The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-18
Frauds on the Frankinc Privilege.

FTduus On N rauklbS
W~AsHINsToN, Oct 1.-THE Speaker laid be-
fore the House twelve pension veto messages.
and they were referred to the committee on In
valid pensions.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, rising to a question or
privilege. sent to the clerks desk and had read
an editorial from the New York Tribune OF the
29th ult., entitled IS. S. Cox's Postal Fraud
charging him with sending unfrankable matter
through the mails under his frank. Mr.. Cox
said that he was not very anxious TO vindicate
what little character he might have as a mem Der
OF this House or the reputation he might have
with members Of both sides OF being true to his
duty. This editorial bad been as much OF a sur-
prise to him as it could have been to any
one else. The editorial had appeared
while he was at home on a short visit. de had
gone to the Tribune office and seen the editor,
and also the unfrankable package. Dir. Cox
went into details, saying his name had been
forged, and stating that effective investi-
By s'''a the refusal Of the Tribnns p.o-
pie. who are in possession OF the package. 10
surrender the same. Mr. Cox added that in re-
spouse TO his request for an Investigation, ne
had received a letter from the Postmas'ergen.
eral. In this letter the Postmaster-genera stated
that unfrankabls matter had been sent through
the mails under tho frank of Representatives A.
P. Hovey, OF Indiana, aud John ksan, or New
Jersey. and Senator Quay, OF Pennsylvania
Inc atteOtlOD OF tho SentleUeun hQ Y dllou
to the matter, and Mr.. Hovsy had replied
that the frank was not authorized by him.
The department had not received from the other
two gentlemen any explanation IN regard to the
matter. The Postmaster-general makes this
statement TO Mr.. Cox in order 10 show that the
department. is giving prompt attention to mat
ters of this character. Me. Cox said that ne
brought the matter before the House With a
viev of having some action taken which would
prevent this violation Of the Thanking privilege
in tho futuya ITnfrankahla matter WAS still ha-
ing sent out by Senator Quay and others, not
withstandine that the general had
called attention TO IL.
Mr.. Henderson. of Iowa. inquired what evil
dence the gentleman had that such
were still being sent out
Mr.. Cox stated that he had the information
from the Postmaster general The gentleman
from Missouri Mr.. Mansurl had told him that
Missouri was being flooded with such docu-
ments, under the frank Of Senator Quay. He
held in his hand certain documents directed to
II. B. Hurd, Newberne, n. c., which were not
frankable, but bore the frank Of Senator Quay.
Dir. Cox closed by denouncing the whole matter
as Q piece Of contemptible meanness, for which
the language had no term of reproacn.
Mr.. Henderson,, OF Iowa, said he knew Iowa
was flooded with documents such as were in the
package TO which Mr. Cox had referred. 10 did
not know whether they were sent there under
frank or not, and suggested that the Postmaster
general had been swift TO give Republican illus
trations, but had refrained from giving Demo
cratic ones.
Mr.. Bayne accepted Mr.. Cox's explanation rs
q good and candid one, but regretted that the
gentleman had taken occasion 10 reflect
upon Senator Quay. Taking up the docu-
ments which had been sent under Senator
Qusy's frank to Mr.. Hurd. OF North Carolina,
and which Mr.. Cox asserted were unfrankabls,
he showed that they were all excerpts fr om the
Congressional Record, being extracts from
speeches delivered in both houses of Congress-.
There might be some quibole because of the
sub-heads. bat it had always been the custom,
In sending out campaign documents. to cell az
tsntion to their contents by such means
Some discussion eusued as TO whether the use
Of sub-heads rendered unfranknble matter which
was otherwise frankable, the weight Of opinion
being that it did not.
Mr.. Bayne called attention to the fact that
Mr.. Breckenridge, Of Kentucky, was sending out
speeches with sub-heads II it was a violation
of Law for Senator Quay to do 50, the eentlsmau
from Kentucky was also guilty.
Mr.. Breckenridge, OF Kentucky, said that he
had sent out his speeches headed Free Raw
hide "Free Wool. etc. There were sub-heads
that did not appssr in the Record, hut he did
not think that he was violating the law in using
them.
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa-That is done by
both campaign committees, and has been since
the flood.
The matter was then dropped.
On motion OF Mr.. Peel. a conference report
was agreed to on the bill granting lands in sew
crafty 70 the united Peoria and Miami bands of
Indians.
Mr.. Kilgore. Of Texas. offered a resolution
providing for final adjournment on the Goth
inst
Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, moved its
reference to the ways ard means committee,
and this was agreed to by a vote Of 10 to Z.
A6iourpad