National Republican., 1888-03-07
smntherlng an Investigation.

On the oath of January the Hon. Ralph
Plumb, OF Illinois, offered the following
preamble and resolution, which was re.
ierred to the committee on the judiciary,
with Instructions to report whether or not
an examination should be made. The
frst paragraph Of rule "a requires that such
reports should be made within one week.
The resolution and preamble Of Mr..
Plumb read as follows,
Whereas the annual report OF the Secretary
ofthe Treasury made TO this House shows that,
acting in accord with the views Of the Presi.
dent, he has paid out of the revenues collected
frcm imposts the sum of s2,s510l5 in premi.
ums to holders of government bonds, as.
suming that in no other way under existing
laws can the requirements of the sinking fund
be met and whereas by the terms Of the re-
funding act, passed July II, 1870, as shown by
the record OF the final vote thereon, all of the
bonds called - per cents" of which there are
now outstanding the sum OF 1886, 6i,9j0, are
payable at the pleasure of the United States
FOR Thirty years from the date Of their issue,
provision which, II understood and acted upon
in accordance with lis manifest wording and
intention, makes possible not only the pay.
ment of the said bonds as fast 0s any surplus
available for such purpose may accumulate In
the treasury, but also the refunding OF the
same at rate of interest that would save to
the taxpayers more than two hundred millions
Of dollars; and whereas the said reiunding act
has, as II appears, without due authority, been
so altered and published in the statutes at
large as 10 read: Payable ct the pleasure OF
the United States after thirty years" Instead
Of "for thirty years" a. voted, thus entirely
Sibverting the manifest meaning of the pro.
vision of S I'D act, which provides Tor the re.
denption OF the bonds uamed; therefore DO it
RCsOlled, That committee Of five members
of this House be appointed by the Speaker,
whose duty 1t shall be to ma ke IA careful exam
inatiOn Of all the facts relating to the passage,
engrossment aud enrolment of the funding
act, so called, and all acts in force bearing
upon the question of the right of the govern-
ment TO redeem its outstanding interest-bear.
ing obligations, with a view to taking such
steps al may be required to ascertain the true
state of the law on that subject, and for that
purpose the committee has power to send foi
persons and papers, examine oil records aud
| original documents, and to obtain true copies
| of the same, as well as TO administer Olths
| the committee to report 10 this House with
| such recommendations as may be deemed al
| visable in the premises.
The judiciary committee has made no re-
| port as yet, but 1t is said upon good au.
thority that the committee, instead Of ex
aiming into the facts as to whether 6
committee should be appointed to examine
into the grave charge made by Mr.. Plumb
has, through a subcommittee, investigated
the charge itself, and that committee ha'
prepared q report, which will be submitted
to the House, declaring that no alteration
has been made in the law.
On page 300 Of the 'rules and practices
OF the House we find the following;
Under the parliamentary law manual, pp
llS, lli) "none who speak directly against thC
| body of the bilr' are to be of the committee t
which 1t is referred. The spirit of this law ha
| prevailed in the House 50 far al that, in the
formation of select committee, in the case o
the reference Of bill, dmGjofiy of the friend
| of the measure referred, and. in the case of al
investigation, a majority of those favorable t
the proposed investigation, are usually ap
pointed thereon; and the member proposing
theseleCt committee is usually appointed chair
man.
Under the rules quoted and the instruc
tiops Of the House the judiciary committe,
has no right to look into the merits Of tn
case and make report, its only bushes
being to determine whether a special com
h sfafhu fr9 fuss, TO o Be- made B.
parties not In favor, as the rule says the.
shall be, OF the Investigation.
1t is useless for the Democratic House t.
try and smother facts iu this way. Tn
truth will come out.