Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-24
AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
FRAUDS IN THE DEPARTMENTS
BUSY THE SENATE.

FRAUDS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
BUSY THE SENATE.
Mr.. Hale Succeeds In Securing an Inves-
tigation-The Pensions Furnish the
Foundation for Another Lively Debate
The sundrY Civil Appropriations
BIN Passed by the House.
WASHINGTON, June 23.-In the Senate
! to-day Mr.. Hale offered a resolution di-
recting the Committee on Expenditures
Of Public Money to investigate the recent
defalcations Of disbursing officers in some
of the departments in Washington and the
alleged frauds upon the Navy Depart
ment, and to inquire into the system of
making disbursements and purchases Of
supplies with a view to determining
whether it embraces sufficient safeguards
! against defalcations and frauds, and Civ
ing the committee power to send for per-
sons and papers.
Mr.. Morgan asked why the resolution was
limited to ''some" Of the departments.
Mr.. Hale said that there had been defalca-
lions IN some Of the departments and he had
not wished to particularize.
Mr.. Morgan hoped that 1t be meant TO cover
the Post Office Department.
Mr.. Hale replied that he had in mind the
Post Office. state and Navy Departments.
| HIS object had been to include matters that
| had lately come before the public eye through
| the press.
Ar. Mcpherson asked why not cover the
methods OF keeping accounts in all the de-
Mr.. Hale said that he meant to include that.
In fact, he thought that the chief work of the
| committee would be to elaborate and perfect
a system by which the Treasury may be
| thoroughly protected. Expenditures should
| be scrutlnized with jealous eye and some
| plan OF account keeping should be adopted
| that would secure the most complete prOtec-
l ton.
Mr.. Hale accepted an amendment offered
/ by Mr.. MCPHERSON, to include all depart
/ ments. The resolution was agreed to after
| being amended to cover the appointment of
clerk and stenographer when necessary.
SENATORS AND WITNESSES.
Mr.. Garland, from the Committee on Ju-
dietary, reported and the Senate read third
/ time and passed the bill conferring on all
| Senators and members Of Congress authority
/ to administer Oaths to witnesses in matters
pending before Congress.
The Mexican pension bill was then taken
MP and its consideration proceeded with. Mr..
| Plumb giving notice that whether that bill be
/ finished to-day not he would tomorrow
move to take up the Atlantic and Pacific land
grant forfeiture bill.
NO GOVERNMENT CAN ENDURE IT.
| The pending question in connection with
/ the Mexican pension bill was on the amend
/ ment of Mr.. ingalls, dating the pension of
| Union soldiers from the date Of discharge or
disability, and extending to October ], 1884,
/ the limitation of the time to file applications
i for arrears OF pensions.
Mr.. sherman very much regretted to be
/ obliged to oppose any proposition that was
1 favored by the Union soldiers, but he knew
/ that the soldiers themselves were divided
about this proposition. His heart and his
feelings were all with the soldiers. He appre-
/ ciated the value of their services to the cOun-
try for generations yet unborn. This PROPOSE
/ tiOn, however, affected the interests of all the
/ people of the United States, not only soldiers
/ but citizens. The Committee on Pensions
had not recommended it. The House
| of Representatives had not recommended it.
/ 1t was based on the motion of a single Sena-
/ tor. The Commissioner Of Pensions had esti-
mated that tins proposition would involve the
payment of S246,000,000, and, although Mr..
| Sherman thought the estimate too high, yet
/ the amount would unqUestonaby be very
| large. No government in the world could en-
| dure if it should attempt to pay all the claims
| and arrears of claims arising out of its mis-
| fortunes. Mr.. Sherman put himself on the
| broad ground that the soldier who had for
/ twenty years waived his right to pension.
| either because he did not desire it, or was too
/ proud to claim it, had not a legal or even
| equitable right now to embarrass his govern
ment He believed that the adoption of the
/ amendment would be an embarrassing one
| for the people of the United States. 1t would
/ break down all restrictions on all sorts of
/ claims.
INGALLS, CRITICISEs SHERMAN.
