National Republican., 1884-06-24
TIE SENATE,


Mr Halo offered resolution directing the
committee ON the expenditures of public
money to investigate the recent dcnlcutions of
disburiug officers iu some Of the departments
in Washington aud the alleged frauds upon thc
navy department, aud 10 inquire into the sys.
tom Of making Disbursements nnd purchases
OF supplies with nviuw TO determining whether
II embraces sufficient safeguards against dclul.
cations and frauds, nud giving the committee
power TO send lOr persons 0ud papers.
Mt Mcpherson asked why llQt cover the
mctn0dA ot Keeping accounts IN Oll the depart.
.mCnts,
Mig Hale ncccptcd an amendment offered by
Mr. Mcpherson 70 include all the departments.
MT lnWllls said there must y. some rudiCnl
ueicct In the keeping Of departmental accounts
winch permitted q series o. peculations 70 TO
on iOr NcutS undiscovered. II tho resolution
was not broad enough IN terms to direct the
committee TO make their examination minute.
iu0runvh, comprehensive, uu1 searching inthC
last particular ho hoped itwoull bu 80 amcud.
81 as TO accomplish that object. Tue cNnm.
ination should not be confined to the cases Of
fraud aud dcfnlcitipn already discovered, but
Should be such Us 10 satisfy the public mind
that still greater irregularities did not rcnnin
The resolution was agreed to after being
rlmendcd 10 cover the appointment of Il clerk
unm stcnoTophor when necessary.
inc Mexican pensions hill was then token
up hnu Us consideration proceeded with, Mr.
Plumb giving notice that whether that bill bc
onishcd OF not be would muvc the following
DAY TO take up the Atlantic md Pacific land
grant forfeiture bill
The pending question iu connection with tho
MGXic9n pcusiOis bill was on tho amendment
q MI. Ingalls,, dnting pensions of union sol.
dlvIS nom date OF disGlnrgc on disability, aud
exGnding 20 oct. |, 1884 thc limitation OF time
tot applications Tor arrears Of pensions.
Mr.. shormnp very much regretted TO be
yobuged to opfOSC any proposition that was
iavofed by tho union soldiers. The commits.
gsioner OF pensions had estimated that this
aggregation 43n would lnyelye payment Of S2iG.,
100000, and although Mr. Sherman thought
mus cStiHntp too high, yet the amount would
un,9ncstionnbly he very large,
MIR Sherman said that the principle Of limi.
.tatlon had bcen recognized Gy the act Of 1870,
phnd acquloSccd IN hy the soldiers aud the pcO.
I pic No government IN the world could en-
dure If II should attempt TO pay MI claims and
| arrears OF claims 0risng out OF itB misiOrtunes
|, 10 put himself on the hto1d ground that a
soldier who had for twenty yCHrs waived his
right TO pension, either because ho did not
lfdeSiTc II or was too proud 10 claim H. bad no
embarrass his government lie believes the
adoption Of this amendment would be un cm.
hnrrassing thing for the people of the United
s,Gtes-it would break down all restrictions on
nll sorts of claims.
Mr. .Conger spoke tn favor of the bill and
amendment
On coming 10 vote Mr. Ingullss amend.
ment was voted dow1l-yeus %. nuys 3p
fMosSrs, lfnrrisou, Wilson, and Mitchell, and
were ngrccd to. one Of Mr lIurrson'S amend.
| lncntS limited tho Mexican pensions TO soldiers
or sallors who, II not pCtually CuguRcd IN u
battle, were at least fourteen days IN Mexico,
or on Its coast $50 ns not to give pensions 90
men who never left hOmel.
Mr.. wilson's amendment provided that tho
persons 60 whom the law shhll apply must bc
either 62 .yeurs Of agG or subject to
some disability recognl2ca by tho general pom
sion laws otthe United States, II II not, how.
ever, to cover the cases Of men who mny have
occurred such disability in fighting against
| the Union.
Among Mr.. .Yitchell's amendments was the
! substance oftht pension bill introduced by Mr..
IGnllom Sarly in Muy, providing pensions for
,inynltd soldiers and sailors who have been
! discharged from the army or navy of the
United states after three months service In
| the. war Of the rebellion, and for the widows
and dependent parents fdeccasedpcnsioncrs. -
This amendment was adopted by 10 vote OF
| 70 yeas 10 2fnuys, as follows:
| YEAs-Messrs. Aldrich, Allison, Blair,
Bowen, Cameron Of Wisconsin, COngcr Cul-
lon, Dawes, pclph, Frye ilole. Iiowloy, uar,
Logan, Mcmillan, Mnhone, Mnnderson Miller
of California Miller of New York, Mitchell
Morrill, Pike, Platt, Plumb, Rddlchergcr
Sawyer, sowcll, sherman, and ilson.--9a.
| Colqutt, Fair, Fnrley, Gcomc, tiormnn,
| Groomc, Hampton, Jackson, Jones of Florida
| Kcnnn, McPherson MnNey, Morgan, rendc
| lDn, fuEl, HHilSOul, salisbury, slater, Vance
! Vest, Walker and Williams--27
Before this was agreed 10 Mr. Morgan moved
| 20 postpone consideration of the bill until
| December rs he saw, he said, that the Mcx
| can soldiers could not get fair chance whill
| this bill was being treated us Il political meas
Lure
Mr., Morguns motion was not agreed TO.
| Mr.. Vest said the object Of the majority OF
tho senate was evidently tO kill the bill not by
fair shot but by loading It down with Nmcud
mcnts. lie could not vote for Il as amended
The feeling Of the majority was influenced hy
the fGct thut the war with Mexico, which huG
shed 70 much glory on American arms was 4,
democratic war.
Mr.. Congcr supposed It therefore FOLLOWED
| tlnt the war for the union was Il republican
! Wnr
| Mr.. Vest said he had not said so.
| Mr.. COngcr remarked that he would, then
| say 80 on his own account.
| After some further discussion n was agreed
on the suggestion of Mr Allison, 10 adopt ,
| tcn.mluutc rule for speeches tomorrow, uut
come TO Il vote ON the bin nnd amendments, Il,
| 3 a. clock
| Mr.. Morgan said that congress owned thl
| country the very high duty of uliouIniug TIA,
| session rs soon uS possible.
| ~ GGO p. III. the sumitU adjourned.