Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-01-21
Washingssn. Jsn. u.

"a state What nnsnber Of dssefsi FROM shs
Nary had taken place since the passage OF the
ses 70 psosnote thu efficiency of that branch Of
the public service.
Nj. Mallory objected to its adoption Is being
aaeedle0 sxposure ~ TRANSACTIONS which hare
generally the control Of the Navy Department Of
the Senate.
70 be brought TO light 20 that If the action Of the
Navy Department was good IS could be made
manifest 70 the country, and If the coutrary was
the case 1t ought to be known,
The resolution was laid aside for the
special order being the bill providing for the
settlement OF the claims of the officers Of the
Revolution Mr. Coombs said he intended to
make the bill as odions AZ possible, and to that
end he introduced various amendments incfud-
ing one TO compensate the revolutionary soldiers
for the depreciation in Continental money in
which they were paid. As a test question he
moved the indefinite postponement of the con-
liberation of the bill which was lost by % to 90.
Mr.. Hugh moved the postponement of the
consideration of the bill till the 6rss Monday
in December next Agreedto -yeas "a, nays %.
The presiding officers laid before the Senate
letter from the President of the Joint Conven
ton Of the former Legislature, giving informa.
ton of the election Of Mr. Cameron as Senator.
Sixteen private bills we're passed, when the
Senate adjourned till Monday.
The House is engaged in the consideration of
private bills
Mr.. Simonton correspondent of the n. Y.
Times was before the investigating committee
to day and was carried througha seorching ex-
animation.
Webb, Wood and Ashman will be called to-
morrow.
Mr.. Campbell Of Ohio, win soon bring in bill
proposing al abolition of our navy.
Only two witnesses have been examined before
the investigating committee, Mr.. Raymonds aud
Mr.. Simonton. The former disputed their au.
thority, saying his statement predcated upen re-
presentations which as . journalist he would di-
vulge.
Mr.. Simonton was "a hours this morning sub
jected to a close scrutiny, covering former and
present transactions. Finally, one question was
proposed which he positively refused to answer,
and the examination closed with the intimation
that he should be ARRESTED. The sergeant at
arms was hunting Mr.. Cherter, correspondent
ofthe Philadelphia Enquirer to-day, but he could
not be found in New York 10th.
The House passed Ii private bills,
Mr.. Kelsey rising to question of privilege
offered a preamble setting forth that Joseph
L. Chester had been duly summoned before the
corruption investigating committee, and has me-
elected to appear, and concluding with the res
Oluaion that the speaker Issue his warrant and
direct it to the sergeant at arms, commanding
him to take into custody the body of said Ches-
ter whenever found, and the same forthwith to
bring him to the bar of the House, to answer
for contempt of its authority.
Mr.. Florence inquired where was the author
of all this.
Mr.. Jones of Tennessee believed the House
had no such power, moved to lay the resolution
on the table.
Mr.. Paine demanded the yeas and nays.
At the instance of Mr.. Orr the precept adj
dressed by the Speaker to the Sergeunt at arms
demanding the latter TO summon Chester, and the
precept was returned by the sergeant at arms,
with the endorsement that he had served the
summons on the 14th inst. p. m.
Mr.. Orr was permitted to make a statement.
He said the com. had not acted in this matter
without looking fully into the authority, which
they thought fully sustained them in the appl-
cation they made. A case occurred in IT'S or
1918 to this effect; the party who then failed to
appear and give evidence was brought before
the House, and after trial was reprmanded only
by the Speaker of the House. There were miti-
eating circumstances.
After his release from custody he nstigated
an action against the sergeant-at-arms for false
imprisonment. The case was tried in the U. S.
Circuit Court and decided against the plain
tiff and appeal to the Supreme Court, that
tribunal decided that the House had the power
TO act as it had done, and that it had prop
GRIP exercised that power. The sergeant-at-
arms was protected and the complaint dismissed.
The witness in t he present Gaze was sub
pGnad but failed to appear. If the House had
not the power to enforce the attendance of
witnesses, the investigation was mockery and
he should not continue member of the Com
mittee. If it had not the power to enforce accu-
SAINTS to testify to facts within their knowledge,
the investigation would fall to the ground
Mr.. Brown wished to make q statement rela-
tive to Mr.. Chester, but Mr.. Jones of Tenn. said
that they wanted to hear nothing about him
now.
Mr. Harris of Ill.--When the witness purges
himself of the contempt will hear the explana.
ton then. Cries of hear, bear. ~
Mr.. Brown was informed this morning that
Mr. Chester was sick and unable to be present
before the com. would ask the com. whether
they can produce evidence that Mr. c. refused to
appear.
Mr. Paine.-That is of no consequence to the
matter or the House.
The House refused to lay the resolution on the
table and then passed it nearly unanimously.
Mr.. j. Sweeney, of New York who served as
an Assistant Doorkeeper of the House last year
session, was to day examined by the corruption
investigating committee.
Mr.. Triplett, formerly chief clerk of the PEN
sion Office and Mr.. Campbell banker, it is re-
ported, have been summoned.
Mr.. Simonton, the Cor. of the N. Y Times
answered every question affecting himself, but
declined responding to some affecting others,on
the ground that he could not do it without a
breach of confidence. He also insisted on the
right OF newspapers to act on moral convictions
without holding themselves responsible to pre-
sent the proof, unless specific charges are made
against individuals by name.
fs:The superintendent of public printing has re-
quested the House committee on Ways and
Means to report an appropriation of nearlyS247,
600 as the deficiency to printing, which was Or
dered during the present session. The immense
amount of which ne says members at that time,
could not have been aware.
Boston, Jan. l6.
Union Block in Milford, Mass, was destroyed
by fire this morning Loss near $4,000. The
building, including the Post Office, was occu-
pied either wise Tor stores, offices, &C., and
was owned by G. Gleason, E.. Clahin and A.
Webb Five dwellings adjoining were also de-
stroyed.
Harrisburg, Pa, Jan. Is.
Resolutions were passed in the House to-day
instructing our Senators in Congress to vote for
the admission of Kansas as free State.
New York, Jan. 16.
Notwithstanding the decision of the Supreme
Court of the State of California, declaring the
State bonds unconstitutional. Their Agents
here, Wells, Fargo l. Co., have concluded to
pay the balance of the January coupons
Additional Foreign.
The Suza of Berne says, we have to make
some rectifcatiou Sin what We mentioned rela-
tive to the late Conference held by the repre-.
senta,iyes of Foreign Powers. The meeting
took place not at the residence of the French
Minister but at that of Mr.. Fay, the American
Diplomatic Agent. NJ. Stempli was not present
at the Conferenc; but the English and American
Ministers acted as intermediators between the
Diplomatic and the Federal countries and
the greatest kindness toward Switz-
erland.
The Berne and Hondel Zeitung of Basic of
the 24th, says, it is rumored here in well in
formed circles that the question of Neufchatel
will be arranged by conference independence of
the Parish and meeting at Vienna or London