! Mr.. Ingalls, said that the Senator from Ohio
| (Mr Sherman) was one of the eminent mem
| hers of the Republican party. He had been
/ Finance Minister of the United States, and
| had had respectable pretenslons to the Presl-
| Dental candidacy. 1t would. therefore. be
/ gratifying to the country to understand that
he held that pensions were not contract, but
/ a gfatuity or charity which the United States
| could give or withhold, that we were author
| lied under the contract of enlistment to treat
| mutilated and disabled soldiers as hospitabe
| and charitable citizen treats the vagrant
| when he applies at their door for mouthful
OF food to keep him from starving. Mr..
sherman had claimed that we were poor.
| Why our difficulty was to get rid of our
| plus. The amount TO be paid under this
amendment would be divided among several
| years. He did not think Mr.. Sherman sincere
| as to the danger OF this measure to the
! Treasury.
GOING BACK ON THE PLATFORM.
Mr.. ingalls, called Mr.. Sherman's attention
| to the fact that the Republican platform of
| Ohio two years ago, and that of the Republi-
| can National Convention this year, declared
| for the thing which this measure embodied;
yet the Senator from Ohio deliberately dsa-
| vows this declaration, and declared that it
was not binding upon the conscience, nor on
| the political action of those who may be called
on to vote on that question Mr.. ingalls, fa-
| vored liberty of opinion, but if the declara-
! tiOn referred to were to be declared by those
| in authority not to be binding, then it would
/ be well for the party managers to put up a
| notice as railroad managers did, that 'pas-
sengers are not allowed to stand on the plat
Mr.. sherman deprecated this introduction
of party platforms to guide Senators in the
| performance of their sworn duties. When he
| remembered that the platform of the late Re-
| publican Convention had been made upon a
| few hours time on a sweltering hot day by
| forty-two men suddenly called together, most
| of whom had never seen each other before, he
| did not think that il should be called guide
| for Senators In the performance of their pub
| lie duty here.
CONSIDERED IT EXTRAORDINARY.
/ He thought it an extraordinary spectacle
| that it should be attempted to so make il
| guide. He had as much respect as anybody
| for the opinion of his party, but it was the
| Congress Of the United States that, under the
| constitution, must prescribe the laws for our
/ country. Our Democratic friends would be
| in a sorry predicament If he should present to
| them their party platforms for the last
| twenty years as guide for their action
| here. In fact, they were in a sorry pre-
/ dicament anyway But Senator of the
/ United States should have some better guide
than a hastily arranged party platform. He
| (Mr. Sherman) would not be afraid to go be-
/ fore any crowd of soldiers IN the United States
/ and make the argument he had made to-day.
| He believed that the judgment OF the prudent,
/ sensible. candid and fair men among them
would be with him in coming to a vote. Mr..
/ Ingalls, amendment was voted down by 26
| yeas to 80 nays.
THE VOTE.
The vote in detail is as follows:
| Yeds-Messrs. Allison, Blair. Bowen, Cam
eron Of Wisconsin, Conger, Cullom,
Lapham. Logan, Mcmillan. Malone. Mander-
/ son, Miller OF California, Miller Of New York.
/ Mitchell. Palmer, Pike. Plumb, Sawyer Van
/ Wycks and Wilson-TOtal 20.
| NaVs - Messrs. Aldrich. Bayard, Beck
| Brown, Call. Cockrell, Coke, Coquitt, Ed
munds, Fair, Farley, Garland, George,
/ German, GroOme. Hampton, Harris. Haw-
| lev, jackson. Jonas, Jones of Florida.
/ Kenna. Lamar, Mcpherson. Maxey, Morgan.
/ Morrill,, Pendleton. Pugh, Ransom, Riddle
Der, Salisbury. Sewell. Sherman, Slater,
/ Vance. Vest, Walker and Williams-Total 80.
Various amendments were then offered by
were agreed to. One of Mr.. HarrisOn's
amendments limited Mexican pensions to
| soldiers or sailors whO il not actually engaged
in battle, were at least fourteen days in
/ Mexico or Its coast, not to give pen
| Mr.. Wilson's amendment provided that per-
sons to whom the law shall apply must be
either 60 years of age or subject TO some dis
/ laws OF the United States. 1t is not, however.
to cover cases of men who may have acquired
such disability in fighting against the Union.
| THE CULLOM BILL.
Among Mr.. MitchelIs amendments was the
/ substance Of the pension bill introduced by
Mr.. Cullom early in May. providing that pen
sions for ''invalld soldiers and sailors who
| have been discharged from the army OF navy
OF the United States after three months SER
vice in the war of the rebellion and for widows
and dependent parents of deceased pen
sioners."
This amendment was adopted by vote of 81
i yeas n ~ uaVs as follows.