Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-02-17
Spirit of the Washington Letters.


BALTIMORE, Feb. IL.
The Washington correspondent of The
New York Ne,rs, says: 1t has leaked outthat
a private agent of the Queen of Spain has
been in this country twelve months, and has
had several private interviews with the
President about the purchase of Cuba.
The Washington correspondent of The
NeD York Herald says: The Naval nvesti-
eating Committee continue to receive evil
dence of the grossesi frauds and favoritism
in giving out jobs and contracts.
They will probe the matter to the bottom.
The House Military Committee " i'll re-
port such reductions in the Army bill as the
exigences OF the service will permit. The
Increased Pay bill stands no chance. The
Seamen Investigating Committee sits eleven
or twelve hours daily. WENDELL says he
will not testify before it, and dareo them to
commit him for contempt. The report will
be made rext week.
All business here is dead lock. Every
one, from the Cabinet down to the smallest
tide-water in the country, seems to be en-
gagged either in Presidential prospecting for
1860, or in securing portion of the spoils
for himself.
The President stands almost alone, hav-
ing no confidence in any one, end Is some-
what perplexed how 10 carry on the govern
ment; to rescue financial affairs from their
present difficulty, and TO preserve the 2o-
| litical status of the country.
Z, "a. Id fhaf ha will he rntDDo llad
in this exigency, as the best measure he can
| adopt, TO turn out the whole batch of office
holders, beginning with the Cabinet, and
open an entirely Lew set Of books when
Congress adiourns, and call an extra session
of the new Congress.
Corruption is found 20 exist in all branches
Of the Government. and the only way to
arrest it is for the new sCongress to order
an examination of all the books and accounts
of federal officials all over the country: and
this examination must 60 back some twenty
years in order to effect radical reform. In
this way we shall know exactly how the
coun try stauds.
| The Washington correspondent of The
| Tribune says: The free traders are very
much annoyed in consequence Of their de-
feat in the caucus last night. They charge
that the caucus WIS controlled by Mr.. Buch
anan, and they denounce the Union for mis-.
representing them this morning.
Four witnesses from Ki.tery, Me-, were
on the stand in the Select Naval Committee
yesterday, thirty minutes each, and to-day
were paid $40. and discharged. Their tes-
imony related to brick contracts in the
Engineers Department, and the employ
ment of men.
1t is in evidence before the same Commit
tee that w. C. n. Swift, of New Bedford
Mass, paid Geo. Pitt, Treasurer of the
Democratic State Committee of Pennsyl-
vasia in 1856, about $4,000 10 aid the
election of Mr.. Buchanan. That, through
the agency OF certain officials high in pow
er. Swift has siEce obtained nearly all the
contracts made for supplying government
with live ok timber. These contracts
amount to about $500 600.
The evidence shows that every usage of
the department in such matters has been
violated to reward this po iiical friend of
country.
The House Committee of Military Affairs
have examined the Amy Appropriation bill
to-day, and recommended reduction upon
different items to the amount of several
hundred thousand dollars.
An attempt has been made to explain
away the discrepancy of $4,000 discover
| Il l.. CoIo g D..
ferred to in my dispatch yesterday.
/ The Committee of Ways AMI Means had
a meeting to-day but accomp ished nothing.
They will meet again on Saturday, and on
Monday they will make an effort to report
one or more bills to the House.
BALTIMORE, Feb. l3.
The New York Herald has the following
history of the Haytian RevoIution:
Ever since uhe financial crisis about a
year ago, brought about by the flight Of the
Broker Reimbaud, W ho carried off million
of dollars aud plunged :he Island into Com
mercial ruin The subjects of Soulouque have
been diseffec;ed.
Soulouque was freely charged with hav-
ing aided his escape, owing, it was said, to
certain financial transactions Of his own in
connect ion with Reimbaud or his friends
Certain it is, that the Emperor permitted
Reimba to evade justice and to bring de-
: struct:on upon nearly all the commercial
property Of the Empire.
This fact, added to his cruelty, avarce
and love of personal sggrandizement, had
made him extremely unpopular. Discon-
tent grew apaee, unit. in December last
5 one of his Generals, Fabre Geffrard the
| standard of revolution in tie city OF Go
, naives against the power Of the Emperor.
The events since then which have led 10
the overthrow of Sou 'ouque, it is not neces-
sary to repeat. Geffrard the new President
8 of the Republic of Hayti, is man some
. what advanced in years, his hair is gray
and he has the appearance of having seen
good deal Of life. He is at least fly
years cd. His manners are very popular
: and he is a fsvorite of the people; SO much
SO indeed, that unce bef,re he was on the
point of being arrested by the present EN-,
peror.
Sououquc has awavs opposed the inhu.
: ence of foreigners. Geffrard, on the con-
trary, favors it, and endeavors to gain the
confidence and esteem of strangers.
He is nearly black. but still has some
white blood in his veins. HI was at one
lime Governor of Jacmel, but Soulouque be-
ing jealous of his popularity and afraid of his
Influence, withdrew him from that post and