The National tribune., 1892-03-31

| lips oil those present, and they TOOK no oath TO
not dvulge the proceedings. for the appeal for
secrecy was made on higher grounds-an ap-
peal to their patriotism. For they discussed
the possibility of war, and an honest statement
of our capacity to defend ourselves in case of
necessity was made, and every member thought
| they would be giving aid and comfort to the
enemy if it was made known what was said
about our resources. This, and this alone,
appears to have sealed the lips of our Solons Of
the Senate.
s@m
The police of the District are doing every
thing in their power to prevent the sale of
| liquor to the inmates of the Soldiers Home,
but they have great difficulty in getting evil
dence enough to convict offenders. Last week
case was tried under the milelimit law,
which imposes severe penalties upon anybody
| selling liquor within mile Of the Soldiers
Home Grounds. After watching the promises
Of man name Whalen for four nights, the
officers thought they had secured enough evil
dencc to convict Whalen, and they raided his
establishment, securing the paraphernalia of q
| complete bar-room, which was produced in
court as evidence. Whalen gave as an excuse
for having the fxings in his house that he was
having christening" but as neither baby
nor priest were present. tho story gained little
credence. The jury found Whalen guilty of
keeping an unlicensed bar, but was found not
| guilty of selling to inmates of the Home, the
old soldiers not testifying against him.
a34
The bills introduced in the Senate and House
| providing for the preservation of the records of
the volunteer armies Of the United States in
all wars since the organization of the Govern
ment, were up for discussion by George G..
Meade Post 5, Grand Army Of the Republic.
on Tuesday, March %. These bills are sub
stantially the same as the one which was de-
featod in the last Congress, providing for the
formation of the Record and Pension Bureau
of the War Department, and appointing Dr. F.
c. Ainsworth, a Major and Surgeon of the
Army, Colonel in the Army in charge Of the
Bureau. The bill was defeated because DR..
Ainsworth's name was attached to it, as it was
claimed that the Senate or House had no con-
stitutional right to say who should be appointed
by the President to fill any position of that
kind. These bills now on the calendar have
left the Doctors name out, and simply provide
that the Chief of tho Bureau shall be Colonel
in the Army. Meade Post passed resolutions
recommending the passage of the bill after it
has been amended SO as to make it incum-
bent on the President to select man to
fill the position OF Colonel in charge of the
Record and Pension Bureau who rendered
honorable service in the army during the war
of the rebellion. Should this amendment be
made to these bills. it would most efIectually
exclude DIR. Ainsworth from appointment to
the coveted position, as his first connection
with the army was in 1874, as an Assistant
Surgeon.
1t seems that Senator Hill, OF New York,
is likely to be connected with fund Of the
Government that he may not relish, because
of his refusal to accept the salary of Senator
during the period he was Governor of the
Empire State, which was mentioned in these
columns few weeks ago. 1t now appears
that the money whi,h Senator Hill refused to
accept from the SECRETARY Of the Senate from
the date of his election by the New York
Legislature up to tie day he took the oath of
Office will, when covered into the Treasury,
have to be credited to the conscience fund"
which, as its name. implies, is money which,
having been rcceiIsd by fraud or in SOME
improper way, has lssen returned to tho Gov.
eminent to relieve $40 prickiDg conscience OF
the receiver Bcca,s;e Senator Hill refused to
receive this moncs does not take it out Of
this category, and tslerc is no way of covering
it into the Treasur,s except to the conscience
funds credit. Whca bill was passed by Con-
gress 10 reimburse t7ie members of the House
who lost their salar. es through the defacation
of Cashier Sicott members who voted against
the bill declared 9Th virtuous indignation
that Congress had 20 right to thus reimburse
its members for tlair own negligence, and
many of them refused TO accept the amounts
due them; but whea confronted with the fact
that if they did not. take this money it would
go into tho conscience fund many Of the re-
luctant members preferred to accept their sal
aries rather than hasye their names connected
with that fund. MAny held out for long
time, and would NOT take their salaries; some
took part but TO, Gay Mr.. McRae, of Arkan-
sas, is the only man .eft who refused to accept
a cent of the money thus voted, the rest dread
ing TO have their names mixed up with the
terrible conscience fnud. Most of the NOM
bers and Senators are quite prompt in draw
ing their salaries IS soon as it is due, but
some wait few days in order to avoid the
appearance of undighified haste. There are q