Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-01-16
xXXgyth CONGRESS-.
THIRD EssIoN.

eminent IN lIS lOrtlH0 lulcTCOuGSc. IL Nu-
thorizcs the Secretary Of State, under direc-
tion of the President, to contract with any
competent person or persons or association
for the aid of the United States in laying
down n submarine cable to connect existing
tclcgraphs between the East of Ncwfound-
land and the coast of Ireland and for the
use of such submarine communications when
established, by the Government of the Uni
ted States, on such terms and conditions as
shall seem to the President just and reason
nblc provided that the Government of Great
Britain shall. before, or at the same time,
enter into q like contract for those purposes,
with the same person, persons, or nssocia-
tions, and upon terms of exact equality with
those stipulated for by the United States !;
and, provided. that the tariff of prices for the
use OF such submarine communication by the
public shall be fixed by the Secretary of the
Treasury of the United States. and the Gov
crnment of Great Britain and its authorized
agent provided further that the United
States shall enjoy the use of the said subma-
rinc telegraph communication for period of
fifty years, on the same terms and conditions
which shall be stipulated in favor of the
government Of Great Britain in the contract,
so to be entered into by such person, persons,
or associations, with that government.
The bill was referred to the Committee on
Post Offices.
The Senate then resumed tho considera-
tion of the Iowa election case.
Adjourned till Monday.
llousE.--The House passed twenty-one
private bills.
An adjournment was about being effected,
when Mr.. Kelsey of New York introduced
subject which caused much excitement. He
presented it as q question of privilege first
causing to be read at the Clerks table, an
editorial from the New York Times of the
nth inst, which charges members of Con-
gress and lobby agents with gross corruption,
mentioning the Minnesota Land Bill in the
connection, and saying that evidence can be
produced to carry conviction to every honest
heart, and that the criminals should be driv-
on from the high places which they have dis
honored
Mr. Kelsey remarked that the charge.
contained in this article appeared to have
been based on letter from this city to to the
Times. Under ordinary circumstances. it
would be waste of time to notice articles
of this character appearing in newspapers,
but the editor of the Times occupied position
which entities his sentiments to credit 1fhe
is in possession of the facts-he therein chnrg
es he should substantiate them be-
fore committee of this House, that mem
bers who may be guilty of such conduct
should be known to the country. As the
case now stands, he Kelsey could neither
vote for nor against proposition without
bringing himself directly under the charges
in that article If there exists such COM
bination as is alleged, he wanted to know
it. and have the facts 60 before the people
lie concluded by Offering the following
Whreds-Certain statements have been
published charging the members of this
House with entering into corrupt combi-
nation for the purpose of passing and pre-
venting the passage of certain measures now
before Congress therefore
Fcsoircd-That a committee of five mem
bers be appointed by the Speaker, with POW
or to send for persons and papers, to irvesti-
gate said charges and that the committee
report the evidence to be taken, and what
action, in their Judgment, is necessary on the
part of the House, without unnecessary de-
lay.
Mr. Paine of North Carolina--l scarcely
know whether ought to say anything or
not. | know nothing about the editor or his
Journal | know nothing about any commn
nication made TO 1t. ! know not now the
editor obtained his information. know not
whether it is true or false. But do know
there has been proposition made IN the
House by members Of the House, on the sub
Get. tSensatlon)
j Cries of-'Who is he I Expose him y
Panel shall not name the gentleman.
Cries oE-'Down in front--stand out Of the
alsles-we can't see.
Paine-I shall mention no member by
name.
A yoicc-Nou ought to do it.
>Saiae--It was with feelings Of Indignation
~ ID the proposition.
Impatient demands of-'W hat was it--tell
it,
Paine.-The reason why did not announce
it to the House was, that, pending the organ
izaton of this BODY, when member rose in
Nd tnt cd hot fol ,bnrh od
made an attempt to tamper with him for his
vote for Speaker, the only credit he received
was, that he was laughed at, and it was
charged that he did not accept the profiered
bride because there was no such profitable
place to be had. ! say distinctly there is not
n want Of truth in the Times article. A
distinct proposition was made to me by a
member Of this House in regard to the MIN
nesota Land bill, and that $500 would be
given in consideration of vote for that bill,
IF the proposed committee shall be raised
and am called on as q witness, shall give
nv evidence
. After some further debate the resolution
was adopted. The Speaker will announce
the committee to morrow. Adjourned.
HOUSE. Jan. 10. The Speaker announced
that the Select Committee to investigate the
alleged corruptions will consist of Mr. Kelsey
of New York, Rep: Mr.. Orr, of South Caro-
lima, Dem. Mr.. Davis, of Maryland, Ameri,
can; Mr.. Richie, of Pennsylvania Rep; Mr.
Warner, of Georgia.
Mr. Grow said that he had had for two or three
weeks petition signed by fifteen hundred
of the voters of Kansas, demonstrating
against the right of Mr.. Whitfield to n seat
ms the delegate from that Territory. lie hao
been informed that large number, similar
TO this, were on their way. lie asked t.
have read the petition Of Gov. Reeder, set
ting forth the reasons for contesting Mr.
Whitfeld's seat.
Objections were made, and the papers were
referred to the Committee on Elections.
Governor Reeder IN his petition denie
the right of Mr.. Whitfield to the seat, anC
claims it FOR himself, setting forth reasons
for this assertion. IA, saws he and Whitfield
were candidates at two separate elections
when he (Reeder) received more than double
the number of legal votes cast for Whitfield
Upon full investigation of oil the facts, thu
House rejected Whitfield, but refused t.
admit Reeder The reasons for this are sc
forth in the report of the Kansas investiga
ton Committee.
Without new legislation and under tn
same state of things as described in the repor
of the investigating committee. Mr.. hitfel
became q candidate for n single session of tn
came Congress at the election held in October
The election was entirely without authorit
OF law. and large ma iority of the legal voter
refused to participate in it, giving as thei
reason for so doing, that they would not recog
Dize a voluntaryelection when the questionha
already been adiudcated by the House, Tn
persons who did participate in that irregula
and unauthorized election were a small nun
Der of the voters in the Territory. consider
ably less than those who voted ut the volun
tary election in 1855, and large number Q
them were non residents of the Territory, an
not entitled to vote. On the result of TIN
election only, had Mr. Whitfield been admitte
to, and now occupies his seat in the House.