Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-02-05
Washington Correspondence.
WASuIyCrOy Ian IL

ana the appointment OF a commit zee to
inquire into the alleged corruptions pre-
vailing In and about the halls of Congress
l imagine Mr.. Kelsey did not contemplate
the far-reaching effects of the missile SO
unceremously launched into the ranks OF
his own party. | doubt if he could have
been informed how many of his own
friends it would involve, since the csntem.
plated scope Of the committees inquiry is
confined TO the present session, nor even
TO the Minnesota Transit Railroad Compa-
ny. on behalf of which it is charged that
Mr. Eiwards attempted to bride his col
league from North Carolina, Mr.. Paine,
Doth OF which gentlemen belonged to the
rump Of Know Nothingism in the presen
Congress. II is limited that if full III
yestgalion is entered into, some curious
fac:s bearing upon the manner in which
Mr.. Banks secured his election as Speaker.
upon the influences that made Mr.. Wen
dell printer to the House. the interest of
Philosopher Greeley in the Des Moines
Navigation Company, and the intrigues in
which Weed Of the Albany Evening Jour-
nal, 0. B.. Matteson, of n. Y, the New
York Times establishment and correspon-
dence here. &C.. &C. Mr.. Kelsey un-
willingly fired gun into the very hot bed
Of Black Republican corruption, and its
discharge has produced the effect of chain
shot. bringing down whole platoon at
once. The querelousness and anxiety of
Messrs. Brenton. of Indiana. L. D. Camp
bell, of Ohio. and A. K Marshall, of Ken.
tueky, has some significance in this con-
nection. You will have had report of
the extraordinary expressions INDUCED in
by these gentlemen towards the Press, but
the telegraph. hardly did justice to the ex-
tensive scurrilousness and abusive nature
of their language. Mr. Campbell is a
promising young member, holding his seat
Marshall? No one ever heard Of them be-
fore this terrible onslaught of theirs upon
the press. Do they mean to raise them
selves into sufficient consequence to be
abused, or do they wish to avenge them
selves for having been left in appropriate
obscurity by that powerful agent which
makes and unmakes so many Of the petty
statesmen of this day? Or. Shall make
the less charitable supposition that they
have transactions to cover which so excl
their hatred of the Press? At any rate
they have raised themselves to brief but
unenviab!e notoriety. from which they will
subsile, when the present excitement is
over. lower than before. No man, now
a-days, can assault the Press with inds-
criminate and libelous abuse, without hav-
ing occasion, some time or other, to re-
pent his temerity. 1t is true Mr. Brenton
Is rather small game for an Influential pa
per like the Times. but if he has newspa-
per IN his district. i, should take that
ambi -ious. but rash asp,rant af err no:o-
riety. into its private ard consi lcrate
sch 'olins. Doubtless the gcn:lem IN from
lnditna may learn something by iting at
tie feet of Gamil;el for u time
The gentlemen t, whom | have allude I
seemed DESTROYS of confning the research /
es OF the iave5u eating committee to ha
particular case of Mr. Edwards. and the
Influence # tha. character are sill exert /.
ed OH the committee On the other hand. all {
who are DESTROYS TO get at 'the truth, the .
whole truth.and nothing but the truth" are
anxious that the inquiry should be as gen
eral as possible, and that nobody's corrup-
tons shall be white washed over. This is
the disposition of Mes5rs Orr and Warner,
the democratic members Of the committee.
and believe of the chairman, Mr.. Kelsey,
also nor, this certainly Is what The public
demands AMI Mr.. Edwards insists on
He Says that he will not be male the
sclpe goat of all the lobby, the Speaker.
the printer of the House. AMI all the
tribe. If he is TO be brought up to the
scracth, he Is bound to drag others along
with him. however unwilling they may be.
The Minnesota land bill, in behalf of
which Il is charged corrupt offers have
been made by Mr. Edwards and others,
has never been reported to the House, but
Is in the committee on public lands, and in
the especial charge of Mr.. Brenton 1t
embraces proposition to build railroad
from Winona to St. Peters, in Minnesota.
known as the Transit route, and grant Of
public lands is asked for in aid Of the road.
So far as l can learn, it sc ms 10 be entire
ly private speculation, for the benefit of |
parties having large mere SIS in, and in /
fact owning St. Peters, and others interest
ed at the other end and along the route of I
the road What interest Mr. Brenton has .
l do not know, but Mr. Edwards owns
lands upon the route. and has direct per-
sonal interest in the bill It's friends have
undoubtedly resorted to the usual means
of securing lobby influence and the es-
pecial favor of members, as they can well
afford to do. 1t is expece ed the commit
tee laoors will result in bringing to light
the whole mo a; opcrand, of the agents of
the Transit road. among many otherequal- I
ly curious Developments. There was
session of the committee this morn.
ing, and several witnesses were subpencd. /
There is intense mi crest manifested all
around with referenc, to the range Of in
quiry. Let me hope it will be full and
searching. and let the press demand that
1t shall be thus. There is fun ahead if the
committee do their duty. In the meantime
you may rely on my furnishing you with
whatrver new revelations msy occur.
Cabinet matters. in spite of all givings
out to the contrary, remain in statu quo
Gen. Clss has not been offered place, nor
any body else. l am certain Of it, Chi /