Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-01-29
Washington Gossip-The Cofrup-
ton Investigation.

journal. 81
Your correspondent has to-day spsskifsd
q realizing sense Of the, <xtrens WIZ
power Of a quiatette OF lawyers-,hssrtsio
say, he was before the Committeesi inves.-
:igation during two and a. half hours an
swering questions, frankly and fully, - far
as they concerned himself, and answering. pro-
testing, or declining to answer, as his best
judgmsn; seemed proper, when the questions
affected other parties. He never offered his
testimony to the House, never profsssed to
be able to furnish il legal testimony on his
own behalf to convict any member Of core
ruption. and therefore was not responsible
to aLy obligation to aid the Committee in
the Iabors which Hon. Mr.. Kelsey thought
proper to have ordered by the House. What
] e did do or say before the Committee. how
ever, | suppose he is scarcely entitled lopub.
lish, as it is now understood that the pro-
ceediEgs are to be kept confidential until
closed. When the testimony is published.
l shall probably have something more to say
about lo-day's examination; meantime. if
my letters are unrsasIly dry, as know they
mist be, charge the same to the Committee.
who, with great kindness and unimpescha-
BILE politeness. however, subjected me to g
pressure we'll calculated to take the Juice
out of any ordinary man.
Everybody interested in having il 50, de-
clares that your correspondent kaous nsth-
ing to reveal to the Committee; yet not q
few Of those who talk thus, seem TO find it
important to circulate hundred rumors OF
awful Developments which are TO open some
respectable sized earthquakes beneath my
feet and swallow me from off the face of the
earth. All this is very terrible; and have
done my utmost to get up in my own breast
due sense of the danger, with view to
proper appreciation Of the warnings uttered
in my ear. But some how or other il is i'm
possible for me TO ind any other sentiment
than that Of utter and ine fable contempt for
all threats and scotfs and curses oil the crew
who are ready to commit pc, jury for my
overthrow. Even that defy, and challenle e
the parties who are daily protesting the ex-
tent, ol their swearing capacity to meet me
face to face and make any honest man be-
lieve their base cslumnies. warn then, in
time how they seek to ensnare me-slse
their. own feet will be fosnd wofufy Lsitn-
gled in the meshes.
And then, aga n, an officer of the House
is busy just at til, time, in breathing his
poi onous Whispers in o the ears of members
of Congress. telling them that they owe IL
to themselves to expel me from the hsE--
tha, somebody, know net who, is hunting
me arourd town with rawhide, &c. &c.
All this is very silly and stupid. If this i'm
prudeu, slanderer thinks the rawhide safe
argument 10 use, he will probably act upon
the presumption without talking about it,
but my word for it, am in no danger, un-
less it be from cowardy assassination. which
is the privilege of every man who chooses to
avail himself Of it. Gentlemen whu feel
aggrieved would 10 well to keep little quiet
until they know from reliable authority for
how much they are indebted to me as il
W i'll be more convenient to settle the whole
account at once.
The Times Of Saturday contains dis
patch from Washington under the date OF
Tuesday:
understand that the committee sosd1g
had under examination at least one witness
who had some thing more than moral cd3-
viction of the truth of the charges of corrpe-
ton that have been made against memels
of Congress. If have not been misinform-
ed, he has on more than one occasion been
an eye and ear witness to arrangements
made by members for securing to themselves
pecuniary profits as a condition OF their ac-
ton. And in at least one instance he was
made the holder of an order upon the Clerk
Of the House for a large sum of moEey,
which was to be divided among the parties.
Whether that dGcdment was produced to the
Committee, or was withheld to meet future
possible contingencies. am not aware.
am confident, however, that it is in exis-
tence and within the reach of the Commit
tee.
was ordered by the House TODAY, is the cor
of the Philadelphia Inquirer
He has manifested considerable anxiety
in his correspondence, for the ex2ulsivn of
the Time, correspondent. for his reckless,
exposures and severe demonstration OF abuses
in Congress 1t is rumored that he knows
about the melancholy joie conh.
dentially communicated to Mr.. Paine OF
North Carolina. 81
The opinion begins to prevail that the
action Of the Investie alton Committee will
not end in smoke, by a good deal; ana IL ia
already conceded ON all hands that the Times
had abundant ground tor is timely and effec-
live warnings. The cause Of its EIi;or and
Washington correspondent. in refusing to
disclose the names OF their informants, is
variously commented on.
The correspondent of the Tribune ,ele-
graphs the following:
WASHINGTON, Friday, Jan. Is, 1857.
The committee Of Investigation are be.
ginning to feel their way gradually, aud to
get the clues which may result in impor,sn,
developments. An order Tor summary pro.
cess to bring Mr.. Chester, of the Philadel.
phia Inqlirer before the bar of the House,
vas made with only two dis. enting volces
and they because denying the power to coa-
pei attendance or enforce testimony. Be.
fore this work 10 over some of the parties
who instigsted il may repent their superior
zeal. When the most conspicuous movers
refuse to testify, indirect proof 10 furnished
that there may be personal motives :or IN
cealment. One effect has already been pro.
duced bv this movement in the report against
patent, which, by a singular
was deferred until this precise
time, showing that it quickened action and
perception.