Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-24
PORfY-BIGHIH COsGRESS.
First Sessfon.
SENATE.

SENAIEs
WASHINGTON, June %.
Mr.. Hale offered q resolution directing the
committee on the expenditure of public money
to investigate the recent dafalcation. of the
disbursing officers in some of the departments
In Washington, and the allie ged frauds upon
the navy department. and to inquire into the
system of making disbursements and pur.
chases of supplies with a view Of demanding
whether it embraces sufficient safeguards
against defalcations and frauds, giving the
committee power TO send for persons and
papers.
Mr.. Morgan asked Why the resolutions
were limited 10 ''some of the departments. -
Mr.. Hale said there had been defalcations
in some of the departments that he did not
wish to particularize.
Mr.. Morgan hoped it would be made to
cover the postofice Department.
Mr.. Hale replied that he had in mind the
postofice. state and every department to in
clude matters that had lately come before the
public eye through the press.
Mr.. Mcpherson asked Why not cover the
measure Of keeping accounts in all depart
ments.
Mr.. Hale said he meant to include that In
fact, he thought that the chief work of the
committee would be to elaborate and perfect
system by which the treasury may be thor
oughly protected. Expenditures should be
scrutinized with Jealous eye. and some plan
of account keeping should be adopted that
would secure the most complete protection.
Mr.. Hale accepted the amendment by Mr..
Mcpherson to include all departments
Mr.. Ingalls, said there must be some radi-
cal defect in the keeping of departmental
accounts which permitted the peculations to
go on for years undiscovered. If the reso.
luton was not brought before the committee
to make their examination minute, thorough,
comprehensive and searching in the least
particular, he hoped it would be so amended
as TO accomplish this object
Mr.. Hale replied that he had intended to
make it to be.
The resolution was agreed to after being
amended to cover the appointment of clerks
and stenogrsphers when necessary.
MIR. Garland. from the committee on judic.
iary, reported, and the Senate read third
time and passed. the bill comforting on all
senators and members Of Congress the author
ity to administer oaths to witnesses in matters
pending before Congress.
The Mexican pension bill was then taken
up, the pending question being on the amend
ment Of MIR. Ingalls,, dating the pensions of
Union soldiers from the date of discharge or
disability, and extending to Oct. /, 1884, the
limitation Of the time to file applications for
arrears of pensions.
Mr.. Sherman very much regretted to be
obliged to oppose any proposition that was
favored by Union soldiers. but he knew the
soldiers themselves were divided about this
proposition. The commissioner of pensions
had estimated that this proposition would in
volve the payment of S246, 200, 900. The
loft i'm Z
legal promise to pay If . promise had been
made by the United States to soldiers that we
would pay them from the date of discharge to
this time. but there was no law and no moral
ground for that argument to apply to PEN
siOns. No government in the world could
endure if 1t should attempt to pay all claims
and arrears of claims arising out of its mis-
fortunes.
Mr Sherman put himself on the broad
ground that soldier who has for 20 years
waived his right to pension either because
he did no desire it or was too proud to claim
il, had no legal or even moral or equitable
right now to embsrrass bis government He
believed the adoption of this amendment
would be an embarrassing thing for the peo-
pie of the United States. 1t would break
down all restrictions on all sorts of claims.
Mr. Ingalls, said that Mr.. Sherman was
one of the most eminent members of the
republican party. He had been finance min
lister of the Uuited States, and had had re-
spectacle pretensions to the presidential can
didacy. 1t would therefore be gratifying to
the country to know that he held that PEN
sions were not = contract. but gratuity or
charity which the United States could give or
withhold, as it pleased Mr.. Ingalls, called
Mr.. Sherman's attention to the fact that the
republican platform of Ohio two years ago
and that of the republican national con-
vention of this year declared for the thing
which this measure embodied. yet the Sena-
tor from Ohio (Sherman,) deliberately dis
avowed that declaration, and declared that it
was not binding upon the conscience nor
upon the political action of those who may
be called to vote upon the question. Mr..
Ingalls, favored liberty of opinion, but if the
declaration referred to here be declared BY
those in authority not to be binding, then it
would be well for the party managers to put
up notice as the railroad managers did, that
.'passengers are not allowed to stand on the
platform" Mr.. Sherman deprecated this
introduction Of the party platforms 70 guide
the Senators in the performance of their
sworn duties. When he remembered that
the platform of the late republican conven-
ton had been made up in 4 few hours time
OH . ~ cAtCihhB hOt uey W II AhSn SNeeS~sy
called together, most of whom never saw
each other before. he did nopthink it should
be called guide for Senators in the per-
formance Of their public duties here. He
thought it an extraordinary spectacle that it
should be attempted to make it guide. He
had as much respect - anybody for the opin-
ion of his party, but it was the Congress of
the United States that under the constitution
must prescribe the laws OF oar country. Our
democratic friends would be is . sorry pre-
dicament if he should present to them their
party platforms for the last 20 years as q
guide for their action here, but Senator of
the United States must have some better
guide than = hastily arranged party plat.
form.
Mr.. Ingalls, amendment was then voted
down; &c to %.
Various anne. dments we're then offered by
Messrs Harrison, Wilson and Mitchell and
we're agreed to. One of Mr.. Harrison's
limited the Mexican pensions to
soldiers and sailors who, if not actually en-
gagged in battle, were At least IA days in
Mexico or on it, coast, so ~ not to give pen
sions to men who never left home
Mr.. Wilson's amendment provided that
pensioners to whom the Law shall apply must
be either So years of age, or subject to some
recognized by the general pension
laws of the United States. It 10 not, how
ever. to cover the cases of men who may