New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-13
FROM WASHIrG TON.
rro,, d, owa Corepsaioae
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. 1857.

Although tho proceedings Of tho Committee o.
Investigation have bea kept clcse except so far q.
particular witnesses have dvulged their own test.
mony-which they are at perfect liberty to do-still
enough has leaked out through the creyices to jus.
tify the opinion that four or ave members may be
seriously compromised and that some attempt will
be made at expulsion. Until the whole evidence be
given to the public upon which this impression
rest. il might be nvidious TO discuss the justice or
propriety of the suggested step and especially upon
information which from the nature Of the case. ia
mperfect and Limited. Much has been said in the
newspapers about "new clues" which the Com
mittee have obtained but there is one very remark
able fact about the investigation Ear as its general
operations are understood, and that is the absence
Of any grave complication Of men whose names
have been bruited through the halls and lobbies Of
Congress and the avenues and purlieus of the city
as the most notorious in all these suspicious trans
actions 1t proves one of these things, either that
there has been hard swearing before the Committee
that the suspected persons have covered up their
tracks OF that they have been the injured victims
Of false and general prejudice. Let US hope, for
their own sakes and the reputation OF Congress- the
last Of these alternatives is best founded IN truth
Notwithstanding the cool manner in which Mr..
Buchanan repealed the advances made by the
friends of Mr.. Walker and Gen. Cass for the post
of Secretary Of State the prize is too valuable to
be relinquished without another struggle So
new movement has been started In favor of Walk
er, and formal Committee dispatched to Wheat
land TO urge additional considerations. They carry
instructions that, failing in the special object Mr.
Walker is willing to transfer his influence over to
Gen. Cass. So it is sort Of d0uble-barreed mis-
sion, firing Walker from one bore and Cass from
the other and both being considered Internal bOres
by the person most interested. 1t has become
source of interesting inquiry to which region or
State Walker really belongs. He halls from Mis-
sissippi, is housekeeper in Washington within
sight of the Executive mansion, splurges in New
York and, like spilled milk, lies loose around gen.
orally He will not turn up this time in Office.
From the decisive vote in the Senate yesterday,
laying the applications of Hussey and Mccormick
for extensions of their Reaper patents on the table,
it is hardly presumed an attempt will be made to
revive them. Even some of the friends Of these
patents have become dissatisfied with the pertina-
cous zeal with which they have been pursued year
after year. in the face of repeated decisions, pre-
GLIDING any prospect of success. Besides, large
interest has grown up in various parts OF the
county, amounting, it il said, to capital OF four
or five millions of dollars, which entered into the
manufacture of reaping machines, with improve
public eight years ago, and which is now brought
TO bear against extensions that may affect it inur
ously and unfairly. If the parties claiming special
legislation have rights, others who in good faith
acted under the official sanction of the Government
in overlooking their means and skill In these enter
prises have also rights and are equally entitled to
protection; and if Congress shall ever see tit to act,
both the patentees and the manufacturers should
be equally considered.
Judge Daniel has intimated an intention to re-
sume>his seat this week on the bench, which has
been vacant since the fatal accident that beiel his
wife As soon az be appears the Court VIII pro.
coed at once with consultations in the Missouri
case which has been suspended, owing TO his aD.
sence and deliver the decision within few weeks.
The day of adjournment for this term is not yet
named, but will be between the 4th and 10th Of
March.
The House of Representatives gave start to
overland communication with California yesterday,
upon which the most suspicious results may be
predcated The basis Of Northern and Southern
road is established thus affOrding the meano Of
transit and transportation at all seasons. II the
Northern route be impossible in Winter that OF FL
PasO will be Open and so vice versa, changing the
seasons. Practical engineers and experienced trap
pers may discuss which of the two Is the better
sdapted TO practical purposes, so far as theory IS
Concerned but emigration will soon settle the ques
ton for itself when the roads are once opened The
money would be well spent with full treasury, if
third route was laid out. These are the Pioneers
of great forward movement which is to bind the
States on the Pacific with those on the Atlantic
with iron hgaments. The telegraph will follow,
and that once securely established a railroad will
become necessity and certainty We are now
paving nearly million year for the transportation
of the mails through foreign territory and this sum
forms the interest large part OF the capital re-
Quired for building railroad.
Thus far the Conferences between the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations Of the Senate and the Sec.
retary of State in regard to the Treaty, have not
resulted in any substantial modification, nor Is 1t
seem that without an abandonment OF It's most vital
principles, amendment can be made to- satisfy tie
Opposition. This treaty is merely explanatory OIL,
and supplemented to, the Clayton-Bulwer Conver
ton 1t recognizes the existence of the latter, IN
repetition of its most important obligations, ara
among them, that against occupying settling colo
pzine or fortyng is the one denounced as special.
" offensive. The propsgandists OF Marcy want
room. to use the language OF Gen. Cass IN oregon
times, and they will accept no restriction against
EXPANSION, under the benign influence of fillibus-
ter ike Walker, who abOshes the local laws pro-
hbiting that cherished institution. In word, this
interest does not desire to re-afrm the Clayton
Bulwer contract but the contrary, to get md OF
an engagement, which shuts the United States out
| of Central America. That is the milk in the
| socosnut. INDEX.
| From Our Own Correspondent.
WASHINGTON Feb. ii, 1857.