The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-06-15
Washington News.

Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press.
WASHINGTON, May 31.-The British
Parliament have made handsome subscrip-
ton in compliment and aid of Tom Sayers,
limiting the amount to sovereign apiece.
The friends of Heenan are raising fund
for him in the American Congress.
Hon. Reverdy johnson. of Maryland, has
accepted an invitation to address the Doug
las Democracy of Boston on Thursday
evening OF next week.
Senator Slidell announced yesterday his
purpose of postponing the bill for the pur-
chase of Cuba until the next session. Had
Mr. Buchanan taken Gov. Walkers advice
and treated the people of Kansas fairly, the
late repeated proof of the completely of the
Spanish authorities in Cuba in the slave
trade would have made the purchase of
Cuba an easy matter, and the American
masses would have gladly agreed to it. The
acquisition or purchase of the "Gem of the
Antilles " must now go over indefinitely.
g. BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House of Rep.
resentatires Of the United States of An,erica,
in Congress assembled:
"That the proper officer of the Government
be, and he is hereby directed to place the
name of Mary J. Harris widow of Colonel
Thomas l.. Harris, deceased, on the pension
roll. and that said Mary J. Harris shall receive
a pension for life equal to the half pay of
major of infantry in the Mexican war. Said
pension shall commence to run from the first
day of January, ammo Domini eighteen hundred
| and fifty-nine."
This bill has just passed both Houses,
and is just testimonial to the memory of
| Col. Harris, the leader in the great struggle
| in the House against Lecompton and the
English bill. He fought to the last, and
died at the very moment Douglas was tri>
| umphant in Illinois.
WASHINGTON, June 5, 1861
There seems to be but lit e, if any doubt,
that the House bill, for the admission of
Kansas will pass the Senate, but whether
with or without any amendments is uncer-
tain.
Senator Bigler, to-day declared he would
vote for the measure without qualification.
The President has signed the bill which
increases the pay of the navy officers about
25 per cent.
Since the House amendment to the Pacific
Telegraph Bill, by throwing the construction
open to the lowest bidder, it has been dis
covered that certain gigantic monopoly
intend if the Senate concur in this amend
ment, to bid so low as to prevent any other
parties from procuring the contract at q
paying rate, thus securing the entire control
of telegraphing from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and increasing the power of the
monopoly alluded to, to still greater ex-
tent than now.
The Select Pacific Railroad Committee
held meeting at the Capitol this evening,
sixteen members being present. After some
discussion relative to amendments, motion
to amend the bill originally agreed upon by
the committee for central route, by insert.
ing the Southern Texas Ell Paso and San
Diego route, was carried by vote fisk to
five. The question then REQUIRED upon re-
porting the bill to the House as amended.
Upon that a question arose whether the
| friends of an extreme Northern route would
be allowed to move an amendment in the
House to this question. Mr.. Curtis the
chairman, replied that he should call the
previous question, thus shutting off all
amendments ana debate. This settled the
question of the Southern road. The vote of
reporting the bill to the House as agreed.
was then taken and defeated by vote of
| FIVE ayes to six noes. Col. Aldrich, of
Minnesota changed bis vote for the reasons
given above.
The Postmaster General has answered
the call concerning Mr.. Fowler's defalca-
ton. He makes some extraordinary revela-
tions. 1t appears that bis accounts were
never legally settled during the whole term
of the present administration, but were adj
justed by system in apparent violation of
the letter and spirit of the law.
The accounts are settled quarterly, but
three months passed usually before any
quarter is closed up. Weekly returns are
made to the Finance Bureau of the depart
ment, showing the actual deposits against
which draft may be made, but it has been
the practice in the Auditors Office, in adj
justing Mr.. Fowler's accounts, in the last
three years, when a balance was found
against him at the end OF quarter, instead
of requiring it to be paid or reporting it to
the Postmaster General, as the law con-
templates, to credit him for the current re.
turns OF the ensuing quarter, made to the
finance Office, thus enabling HIM to use the
receipts Of one to meet the deficiency of the
other, and concealiDg defalcation through
out. sfEEri9nGs tf.f2iai 4. e., ..aics5n..f =, ..