tGs, tbe bill was never
referred to the senate pvstCtIico committee, |
was never examined by that committee, and |
Inc committee had no moro to DO with it |
IMAM other senators not on tho approrria. |
ton committee, to which it had been re-.
ierred and BY which 1t had been reported,
Inc general law in force when tho contracts
complained of we're made gave control of
inc entlre subject OF contracts to the post
master'general. Congress had nothing
Whatever to do with the contracts, and has
not now, nor has any senator or representa-,
i've anything to do with them. If there /,
reasonable ground to believe that officers of
the department have acted corruptly. then.
upon such information, the house. not tho
senate, would order an investigation. for in
that case impeachment would be a con,e,
quence. II frauds were perpetrated bv
contractors and Others without collision
WIN me officers of the department. then,
under the constitution, the courts, not con.
etess, would take hold, for the trial of Ali
crimes Except by impeachment Ia bv iurv
Nsporter-Whst has congress to do with
!no amounts paid 10 the star route contrsc-
tractors. and the fixing of tho s,s,.o