Year: 1873




Committee. which, he said. had been extorted by un-
questionable facts from reluctant Committees and well
that Committee might have been reluctant for what was
the chargot 1t involved the VcePresdent elect the
vceProsdon sitting, tho Speaker Of the House, the
chaimen OF all the important committees or the House,
the House itself, its very existence and organization
He not disposed 20 blame that Committee when IL
caught all these great levahans OF the great deep in its
net that Il not quite able to haul them all into their
little tub He quoted the testimony Of the Wilson Com
10 show the enormity Of the fraud perpetratcd
the public, and said that this but part OF
great OF fraud the Outcrepping and surface
dcaons Of great system OF fraud by which there had
turned Into the pockets OF private and official c
OF this country the value OF two hundred millions
OF public land and sixty millions of cash. the
value of the land being stated in railroad
circulars 10 bo not less than billion Of dollars.
tho most mammoth fraud ever praoticed on any
Government the face OF the EARTH and how had it
been donef Partly by legislation Congress and State,
and chiefly Congress The lobby had been brought TO
bear. members had been interested. ox-members and
memberseect had been interested until there seemed
so be common apprehension among the people that
auchonroom had been made Of this legislative hail. and
certain it that property had passed under
yonder 0he speaker'sl hammer, than had passed
under the hammer Of auctioneer in all the world
And how had this been carried QUIT Mainly by the
suppression Of inquiry by Congress. Gordon Of
rdptOn had been laid. sweeping from Maine TO Caor
mia and it had succeeded. Tell him not that it a
failure 10 the gran1est achieved by
euoh demoniaoal means among men. He referred TO


The Congressional GLOBE to show the action Of the var
ous leading members Of the House questions affecting
the Union Pacific Railroad Company. The hammer fell
before he got of the labyrnths of The Congressional
Globe and request for permission to print what he
Gond have said was rejected through the objection Of
Mr COnger Of Michigan.


Mr.. whitthorne Dem. Tenn) got the Aoor for some
minutes and expressed his in favor Of the pend
ing resolution.


Mr. NIblack Dem. Ind.), member o; the Select Com
1nlttee next took the oor and made argument in de-
fense OF The position taken by the Committee.


SPEECH OF MR.. BINGHAM.


Mr. Bingham (Rep. Ohio) took the door, and prcfaced
h,s remarks by saying that he asked no pardon and
rendered apology for entering the discussion Ii
was easy for any to undertake to silence the voice
OF the representative Of free people by making false
and malicious accusations against him. The men who
undertook that task had mistaken altogether the temper
OF with whom they dealt. Some of the Journals
he did not speak OF the general press Of the country
had dishonorcd their great before the American
peopie holding in trust what had not been inaptly
called IN other days. the palladium of the liberties OF
the people. in undertaking by :se. tiani0f
70 dictate to the representatives. of the peo-
pie how they should discharge the duty en-
Joined them by the obligations Of their OATH
He would reply to them In the language OF the Presi
Of tho French Assembly 10 the messenger of Napo
leon. who commanded them to disperse Go tell your
master that the Assembly Of the People receive no
order from him." He would say that to those gentle
men who had undertaken control the action Of the
House. under the preense he supposed that they
As wardens Of the public interest and that they
the keepers OF the conscience of the representatives OF
people: he asked favors from such He dill
live by the breath of their mouths. The represent
etvesoi the people were, thank God free under the
shed Constitution the representatives of the
press ana Knew Just as well how discharge their
duty. Passing to the question Of the power OF the
House 10 eIpe member for acts done before his cleo
toa he said that. bad the Credit MoOer might be-
guilt covered with dark eclipse in the presence
OF the assumption made here that any House OF Repre-
sentatives might usrp the power strip the people Of
their right 20 representation on this floor in accordance
with the expressed letter well the spirit OF their
own constitution and laws. He Joined issue with the
Committee; he Joined issue with the mob which de-
manded victim. He would have 1t understood that he
isteposed the laws Of his country much in behalf
OF any e accused here in behalf of the rights
% free people thus attempted to be betrayed and to
DO overturned by twohrds OF the House IN the exer
OF what they pleased 10 call the power OF Pu


cation They had better begin with those who were so
pure that they proposed their neghbor should be
condemned IN violation OF their oath, in vio-
lat.oa Of the Constitution and the statute
laws. and jn violation Of all precedents.


SPEECH OF GEN. BANKS.


Mr. Banks Glib. Rep, Mass) then rose, and immedi
teiy enlisted the closest attention Of the members and
auditors He opened his remarks by ausion 10 the
all absorbing Importance OF the pending question as ey
denced IN the crowded galleries and in the overOwing
hall There was also present in the hall hand which
they could not see, voice they could not hear,
a spirit invisible, resstless, that paraiyzed
Ge conscience that couded the intellect that deadened
Che hearts Of men here and elsewhere. He alluded to


The concentration of wealth represented by the gigantic


oneyed corporation of the country. which seemed TO
grasp without resistance all power Of every character
pere and elsewhere and which threatened the destruc-
ton of the liberties and institutions Of the country IL
went from object TO object from power to power with
renorssess will 1t controlled the press IT swallowed
IN tho legislative assemblies 1t dictated its Will and lts
purpose in public assemblies, and wherever II appeared
II seemed 10 be, and indeed was without rival ID
power ami without limit in purpose Like the Pontic
Sea 10 know no retiring ebb but kept prone on 10 the
Propoutic and the Hellespont 1t was here now' For
the rst time in its history had met check here and
tbe ouestOn for House TO decide was Wnethef tDat
check should be temporary without influence
xy,bo,t consequence OF whether it should be perma
pspt check that should limit and control and perhaps
ultimately destroy objects and powers OF that great
intrest He did not entirely concur In the reasonlngs
of the report the Committee, because be was IN iaVor
of tho simple assertion OF the right OF the
uousa To protect It. What was a universal right
attaching 20 everything and everybody III that right
OF seIf-protecton stricken down here' ana Ihe
House we're 20 declare before the world hat the g9aho


managed corporations OF the country can come In here


"a n,trol ieOislation and buy the votes Of members
o vorv oueston In which they interested, then the
Houe hetrsyed the liberties OF the country and the
,,ts of the peope The House must protect ltsef al
tsst an far M 10 maintain its character for deeency and
for wisdom and for purity, which seemed 10 Dc 80
odepaiye 10 the honorable gentleman from ONO
far Rngbam II were understood that members OF the
House were robbers, murderers baspheIners ana men
av.nu of fhl