Mr. SCHENCK. Mr. Chairman, I rise for the purpose of speaking, to the amendment and in response to my friend and colleague o: LeBLoND] I am from an agricultura district, and I yield to no gentleman upon this floor in regard to the appreciation that I have of the importance of an Agricultural Bureau or Dept of the Government, and I have hoped to see that Dept, become of so much importance that its head might be in vited to the councils of the President of the nation. I do not know that that is likely to happen under the administration of the present incumbent. I believe he once sought an entrance into the Cabinet. [Laughter] But what is really the question now presented? My colleague [Mr. DELANo] does not present it distinctly to the House. A proposition is made to reduce the appropriation for this Bureau, on at least one of the items involved, a large sum. The chairman of the ComWays&Means has presented certain facts to this House showing extravagant and unauthorized expenditures by this head of the Agricultural Dept. He appealed to the chairman of the ComAg to know whether he had overstated those facts, and the chairman of the ComAg [Mr. Bidwell] says that he has not overstated them, but that as far as the investigation in which his committee has been engaged elicits the truth the case is much more monstrous even than that represented by the chairman of the ComWays&Means. Now, sir, in connection with this I may allude to the fact that there has been an investigation, proceeding under instructions given by. the to the ComAg, into the administration of this Dept; and to show what obstructions have been thrown in the way of that investigation by the head of this Dept, we have laid upon our tables a statement over the signature of Mr. Gendell, who seems to have been one of the clerks in the bureau, in relation to the manner in which witnesses before the committee have been treated clerks in the Dept who have been called upon to testify before the committee and that is a sufficient reason for takin away this appropriation from under the contro of this man if this statement be true. I know nothing personally of it. It appears that 2 or 3 clerks in this bureau, who were called upon to testify as to the manner of administering the affairs of the office, and through whose developments some of these extravagant and unauthorized expenditures have been revealed, have been turned out of office for daring to go before a committee of Congress and tell the truth in regard to the head of their bureau. You may consider this matter in what light you choose, but by the general consent, not only of this House, but of the country, this man, however kind and amiable he may be in the other relations of life, is unfit to be at the head of that which ought to be an important branch of the Government. He is incompetent and is denounced as such by the agricultural interest and those who represent that interest all over the country, and this seems to be the only way in which Congress can reach him. My colleague [Mr. LeBloxn] suggests that the proper way is to apply to the appointing power and have him removed. Sir, we have no influence with the appointing power., While this man was continued in office, under Mr. Lincoln's Administration, I know the political friends of Mr. Lincoln in great numbers called upon and remonstrated with him for permitting this man to longer remain in that place; and there was a continual expectation up to the very time of the death of Mr. Lincoln that the removal would take place. But now it is my colleague, [Mr. LeBLOND, if he has not alto 5. repudiated his connection with Andrew ohnson, who would have the influence necessary to bring about this change. We as a congress, treated as we are by the President, and having so little influence with the President, can do nothing but control the supplies and cut off “the bread and butter” of this man.