Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-09-24

gressmen TO secure the decapitatlon OF
Objectionable fourth-class Dostmasters.
Mr.. Bretz. OF Indiana, was the ag-
grieved person and Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Maxwell, the OBJ
ject Of his indignation. Rising 70
question Of personal privilege he ex-
plainei that soon after the Inauguration
be had filed charges against James
HanseuOur, the Postmaster At Celes-
tine, Indiana, on the ground Of incom-
potency. 10 proof OF this charge he
sent 70 tho clerks desk and had read
the letter which be had hled
with the charges. The letter was
written by Hansenour soon
after the Republicans came into power
In 1890, and furnished a model illustra-
tioR OF the acrObatic alacrity with
which some fOurth-claSs pOStmasters
can turn their political Goa with
changes Of administration. Tue letter
was written in English but chung close
ly TO German idiOms, and the reading
clerk, who entered heartily into the
spirit OF the affair, read the letter In
dialect 70 the great amusement OF the
House. In the letter the writer pledged
himself perpetually to the cause OF Re-
publicanism. Mr.. Bretz said that the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
had refused 20 act on this letter.
The House could not exactly see
where the question Of privilege came
in and Mr.. Burrows called the Speakers
attention to this fact.
"Oh, let him go on," protested Mr..
Cannon, Of Illinois. she may be pre-
pairing TO bring impeachment proceed
iDgs against Mr.. Maxwell"
Mr.. Bretz replied that he was coming
TO the question OF privilege Snd there
upon presented another letter that was
read addressed TO himself on September
is. by Hasenour, in which bribe Of SIS
was offered by the writer II Mr.. Bretz
would permit him TO continue 70 hold
the office. The choice extract Of this
letter was as follows:
Change som In POladicks, years
ago was a Dig Intress 70 me although l
never toockt no pard in the campange.
Blenty here waist the Office 10 stay wild
me. Tha sag that tended IL all rite.
Also I am proud OF il. l will make you
a preseuo Of SIS IL you will let me keep
the office
Mr.. Bretz's cheek famed and his
eve flashed as be denounced this at
tempt 70 bribe a public officer. The
members laid back cOuvulsed with
laughter as Mr.. BretZ delivered his
philippe, and some irreverent member
laughingly suggested that the insult
was not large enough. AT the conclu-
sion Of his speech Mr.. Bretz Of
fered a resolution for the ap-
pOinment Of committee OF
three TO ascertain why this incompetent,
corrupt Republican official had not been
dismissed. The Speaker, Of course,
ruled that the matter did not present
question OF privilege, and reluctantly
Mr.. Bretz permitted il TO be referred
under the rule 10 the pigeon holes OF
the Postofice Committee.
Some unimportanJ reports to the
House followed. and then Mr.. Tolbert,
Of Marylsnd, called up the bill remit
ting $50, 600 In penalties to the builders
Of she dynamite cruiser Vesuvlus.
Mr. Cummings. Chairman OF the Ma
val Affairs Committee, supported the
bin, maintaining that the fault lay not
with the construction, but with the
shells. The government had suffered
nothing by the delay.
Mr.. Saver. Chairman Of the Appre-
priation Committee, opposed the bill,
saving that when companies earned
bonuses on vessels they were quick 10
claim them. but when they had penal
ties to pay they invariably applied TO
Congress for relief. He said the Vesu-
vius was a failure from every point OF
view. The bill finally went over with
80 artLnr