The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-09-26
SENSATION IN THE HOUSE.
PostmnSter White Rests Under IL Serious
Clnrgh-CIa SIlcnit 4 hnILr

Chnrse-Tle S!lcOtt Affair.
WAsulNdroN, D. G., Sept. o5.-In the
House to-day, Mr.. Payson, OF Illinois,
was recognized to submit conferences
report, when Mr.. Enloe, OF Tennessee,
rose to a question Of privilege, which he
stated was OF higher privilege than the
conference report.
Mr.. Enloe said that he held resolu.
ton relative to the investigation Of Ger.
tain charges made against the Pos,mas.
ter Of the House OF peculation in office.
The Speaker ruled that the conference
report was OF higher privilege, and Mr..
Payson submitted a report on a bill
authorizing entry Of public lands by in.
corporated cities and towns for cemetery
and park purposes. Adopted.
Mr.. Morrill,, Of Kansas, submitted, and
the House asreed to, a conference re-
port on the bill granting q oension to
the widow of Gen. Hartrauit. The
amount granted is 500 month.
Mr.. Payson presented and House
adopted the conference report on the bill
for the relief OF settlers on Northern
Pacific indemnity lands. =
Mr.. Enloe then brought up his reso.
luton. 1t recites that it is alleged that
the Postmaster Of the House, J. T.
Wheat, whose dutyit is 10 let contracts
for the carrying Of the mails, let n con.
tract to one Samuel Culbertsou for
81, 900 year on the condition that Cul.
bertson should pay him (Wheat| Sl5O a
month out of the money received from
the government for his services. and
that Wheat did receive that sum for five
months; and directing the Committee
on Accounts 10 investigate these charges
and such other matters rs appertain to
Wheat's administration of the Postoflirc
OF the House Of Representatives.
Mr.. Hopkins, OF Illinois, suggested
! that the resolution be made broad
enough to include an inyestipa.
ton OF the action OF the last Postmaster
in regard to the same matter. -.
Mr.. Enloe remarked that il any gen.
tleman had evidence that there was
anything wrong in the action Of the late
Postmaster, he would have no objection.
Mr.. Hopkins remarked that he under
stood that this contract, which the gen.
tleman claimed was unlawful, had come
down from the Postmaster Of the last
Congress. -'' s'' - -.
Mr.. Hopkins offered an amendment
extending the investigation into the
practices OF the Postmaster in the Forty.
ninth and Fiftieth Congresses. Mr.
Hopkins said that there was no attemp:
to shield any one, but the Postmasters Of
the last and OF the present House were
so interlaced that one could not be in.
vestigsted without the other.
Mr.. Strubte, OF Iowa, suggested that
Silcott was also interlaced,
The previous question Was ordered-
yeas los, nays Sc. MI. Hopkins amend.
ment was adopted and the resolution An
amended was agreed 10.
Mr.. Payne, of New York, Chairman
OF the special committee appointed to
investigate the Silcott defalcation, called
up the bill defining the duties Of the
Sergeant.at, Arms. The accompanying
report explains its provisions in sub.
stance as follows: 1t enables the
Sergeantat.Arms to make rpouis;.
ton directly upon the Treasury
for the pay and mileage OF mem.
bers, and constitutes him in explic.
it terms disbursing officer, limiting his
compensation to his present salary.
Under the,present system, says the re-.
port, members are required to give writ
ten receipts in advance Of the actual
payment OF their salaries by the Treas.
ury. This custom is an ancient
one, and is utterly at variance with
any sound business principle. Tin.
on the recent delalcation OF Sil.
colt, the attempt was made TO give
these receipts force and effect unknown
to any previous announced principle NJ
low. 1t was claimed that they were not
like ordinary receipts in commercial
transactions, subject to explanation and
even contradiction, but that members
by giving them were stopped from claim.
ing thereafter unpaid salaries. ills true
that the courts promptly decided the
lnuestlon in favor Of the members and in
accordance with we'll established and
time honored principles Of law ordered
the payment Of the salaries to
the momhers who had given these
receipts. But 1t is nniQslqqa,e tha. this
question was ever left open, BECAUSE OF
the lack OF express statutory enactment.
The present bill remedies all Of this. Il
authorizes aud requires payment to the
Sergeant-at.Arms, upon his reeuisition
1t is only when the payment Ii actually
made by this officer to the member thai
) any receipt can te required. A bond in
the sum Of s5o,ooo isfequirsd. The bil
was passed. -