Year: 1876

Mrter OF the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company
and for other purposes Several amendments proposed
by the Committee on Finance agreed to and the
bill passed.


Mr. SHERMAN said the Committee on Finance had
considered the expedency of the government purchas
ng the Freedman's Bank building but thought it best
0ot to put amendment for that purpose this bill
That question could be considered by the Senate here
after In his judgment the government should pur
chase the building.


TIE JOINT RULES


Mr.. BAyARD, Cdem) OF Del, submitted a resolution as
= substitute for IL at reported by the Committee
Rules, nstructing The committees rules of the SEN
ate and House Of Representatives to examine and
after conference report what amendments should be
made the present joint rules for the government OF
he houses of Congress, and also what legislation
necessary in regard the twenty second JOINT rule
Ordered to be printed and laid


THE TREASURY BOOKKEEPING


The Senate then resumed consideration of the resou
non submitted by MT DAVIS IN regard TO the books OF
she Treasury Department the pending question being
Oh the notion Of Mr. Edmunds TO strike out "a special
the investigation shall be made by the Finance Com
mlttee instead Of special committee.


Mr.. SIBERIAN said Senator speaking in this
body about matter which affected the public credit
should be exceedingly careful as to what he said.
Any statement derogatory 10 our public accounts af-
iected the public good more keeny than anything else
He denied that there discrepancy in the public
debt the extent OF 500, ,000 900 in 1870 charged



no ground for such statement He Mr. sherman)
would be glad TO have the Senator from
West Virginia Cir Davis) go to the Treas
He argued that If the Senator had read the finance
ports and compared the different statements he would
not have pointed out any such discrepancy, the
whole thing was explained in those reports. He read
from the finance report OF 1870 to show that the sink
ing fund bonds were included in statement
but in the other The total debt July /, 1870
after deducting coin and currency sinking fund
bonds, SC, was $2sseS5s,5 sos "A, or nearly
lQGc hN
the honorable Senator from West Virginia (Mr
Davis. Before the administration OF President
Grant the public debt statements very meagre
but when his administration commenced and Mr.
Boutwell, entered the Treasury the statements
larged for the information OF the people. AS to the
committee make the investigation, he desired to
that if the matter should be left to the Committee
Finance that committee would do the best II could
but he would much prefer to have The special commit
tee appointed and let the Senator from West Virginia
look Tor himself The business of the Treasury De-
partment extensive and complicated. lie had
often heard said that the Of keeping
Ia the Treasury should be changed, but he thought 1t
would be a serious matter TO improve on the plan Of
Alexander Hamilton, Gallatn and other noted hnan-
ciers.


say anything njure tue credit of the government
the condition Of the accounts OF the Treasury should
be probed and examined He was engaged himself
about six months ago, with one OF the shrewdest
bankers the United States in examination of the
inancc reports from 1871 to 1874 The time occupied
the examination was about three weeks and he did
hesitate assert that there accountant
IN the United States who could take the finance reports
the debt statement and within 600 Of
the amount of the public debt In his opinion there
should be three departments in the Treasury-one of
public accounts, another of commerce and third of
public labor There was something wrong in making
mp the accounts of the and there should be
change


Mr. HERMAN (dem) of " Y favored the investiga-
hon being made by special committee.


Mr.. DAWES, (repl OF Mass said II the Senator from
West virginia Mr Davis would state that he had rea-
believe that any had attempted to make the
books Of the Treasury Department falsely state the
condition OF the public debt he Mr Dawes would vote
haS clal bnfff lha vha Of
this resolution was to ascertain If the books OF the
Treasury Department could not be kept In more sim
pie manner, IL was evident to him that the Finance
Committee could make the inquiry. The Senator from
West Virginia should be more explicit his statement
to whether he charged fraud whether his purpose
was 10 ascertain II the manner OF bookkeeping could be
UmplIhed


from Massachusetts, but other Senator's had attempted
70 put words in his mouth He (Mr Davis) had said
there fraud, that any had altered the books
but he did say the statements sent to Congress- from
year year had been changed, and further that the
new table of 1870 did not agree with the Registers
report but since then the Registers report had been
made 10 agree with that table.


Mr. DAWES said IL the Senator from West Virginia
charged that there fraud, he r Dawes) would 90
with him in pressing the investigation that
guilty man should escape


Mr.. FRELNGHUYsES, (repl of n. j., hoped the amend
OF the Senator from Vermont lMr. Edmunds)
would be adopted He said next TO the liberty OF this
country rs credit and the people exceedingly
sensitive in regard 10 it. II was the right OF the
people, without regard 10 party TO know if there had
been blunderng in the Treasury II it was true that
there had been such blundering il was akin to fraud.


Pending the discussion, Mr. SHERMAN moved that
the resolution of Mr. Davis be laid aside in order that
the Senator from Indiana (Mt Morion) might call up
his resolution in regard to the Mississippi election and
submitted the remarks, which he prepared TO do.
Agreed to.


Mr. CAPERrox dem OF W. va from the Committee
Claims, reported adversely the bill for the relief
OF David Ogden Andrew Foster and other shipowners
Of New York authorizing the of certain permit
money, and It was indefinitely postponed.


The Senate then took up the resolution of Mr. Nor
ton in regard to the Mississippi election.


SENATOR MoRToN's SPEECH.


Mr.. MORTON said -


Mr.. PREslDENr-If the information have received
from very many is substantially true the late
pretended election in Mississippi armed revolu
ton, characterized by fraud, murder and violence
almost every form. II was carried in respects
under The forms OF law but its real that Of
force, the violation Of law and the tramplng under
loot Of the dearest rights OF great masses of men


little less sudden than those OF which have
distinguished the States of Mexico and the countries OF
South America II did differ IRON them in character
and equal atrocy. 1t is matter OF the grave.
est import the American people 10 know whether a
large majority OF the people OF have been over
dersand upon what pretence OF principle such revolt
brought about The only hing like principle that
could be assumed in justification Of such result would
be that political and civil power should belong exclu
gively the white race; upon the other principle
that that party, the members OF which own The most
Of the property in the State Should be allowed to gov
ern the exclusion of the majority who are generally
Door and most OF whom have nothing TO depend upon
Tor their subsistence but their labor spprehend that
an investigation OF the Mississippi revolution would
show that the triumphant minority acted upon both OF
these principles and in various ways boldly professed
Them as its doctrines. We had hoped that hundred
years Of national lfo had definitely settled the ques
ton that political and civil rights should not
depend upon race or complexion. and that
EQUAL rights before the law and In the
administration OF government should not depend upon
wealth property, but belong alike TO every Amer-
can citizen In proposing investigation Il rs hardly
reasonable demand that the matters 70 be invest
gated should be proven in advance. for that would


make the investigation unnecessary and all that ought
10 be required should be the exhibition Of such proba
cause would justify the Senate, in the exercise
ofsound discretion, in ordering an investigation. In
restgatons have often been ordered by both houses
pf Congress upon common rumor and upon
general Impressions prevailing IN the public
mind derived from the press other
II the belief which is certainly entertained by very
many in regard TO the character OF recent events
Mississippi is well founded II Is OF the greatest
importance to the people that an Investigation should
be had that the truth may be shown. the material
progress and prosperity OF the State Is deeply involved
in such exoneraton. | cannot, therefore, understand
the opposition to this investigation in any other light
than constructive admission OF the truth OF the