Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-10
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Wagon (Ailltary) Roads to Califor-

The Wagon Military Roads to CalIfor-
nia.-The bill that passed the House yester-
lay is calculated to prove Of incalculable
benefit to the whole country. While ION be-
coming law it secures roads for the over
land emigration to the Pacific slOpe-for those
starting west from the north centre and SOUTH
1t secures them all from molestation from
hostile savases; forii is utterly impossible that
the presence upon these roads Of the immense
streams of emigrsnts who are to be constantly
traversiDg them, and OF the settlements OF
hardy frontiermen who will squat there 10
supply the many wants of the emigr alton, can
fail to prove ample protection against the In
dams, within a twelve month after the ways
shall have been opened. They will serve TO
make the various overland routes to California
almost as well known to the country at large
az many Of the great routes Of travel IN the
heart Of the Atlantic States now are. THUS,
Ne believe that they will satisfy the world of
the utter impossibility Of constructing a rail
road between the settled portions Of the east.
ern slope and the Pacific coast, certainly ex
cept by the southernmost route, if that be not
impracticable also, except at cost Of miIliors
of dollars, where the most expensive railroads
20 far constructed in this country have cost
hundreds OF thousands,l while they will &C.
coEmodats all the real necessities of overland
intercourse, which are becoming more pressing
daily, owing to the state of things on the Mic.
araguan 1sthmus, so full Of warning for the
future with reference TO the rropriety Of open.
ing some convenient way for the conveyance
Of troops and military stores between the two
isolated portions of the Union which shall DO
wholly within the jurisdiction Of our own
country.
The bill to uhich We refer above appropr:-
ates for three military reads as follows, viz
1. The proposed read from Fort Kearney,
by the South Pass, to California, starts at q
point where the emigrants from all the West.
ern ard Northwestern States, including Mis-.
to California. The appropriation for this il
$780,
2. For the road from near FL Paso, on the
western frontier Of Texas, to the Colorado, op-
posite Fort Yuma, on the southwestern boun-
dairy Of California. The appropriation is
500, 900.
8 For the road from Fort Defiance, in the
Apache country, TO the mouth Of the Mohaye
river, near the California line. The appro.
priation is S50.eG0. This road affords an out.
let for the people of New Mexico to drive their
stock to CaliiOruia-there being already road
from Santa Fe to Fort Defiance
The Investigating Committee 81.
monitor, the Washington correspondent Of the
New York Times, was yesterday discharged
from custody Of the Sergeant. at.Arns By the
House, on the RECOMMENDATION of the committee
named above. He is understood 10 have an.
s.ered all the questions put to him on his last
examination. II Is said around the city tina.
he has testified that be has no knowledge ths I
any member Of Congress was ever paid do
lar or was ever offered dollar fgr his vote On
any question lnnuneTsble IumorS are aaoat
With reference TO tn. testimony Of various in
tiViduals before this committee, all Of which
appear 10 be Of piece We have so little
confidence in any If them. as to induce Us to
refrain from repeating them IN the Sta. Th.
eC-nittee can hardly report during the cur.
rent week, as the Hon. Mr. Gilbert is said 10
have gone North for witnesses material to his
own defence against an allegation against him
embraced IN the committees budget
Our impression is, that the report Of the
committee when nsde, will fail to en- brace any
proof whatever that any member Of Congress
vas even paid Ut offered dollar for a vote
though the investigation has certainly been
the most thorough and searching known to
the history Of the Congress, Of the United
states- Surmises and inuendoes which. If v.
are not mistaken, form the bulk Of the tss,;-
mcny CT tie credible witnesses .r.min.a
amount to nothing, though their publ;c,,;on
may have good effect on the future If ~.
legislation at this point; while the probabI.
entire failure TO make out a tangible c.s.
against any member, after so severe scrutiuy
az has taken place, will show to tie world
how little reliance is to be placed in the won.
derful revelations Of the wonder. mopgeriny
press.
Great Cry and Little wool.-The defeat of
the scheme Of the Republicans TO prevent Sen
stOr Fitch from being sworn in yesterday, was
precisely what might have been expected To
have accommodated them would have been 20
nave ignored all the former practice of the
oooy In such cases, from the found alton of the
oO'ernment to this hour. The fact that the
HePaoicans sought to set an entire new pre-
eedent In this effort to prevent Senator Fitch
from osing sworn in on Governor WiIIards
oernnoste Of his election, is apparent in the g,
Posure N ade by Senator Mallory, who answer.
ed the elaborate speech of Mr.. Hal. .;n,,,
Dy confronting him in open Senate with hi,
(Mr. H''D speech on the question Of hi, NV
thr. Asliory'D right to be sworn in under nr..
cissiy similar circumstances, wherein Mr.. Hal.
argued quite as vshsmently and with much
more force On the opposite side Of the qsss.