Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-04-07
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON. D. O.. March 12 ;.


 sion of matters relating to the presidential contest now at hand, and the sole desire of the opposition in the House is to make it ap- pearto the country that the democrats are as bad as they are A resolution was offered in the House last week making no definite charges, but authorizing select committee to inquire if the President or any public officer has been guilty of any cor uption or mal practice. It was adopted. and com mittee, consisting of majority of black republicans, was appointed The present administration has nothing to fear from the most searching investigation into all it's acts, and courts such investigation, but if investigations are to be authorized upon such general charges as in this instance, there is no telling what amount may not be eXpend- cd by this Congress in that way, without any other result than putting money in the pockets of the officers of the House. Another resolution was also offered asking for committee to examine into the charges made agalnSt the administration during the contest for the speakership, by anti Lecomp- ton Douglas democrats, and to which Col Hlndman offered an amendment to the effect
 
 button of the profits of the public printing of the House under the present printer, be examined; which the black republicans re- fused to accept. This shows what their object Is in these movements; but they will entirely fail, and it will only recoil on them. Although the House has been organized but short period, it has already transpired that the black republicans are at their old game. The committee on printing of the House, under law, is forced to receive bids for the binding of that body, and give the same to the lowest bidder. The present black republican committee gave it to pet, when there was lower bid than his. This matter Is now being investigated and the results will show that the charge is true.
 A bill has passed the House which re- duces. the mileage of members to twenty cents per mile, and computes the travel by all air line from the residence of the mem Der or senator to this point. By this bill although Rust to reach here from Little Rock IS compelled to travel some fifteen hundred miles, (via Napoleon and Mem 1 phis, he will only be allowed some five hundred miles mileage. It so happens that | in the northern States there is such com | plete network of railroads that in going | from here to almost any point in the north ' ern States the route is a direct air line; so northern members will loose nothing to speak of in the reduction of distance, and ! this measure was voted for by northern men with the purpose of affecting the mile age of southern members and for politi1 capital It is questionable whether it will pass the Senate but if it does when return ' ell to the House it will become law by the aid of democratic votes. 1t proposes to save some two hundred thousand dollars annually, and if the House is so seriously | afflicted with an economical fit, why did 1t vote down the proposition of the Senate to save thIee millIonsannually by the abolition of the franlling privilege. The reason is l obvious, the proposition to abolish the l IranEing went into operation on the first of next month, and that to decrease the mile age of congressman does not go into ope- ration until the next Congress, and does not affect the members of the pre-, ent one. | During last week black republican mem l Der of the House from New I Iork by the name of Van Wych, in ventilating his anti | slavery ideas and rrcpre>sible conflict" 1 doctrines, took occasion to sheer at sonth- ! ern courage, and stated at the Sonth slave i holders burnt their slaves at the stake, when Reuben Davis, of Miss, rose and pro- nounccl him a liar and scoundre and in yitni him out of the District of Columbia, ! 10 test southern courage, and GartIel, of ' Cal. also pronounced his statement as false aul unGoundel My. Van Wych informed Davis and Gartrell that he could not be 'intcnupted' in that way, and thus the matter ended.
 The three conventions to nominate can didates for the presidency at this time de- serve the attention of the country The | Union convention as 1t is styled, or in other | words, the convention of the southern op- positonists, meets at Baltimore in May The candidates seeking its nomination are Bates of Mo-, Bolts, of Na.. Bell of Tenn, ] Critcndcn, Of Ky, Everett, of Mass, Gra- | ham, of \. C., Houston, of Texas, Hunt, of N Y, Mclean, of Ohio, Rives, of Va, and Gen. Scott, of N. Y. The person in this list most likely to receive the nomina- ton of that body is Bates, of Mo-, and as it meets previous to the black republican convention, he also being a candidate for 1t. nomination, will give that body an op- portunity to nominate a person from a southern State who will receive votes (not electoral votes however,, at the South.- Should he be nominated at Baltimore 1t will be understood as an offer on the part of the southern oppositionists to coalesce | tl, ho ,ro +< the democratic party. Mr. Bates is good enough black republican, as it is declared upon authority "he is welded to the cause of free labor both in opinion and practice; denies that the constitution extends slavery over the territories; declares that slavery shall not be permitted to enter any territory which was free-soil when acquired by the United States, or which became free at any period subsequent to it's acquisition; ignores the Dred Scott decision; has great horror of slavery agitation ct the S0uth, and is devoted to the Union." The platform of this party is opposition to the democracy.
 The black republican convention meets at Chicago in June The prominent can fidates for its nomination are Seward, of N T., Bates, of Mo, Banks, of Mass, Cameron, of Pa. Chase, of Ohio, and Lincoln, of Ill. Everything indicates that Seward will be the nominee, although an attempt will be made to defeat him with some person not so obnoxious to the con- servative element at the North It will signally fail, as Stewards friends evidently have the power, and he himself believes he stands chance to be elected The plat form of this party are the irrepressible doc trines of its head and front.
 The democratic convention meets at Charleston in April. Among those named for the nomination by this convention are Davis, of Miss, Brown, of Miss, Sldell, of La.. Toucey, of Conn.,, Dickinson, of N Y., Hunter, of Va, Wise, of Va., Cobb, of Ga., Stephens, of Ga., Fitzpatrick, of Ala, Johnson, of Tenn, Lane, of Oregon, | Guthrie, of Ky, Breckenridge, of Ky This convention is now so near at hand that some definite idea can be reached of the re- suit of its action. The States of New York, | Pennsylyania and New JersnvryilI tbrorob