The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-16
NEW SERIES-NO. 222.
News from Washington.

News from Washington.
WASHINGTON, March 8.
The correspondent Of the New York Tri-
bune says
The bill reported from the Post Office
committee of the House for an overland mail
to the Pacific contemplates one route only,
bids for which are to be received by the
Postmaster General and submitted to Con-
gress for reception or rejection. The pres
ent cost of this service is $1,40O 900 annu-
ally, but a reliable contract can be made for
less than 81 100000. e.e,-,st f.-..
The House was in an excited state today
over the report of violent language used
yesterday by Reuben Davis, of Massachu.
sets, toward Mr.. Van Wick, of New 7 ork.
Comparatively few members were aware of
the character of the language till the debate
was published to-day. Mr.. Davis marched
about the hall all the time the House was in
session to-day, carrying cane.
Anticipation of further difficulty was en-
tertained on both sides, but the subject was
allowed to pass in silence.
The Harper's Ferry Committee have not
yet decided whether Gov. Wise shall be
summoned or not. He stated publicly that
no consideration could induce him to reveal
all he knew concerning the Browns raid,
which may be the reason bis friends hesitate
to call him. 1t is not improbable the ques-
ton will be finally submitted to the Senate
WASHINGTON, March 9.@The Secretary
OF War to-day communicated to the House,
in compliance with the resolution, the report
of the assistant commissioner, who recon-
mended an appropriation of $l67 900 to be
expended for statuary and pictures for the
adjournment of the capitol. They suggest
preference to be given to American artists,
and that the embellishments should be of a
purely national character. In this connec-
ton they do not speak in complimentary
terms of the ancient subjects chosen for the
wall pictures of the committee rooms. They
say that as general principle, the true me-
thod of procuring designs for statuary and
pictures, is to invite competition.
The receips of the treasury during the past
week were $2,7O6,O00s including treasury
notes. The drafts paid were over four mil
lion dollars. The amount of drafts issued
was nearly $4,000. The reduction from
the amount paid on the previous week was
81 100000. The amount subject to draft
was $4,773,00O. s-R s'9*s@a es.r
At the conference of the opposition men,
bers from Pennsylvania, last night, in regard
to the tariff they agreed to recommend to
the committee on Ways and Means to fix
specific duties on iron at the following rates:
On pig iron, 81 per ton Railroad iron,
$l2 per ton; common bar, SIS per ton; fine
bar 1c. per pound boiler iron, pei
pound; Russia sheet, nc. per pound. These
are the principal defectations, though scrap
and other minor kinds are provided for.
This proposition has not yet been sub
mitted to the Ways and Means Committee,
and may be modified before being presented
in the new bill to the House. It is proba-
bic that the tariff bill will be reported about
the middle of next week, before all the ap-
preparations are submitted, to give it prop
er position in the order of business.
Twenty million dollars of treasury notes,
granted by the last Congress, will expire on
the 1st of July, and the House will not autho-
ize reissue, but require them to be funded.
1t is now proposed to connect this loan with
the tariff bill, as the revenue derived from
that source, after defraying the regular ex-
penditures of the government, will be ap-
piled to the extinction of the Indebtedness,
there being no other resources, The Sen
| ate, which resisted before, will yield now,
but may compel some concession on the
tariff. q - @2
The Washington dispatch says S. @.
Boylington, appointed clerk in stationery
room Of the House of Representative, is the
person announced as having absconded with
money. He never severed day in the
office, but . week or two ago he obtained
from his confidential friends nearly $200,OO
worth oftransferable Post Office certificates,
made payable to him. The report is that
he raised upon them in New York 80 cents
on the dollar, and left for Europe-at any
rate be has not returned here. He has been
| serving the Administration for several years
in one of the departments. The government
will lose nothing BY him. /!