New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-03
THE HOUSE JOURNAL FULL OF ERRORS
RESULT OF GIVING AN IMPORTANT POSITION TIC
AN INDIANA POLITICIAN-UNFIT FOR
THE DUTIES OF THE PLACE


Washington Dec. Special The Journal" of the
House Of Representa- ives of the last session Of Con
gress has not been TO the bndcry, although
II is printed. and If 1.-THE of the allegations made
by House employees as TO the number Of crrors IT
contains be well founded, It would seem desirable to
have the Committee Rules examine # before
placing 1t among the archives of the House
A careful examination of the journal by expert
recently disclosed than 200 many of hem
of the gTossest and most ineXcuSabc character while
It's comparison with the record and original docu-
ments will, in the opinion of the expert, disclose at
least 500 errors of bo'h omission and commission.
II iEconccivab that such state of affairs
| should exist, and yet to those who have carefully
watched the proceedings Of Congress from the press
gall cry during recent years It has long been known
that great prevailed I'm respect to the
cngruss meni and enrolment of bills the of
jOint and concurrent resolutions which have been
passed each session so errors Of enrolment
bear proof The Constitution requires that each
house shall keep journal of its proceedings" and
Section s05 of the Revised Statutes provides that
Extracts from the Journal. duly certified by the Clerk.
shall be admitted evidence in the several courts OF the
United States and sa have the same force and effect
the original thereof would have II produced in
and proved.
The importance therefore. of having the official
journal of the House absolutely accurate especially
in the closing hours of session It IS read,
and sometimes not made up until after adjournment
and Is therefore never approved, cannot Dc over
estimated. The position of Journal Clerk of the
House (as well of the Senatej Is consequently one
Of great importance and for nearly seventy years at
least not treated a political Office The late
John NJ. Barclay, author Of Barclays Digest filed
II for nearly thirty years, his predecessor holding
/ It for over twenty years. Attempts were made by
Clerks Forncy and Allen to him account Of
political pressure. bat Speakers Boyd, Of Kentucky.
and Orr Of South Carolina incrfeIel and prevented H.
on December ., 1857, Immediately after the organi-
"a ION and adjournment OF the House Of Representa-
lives, General CLARK The Clerk Of the House, without
giving him the slightest hint or warming without
making any complaint or criticism to the discharge
Of his duties during either the XLVIIIth the
XLIXth Congress, notified to II. II. smith, for twelve
years the journal Clerk OF the House, that ne had
removed him and appointed in his place a Mr. Robin
son, of Indiana TO Mr.. Smiths request for the
Of his summary removal, General Clark replied
that " the Indiana delegation complained of the
equal distribution OF the patronage OF his (Clarlfsl
office; that Michigan had two import ant clerkships
therein and Indiana but one; that h Smith was
! obnoxious 10 Don Dickinson, the new Postmaster
GcIerar- and that there were " other reasons not
| necessary t. men lOn.'
/ Mr. smith questioned General Clark's power to Pc
move HIM in The absence OF rucs ana sad he would
/ following morning. but Mr. Carlisle said he had no
aut horify int fc9c 10 the matter. Mr.. Robinson
mac wa, rro, pcciiye rival 81 Colonel Maispn for
Ion mat on to he List Congress and failing 10
emo him a Department appointment, Mr.. Mas0n
| RECOMMENDED Nj Robinson TO General Clark for APP
pOlntmcnt Journal Clerk ASSUMING IN General
the Indiana Legislature il turns out. however
that RoDinson's experience ia that rspe,t simply
into the Journal of the lower house of the Indiana
! legislature. Practically therefore,, h" was without
n,trrv unsbie 10 render either the Speaker or ths
chairman of the Committee Of the Whole the slightest
| II IS stated by a House official that until some
time IN June last Mr.. Robinson merely took minutes