Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-12

man and Mr.. Mckinley and his own name, as
well as the names of others were on the paper.
AS soon as attention was called 10 the matter
IL was developed that the contract and sigma
lures were forgeries, and the editor OF the
commercial Gazette promptly so stated in a
double-leaded editorial. But nothwithstand-
ing that editorial. it commenced TO be bruited
about that, Notwithstanding the exposure of
forgery, the parties were interested in the
contract and that because certain individuals
had been caught on both sides Of the political
line 1t was thought well TO suppress it. He
lMr. Butterworth) had called the attention of
the editor Of the Commercial Gqzette to this
fact and he Sgsin in double-leaded editorial
had said that such a statement was unautbor-
lZed and unwarranted and that the paper had
been suppressed because il had been forgery
The whole OF the contract had not appeared in
the issue Of October 4. There had been an
other segment which suggested that the in
terest in the alleged scheme would continue
until 1880. when, as he understood il, il would
expire by Limitation. He did not make this
statement because he supposed there could
be any objection to the adoption of the resolu-
ton.
OF course there could not be, for wherever
civilization existed and there was a trace of
Christianity, the dearest thing known to that
civilization, and Christianity was personal and
official integrity Of the individual citizen, and
when the time came that members of this
House or any one was under any well or ILL
grounded suspicious of being wanted in official
integrity, from that day and that hour his use
fulness here ceased. He (Mr. Butterworth)
had been compelled in a measure to violate
the etiquette of the House by mentioning
the names of certain Senators. He had done
SO because their names appeared on the al
legged contract; but it was proper for him to
say that he presented the resolution at the
unanimous request Of the three Senators and
OF every Representative whose name appeared
nra tha -
Cox, who had passed to the other shore, while
this infamy was being concocted.
MR.. BREcKINRIDaE's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Breckinridge (Ky.), whose name is ap-
pended to the alleged contract. said that so far
as he was individually concerned he had never
known of such bill as the ballot-box bill. In
his state they adhered to the good old plan of
voting vive voce, and therefore he had
not felt very much interest in
ballot boxes. The thing about which gentle
men had right to feel indignant was not that
the paper bore forged signatures, but it was
the iteration and reiteration of the insinuaton
that while these gent!emea were guiltless of this
offense they might possibly be guilty of similar
and unrevealed and as yet undiscovered offense,
and it was for this reason principally that he
united with his colleague (Mr Butterworthl in
asking that an investigation might be made,
SO that there should not be suspicion resting
on the name of anybody connected with the
matter. OF course he had been surprised when
he saw his name forged. He had thought it
would be possible to get into good republican
company IN Ohio, and il there was any
good republican company in Ohio it was his
friend. the chairman of the committee on ways
and means, who, with great courage, had won
his spurs in this House, and his excellent friend
who had just spoken. But it seemed that in
Ohio that was not good company Qaughter),
and that men who were in that company might
be guilty of grave OffeQses.
On this account he was anxious for an inves-
tigation to show that a democrat did lose his
character when he associated with the leading
republicans Of the House of Repre-
some Of the gentlemen named might pass away
(like the gentleman from New York, Mr.. Cox),
before the investigation could be completed.
For this reason he wanted
TO PUT ON RECORD HIS UTTER DENIAL
Of the truth, directly or indirectly, by express
or implied intimation, of anything connected
with the mstter. IT might be that he did not
value human life a. much as he ought to do
(though he thought he did: but he did de-
nounce as more infamous the assassin of pri-
vate character than the assassin of physical life
He who took his (Mr. Breckenridge's) 81 life did
not tvke from his children the example that
love had given them, but he who touched with
an assassins hand the character Of a man de-
prived his children of the proudest heritage
bered the genial spirit of the eloquent
leader who was in the last Congress, who
had now gone to his grave with this
infamy upon him, he thought it was not un-
becoming for the House Of Representatives to
take proper steps to put upon that infamy the
seal of its censure and condemnation. ZAP
plause.l
THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
The resolution was adopted without divi-
sion.
PARTIAL REPORT FROM THE sILcoTT COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Adams Qil.) chairman of the special
committee to investigate the Office of the SER
geant-at-arms. made what he said was a partial
report from the committee. The report states
that deficiency at S70,70S.96, and says
there was found also note from Mr.. Leedom
for 81 900 on which only $50 had been paid.
1t further states that the sergeant-at-arms had
been discounting the salaries and notes of
members of the House, and that although it
was claimed that this was done from
private funds, there was evidence that in some
instances, at least it had been taken from the
government safe and the profits retained
by the sergeant-at-arms 1t says the
committee cannot too severely condemn the
negligent manner in which the sergeant-at-
arms conducted his Office and exonerates the
paying teller and book keeper from blame.
The report concludes with statement that
the committee did not feel authorized to 90
into the question of liability.