Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-02-14
From Washington.
[9pecial Correspondence of the Patriot.l
4 Nockery - Sinl0ntOn - Cold Weather - h
Blockade.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 1857.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 1857.
You have undoubtedly learned of the pro-
ceedings in the House yesterday and the day
previous, relative to the investigation now in
progress. The committee have found it i'm
possible to proceed, because the witnesses de-
ny the power of the committee to extort from
them confessions of corruption. To remedy
this evil, the House has passed bill making
it a felony to refuse to answer any question,
perjury to answer falsely, and crime to re-
fuse to produce any paper demanded by the
committee. 1t is very arbitrary law, and
but for the exigency of the occasion, the ter
rible necessity, its enactment would be of
questionable propriety. But so important is
it TO purge Congress of the base corruption,
that feel willing to justify any measure
which will remedy the evil and restore the
purity of the National Legislature. The COM
mittee are in earnest and Messrs. Orr and
Davis intimated that important discoveries
had been made.
SimontOn, the correspondent of che New
for contempt, so say the proceedings and the
newspapers; but it is mockery. He is at
large, attended by an officer of the House. He
is fed, warmed and watched by Uncle Sam
keeps up his correspondence, is supplied with
everything he wants and goes wherever be de-
sires. If this is to be the punishment of con .
tempt, who wonld not willingly, during these
hard times, commit contempt for the sake of
the punishment. have no desire to be Grim
inal, but / should have no objection to being
warmed, fed and paid per diem by Uncle
Sam, and take it that he will soon have a
dozen or more such criminals, for Washington
is just now full of hangers-on, who would
gladly refuse 10 answer for the sake of being
put in similar prison. The only inconve-
nience consists in always having company,
and, perhaps, not agreeable company lie
should have been sent to jail aud fed on "pork
and beans" genuine old fashioned Jail fare,
such as ordinary criminals are fed upon, such
as a man who had stolen stick of wood TO
keep his children warm, or loaf of bread to
feed his starving family, would have been fed
upon but this notoriOusly aud admitted corr
rnpt loafer is dignifed as a Congressional pris-
oner, supplied with all the Injuries the market
will afford and tr Gated by the President with
as much favor and tenderness as if he was
guest.
If the House is in earnest in the inves,iga-
ton, it should punish those who are guilty OF
contempt, and not honor them. As Il is, il is
mockery aud viii end in fzzle, aud all the
energy of the committee will come to nought.
The ''oldest inhabitant" says this is the cold
est winter experienced here for a century or
more. The venerable old gentleman is per-
fectly reliable and never mistakes any oircum-
stance, and, Of course, it is true. But, laying
joking aside, 1t Is intensely cold. We are
blocked uP, no mails, no news, no excitement,
no arrivals and no departures. We can't hear
from Bladensburg, only five miles distant, and
can get little else to eat but herring and beef
very good fare for modest people.
JABFZ CANDOR