New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-04
Nem 0rlears 9ailp Crescent.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 4, 1857
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, Jan %. 1851.

WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, Jan %, 1857.
The House of Representatives, yesterday was
of unusual excitement. witness summoned before |
the Investigating Committee-James W. Simonton,
the correspondent of the New York Times-had re-
fused to testify to certain facts, which he said were
communicated to him under the seal of confidence.
Hereupon the committee brought his case to the at
sention of the House, and asked that precept be
issued commanding him to appear before the bar of
the House for contempt. The precept accor
dinghy issued, and in short time the Sergeant.at-
Arms appeared with Simonton in his custody. The
Speaker then told him he would have the privilege of
appearing by counsel before the House but Simon
ton said he would make his own defence He there
upon proceeded to make speech Of about half an
hour in length, saying that he knew of several
Of corruption with respect to the passage of certain
bills before Congress, but that he had pledged his
honor not toreveal anything connected with them, and
therefore he would decline to answer matter what
the consequences might be- His speech developed in
fact, a new phase of Congressional corruption. He
said that two members of the House had approached
him, and solicited him to ascertain how much they
would be paid if they were to vote for a certain
measure. Generally, the plap has been to approach
members cautiously and make them offer for their
votes. The idea of a member voluntarily going and
offering to sell out his vote, is something altogether
new in the history of Congressional corruption.
At the close of the discussion the House directed
the sergeant-atA Arms to keep simonton in close GUS
tody until he purged himself Of the contempt or until
be was released by order of the House, or until the
close of the session. The probability is, therefore,
that simonton will lead very retired life between
this time and the 4th of March,
The other eontumacious witness, Chester, has
either fed the city or is in close conceament The
Sergeant-atA Arms has not yet been able to find him.
1t Isl gratifying circumstance, connected with these
charges Of bribery and corruption, that not suspi-
con has yet attached to single Southern man. Con-
lectures, and perhaps welfounded conjectures have
been made as to the guilty parties, but all who
suspected are either from the North the Northwest
Believing in the goodness and justice of the legal
maxim, that every man should be held innocent until
clearly proved to be guilty, will not repeat the
rumors which circulate about the city in reference to
the parties implicated mans honor and his good
name is too delicate thing to be attacked on sus
| picion. merely.
These developments however, though they may
lead to nothing practical, will yet have happy effect
in making iniquity more modest, and in causing ras-
caty to shrink abashed from the public gaze. 1t
will put endfor the present session, at least-to
the abominable lobby SYSTEM by which good measures
are sometimes defeated and bad established.
1t will clear the political atmosphere of Washington
and induce temporary return to integrity and
honesty. For this, even monlentary respite of ras
cality, we have cause to be abundantly thankful
The Senate yesterday, was engaged in an animated
debate the question of extending aid to the sub
marine telegraph between this country and Great
Britain and the proprety of eXecting conditions
from the company. The fact that both ends of the
line would be in British territory, urged by somt
of the Senators sufficient for refusing tha
encouragement to it that they would otherwise gladly
give This end of the wire being in Newfoundland
and the other in Ireland, it urged that in thu
event of war between the United States and Grea
Britain, the latter power would have sole control
it, and would use it to our disadvantage. But yet il
is difficult to see of what possible to us it could be
in the event of war so far military operations are
concerned. 1t would be asking two much Of Great
Britain to expect her to abandon the of it, thai
there really seems to be no force in the objection
whatever.
A discussion of considerable interest also took
place in the Senate relative to the comparative mer
its of Beaufort and Port Royal, III South Carolina
and Brunswick, in Georgia, for the establishment o
4 naval depot and harbor. The Georgia Senators
Iverson and Toombs, advocate the claims of Bruins
wick with their accustomed ability, while Butler and
Bggs contend respectively for Port Royal and Beau
fort. The Senate adjourned without coming to de-
cison.
On last Monday, when the States were called fol
resolutions in the House, Mr.. Taylor, of Louisiana
submitted resolution which is preliminary to ar
effort to have weekly line of communication estab
lished between New Orleans and San Francisco
across the Isthmus of Tehuahtepec. The drift of his
resolution is to establish the superiority of New Or
leans over New York as the starting point of the
California mails and also the superiority of the Te
huantepec route over that now used. The nforma
ton he has called for will doubtless establish both
these propositions 1t is intended the basis of
claim for change in our California mail arrange
ments so that by starting from New Orleans, and by
crossing the Tehuantepec instead of the Pauamt
route, large saving of both time and money may
be effected. Mr.. Walker, of Alabama, who is q mem
ber of the Committee OF Post Offices and Post Roads
to which the resolution was referred, puts in smi
lar claim for Mobile. This antagonsm of interest
together with the limited time of the session, may
perhaps, defeat any action at the present time.
The President has communicated to Congress th
papers relative to the offer of the =" Hermitage, ii
Tennessee, and the establishment of a mitar
academy there, without slgniyln9 Whether TN
proposition meets with his approval or dissent. HI
has also communicated his approval of the late bill t.
correct the errors of the old Naval Retiring Board.
Information was received here yesterday that tn
Hon james Harlan had been reelected to the Senat
by the Legislature Of Iowa. His late election fror
the Senate on account of the informaty of his eec
tion will be worth about four thousand dollars to hiI
; in the way of constructive mileage.
The violent snow storm, which terminated la
d, Monday, has interrupted all communication, Mort
and South. The snow, in places, is six feet dee
= in the avenues Mail communication was establshe
yesterday between this city and Baltimore, and it
e expected that the Southern mail will be able to gt
5 through tomorrow. Thus far the snow has mete
If but little. 1.-The Oldest nhabtant says it is IL
i deepest snow known in Washington since 1927.
Essex.