Year: 1862




publican friends, who listened with silent atten-
ton, if not with real interest," to the attacksu up
on the committee. Let me talk to them, in all
kindness, for moment. believe this is a
Republican House. 1 believe the Republicans
'have a majority in it. believe the Committee,
was appointed by Republican Speaker, for a
specific purpose. Do you believe we as Com
mittee were base and vile and dishonest enough to
bctray the trust reposed in us? If SO, then brand
us with your instant condemnation. But it is
said we must not break down the Republican
party. have been in Congress some little
time, and | have seen various investigating COM
mittecs, when the Republicans were not i'll pow
or in the Administration, and in those days ]
found my Republican friends always on hand in
season and out Of season, to detect and punish
these frauds.


If frauds were detected, they went before
the country, and the country hurled from pow
er the men who had committed them. What
was then said in relation to these matters? Why
when we announced to the country that these
frauds were committed, the party in power
said that the frauds were committed by men for
whose acts the party was not reSponsible~ What
was our reply to this9 What the reply Of the
republicans? 1t was, to be sure you would not
be responsible in the first instance, but when
your Investigating Committee disclosed all the
facts, and placed the particulars on record, in
stead Of your coming out and voting upon them,
You are found on the record supporting and
sustaining them. / do not propose to place
myself in that predicament. When | suspect
Republican of committing a fraud, feel vas
tly more inclined to expose and punish him
than | would Democrat, for he brings dis
grace and dishonor upon the party to which he
belongs. And are we to initiate this example?
Are my Republicans willing to stand on the
record as the indorsers of these frauds? Or
will they go with me, and say to their constitu-
ents, when we found these frauds existed what
did we do? AS Republicans we appointed q
Committee, as Republicans we made an inves-
tigation, and as Republicans we voted condem-
nation on the thieves, and the johbers, and the
plunderers of all parties, wherever we found
them. How should we stand before the coun-
try as party,if we act otherwise? Tt is fore
shadowed by the member from New York, who
camors to have the Committee dsbanded Let
that gentleman .(lr. .Conklinpl come IN. i
here call upon him to introduce his extraordi-
nary resolution, and if the Committee have not
the confidence of the House and of the repub-
lican party, let it be voted down. 1t may be
very harmless thing to punish fraud and robber-
les in time of peace but in time of war, when
the National Treasury is BETRAYED, when it is
reeling under the attacks of thieves and plum
derers, can we, as the representatives of con-
fiding and loyal people, stand here and support
these robbers and jobbers? Whatever other
gentlemen may do, whatever it may seem fit to
the party to do, for one do not propose to
stand on the record in that way AS the oldest
member present, representing constituency for
ten years, should deem myself but mscreant
representative of that noble constituency if l
stood here as the defender of the robberies and
the plundcrings now going on against the pub
lie treasury. The gentleman from Pennsylva-
MIA (Ir Stevens our leader in this House,
great and shining light in our Republican party,
brought in his Tax bill the other day-a bill
so large that it would require the use of
wheelbarrow to get it here; but almost on the
next day we find him assailing the Committee,
because, indeed, it steps in between the thieves
and the Ire asury


The country will look with some interest to
the vote of the gentleman from Penn sylvania,
when vote is taken rs to who are the endor-
sers of the schemes and jobs Of those plunder-
ers, because it is nothing more or less tan an in
dorsement of those robberies to vote for the
discharge of the committee This Tar bill,
which was supported by the gentleman from
New York, is to enable Mes to pay these robbers
and rl,tnderes sciM the tareS to be scyewed from
The humble wo1kany men Of the country. When
think upon whom this tax will fall heaviest, I
Ill
of the confidence of my people, if i
did not throw myself, with all my feeble influ
ence, between the Treasury and these public
plunderers. In reference to matters connected
with Gen. Fremont, and the administration of
the Western Department. the House will
hear witness that the Committee has not drawn
Gen. Fremont into this discussion. While
speech aft9r speech was being made by the
friends of Gen. Fremont, we said nothing, and
had the matter been allowed to rest we did not
intend to say anything. And l must add, that
when the report was drawn up Gen. FIRE.
mont was not at the head of an army. lie is
there now, and while there, we did not intend
to enter into any discussion upon matters con-
nccted width his late department Gentlemen
are extremely sensitive when anything is said
in reference to Fremont but whenever anything
is said in reference to another General In the
field, not very far from here, find these gen.
tlemcn arc not at all quite so sensitive. l in
tend to leave the Generals of the army where
they are, on the field; but when they return
from the field, am willing to try the case of
one of them with my friend from Indiana, (Nlr.
Colfax.) am willing 10 go to the country with
that report, and am ready to defend the action
of the Committee against all comers, and when
the time for further discussion arrives, l will
say to my friend from Indiana, "Come on,
Macduf, and damned behe who first cries
hold enoughv" Laughtcr What does the
member from New York mean, with ref