The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-03-11

pose OF cabling thefn 70 make . partisan
discourse.
The fies 81 TIE pensioa oalco sccsa 10
have been plunattcd. ~ have been
brpashs herx and left IN unofficial hAndA
10 be examined sad used. not by The whole
House. bot by indisiiual members of u.
Coz partisan purposes And 10 addition 10
that, . ihine which was reserved icr The
Last closing hours al the debate. when IL
v1 taoaght ihA, 70 reply coald be made
and no comment uttered. for the produc
ton OF sif3dsviis "a blscken the character
Of men who never bad an opportunity 10
defepi themselves.
II there - any basis OF truth II Is the
right 81 cross examination and the right
10 face ones secasrn. and yet the Gem
missioner ~ rrnsioe has furnished TO .
member OF this House things which are
presented here ~ the official files oi his
Department. which are oue sided atlidayi.s
aud The facts themselves show that every
Que Of them war produced after the Com
missioner had made his charges in that
party pamphlet which he calls his report
Il that the example oi reform that is set
b. usy just think OF ii moment A
tatAf fs@A 40 iAt attui
minstlon 10 divorce this office from parii-
SAP purposes spd partisan action has its
Commissioner Of Pensions brought upon
the floor 10 furnish aud leave IN unofficial
hands the records Of bis Office
Worse than that A deliberate plan is
made BY the members ou the other side
10 have e. parfe sthdavits dragged here at
at time when they believed no opportu-
nifty for an answer could he found; and
when appealed 10 the Democratic party
no, TO permit performance like that TO
take place without reply. WINS met with
ripple OF gentle laughter from these
earnest. high minded, patriotic reiormers
| know how gentlemen on the other side
feel. or large part Of them know that
they symraihize with what say know
that they feel they have been discredited
as we'll as the rest OF us as citizens Of this
Republic by snch an exhibition as we have
just Witnessed.
Mr.. Cannon said.
mr.. Speaker, this is most unfair AMI
reckless use OF the garbled records and
the Pension Office. When did the House
by resolution or otherwise ask for them?
Why are they furnished solely TO Demo
cratic members? Why are they away from
the depository in the Pension Office pro
viled for them. floating around loose in
the hands Of individual members on the
other slider Will they be destroyed 10
whole or part or viii they be returned to
the Pension Office? Have they been read
10 whole or have they been artiully culled
and selected or parts OF them suppressed,
aud through such suppression or the sup
preston of other papers belonging with
them the false appears true or the true
false? Who knows?
The light Of cross examination has never
fallen npon them.
Is this Democratic reform? Is this
Democratic fairness? Are these the
methods of an administration that has
been announcing for year, i am holer
than thouY
Mr. Speaker, how different has been the
action of this house touching its records.
The other day subpoena dttces. from
che OF the highest courts Of the land, was
served on the Clerk OF this House, TO pro-
duce record of this House 10 the court
for the purpose OF examination and being
offered in evidence. The subpoena was
reported to the House and referred to the
Judiciary Committee and resolution OF
the House passed that the record should
not go from its custody in the hands Of the
Clerk or otherwise; but that the court,
through it's officer. with the attorneys
present, should have power to examine
that record within the Capitol in the place
where the records are kept"