Year: 1878

closing honrs of last session. and covered 40
pages of parchment. The number Of enrolling
clerks had been reduced carly in the session that
the clerks employed at this work over
tasked in the closing hours and were not able to
fully compare every page Of the BILL large proper
ton of it duly enrolled in anticipation of its
final passage. but the Conference Committee made
many changes that it necessary to destroy
number OF pages. and the work was distributed
among several clerks. The delay made ii also
sary to extend the time of adjourning and when
the bill completed Mr.. Rainey of the Com
lnittce on Enrolled Bills, who hal carefully
compared most Of this bill, insisted upon
finishing the duty devolving upon him. 1t is
said that Mr.. Atkins. who had charge of the confer
report insisted it not necessary, and tho
bin taken to the Speaker and by him signed.
and then hurriedly taken to the Senate by the Clerk
OF the House aud delivered to Mr.. Bassett, by whom
it taken to the Vice President and thence to the
President who signed it. After the adjournment it
discovered that the page relating to tho Hot
Springs Commission not in the enrolled bill.
interested in the subject, at once made
public the charge that the omission was due to
lcssness the part of the enrolling clerks OF the
House and Clerk Adams promptly denied the allega-
ton, making good defence Of his employees that
Senator Dorsey sought explanation Of the singular
omission in another direction. Mr.. Atkins on behalf
OF the Appropriation Committee, also sent request
to tho Secretary Of the Treasury to have the
service work up thecase and discover if possible who
the guilty parties if any. 1t then that
picion rested upon Senator Conover who is chairman
Of tho Senate Committee Enrolled Bills, and
it was known that he had an antipathy
to Ex-Governor Stearns. of Florida, who
was ono Of the commissioners under
the provisions Of the BILL Mr. Benson Of the Secret
Service Corps. had frequent interviews with Senator
Dorsey, and the consequence that Senator Con-
was believed to have been instrumental in tam
perng with the bill. The eecret service agent even
went far to declare that he had sufficient evil
dcnce to send Senator Conover to jail. During the
recess Mr. Benson has accumulated number Of state
ments duplicating the clerk of Senator Conover's
committee and bearing upon the original suspicion.
Senator Conover says that he the bill;
that he was asleep when it was taken to the
President and knew nothing whatever Of the omis
sion until he heard of 1t common
report. He has asked for committee of investiga
tion and the Senate in defence Of its own dignity
will thoroughly inquire into the matter. On tho
House side the Clerk has asked for committee to
examine into the enrolling Of the bill, aDd the Com
mittec Enrolled Bulls has also requested similar
investigation in its own behalf. The investigation
will at least show the Importance OF more careful
examination Of bills rushed through during the
closing hours of Congress- and will probably lead to
the adoption OF better precautions to prevent tam
pering with legislation by unscrupulous parties.


THE POTTER COMMITTEE.


The Potter Committee will not meet to-day as in
tended and appointed General Butler has not re-
turned to Washington. and the committee will await
his presence before proceeding with the electoral in
vestigation.


THE NEW YORK APPOINTMENTS.


The New York appointments have not yet been
considered by the Committee on Commerce, to which
they were referred Mr.. Conkiing the chairman, has
not yet returned to Washington.


The Senate will probably adjourn from tomorrow
to Monday.