Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-02-07
Daily Nirgiuiaa.
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
Extraordinary Revelations Respecting tho
Printing Plunder-The Harpor's Forry
Investigation Testimony of DIR. Howe
and j. r Giddings.

Printing Plunder--The Harpor's Ferry
Investigation-Tostim of DIR. Howo
and r Giddings.
WAsulSGroN, Feb. 3, 1850.
Colonel Torney will appoint as his ohet clerk.
7, Barry, srundson ot Commodore Barry. Mr..
Barkley, journal clerk, will probably he retained.
Richard Sherman formerly clerk OF the New York
Assembly. backed by tho united delegation Of
New York, wr 10 appointed reading clerk. in
place Of Mr.. Walker. The stable will be thorough
ly cleared,
THE PRINTING sPoIIs.
The printing question exoilcs deep attention,
and viii lie sottel in caucus Tomorrow, If the
Doofkeeper does not prove too exciting aud occu-
ry too much Time.
THE SENATE PRINTING. INVESTIGATION N--lMroRTANT
DEyELoPEMRNTs.
The Senate Printing Inycsiig eating Committee
met this inprniug. Mr.. Wendell underwent an
examination upwards Of three houss. 1t appear
cd that Some seven or eight parties were incrcst.
ed in the public printing, namely, Stoadman,
B,nks. Mclean. Walker, RICE, Steven. and Bow
man. lie stated thai he had paid out during the
past three years over one hundred thousand dol
lars iar party supp 1T TO newspapers aud iS aid ot
election expenses, in Pennsylvania principally,
bat eAtcndin.. OYER New dorsey New York Mary
Land. Un.o, Ne. Considerable had been puid by
,hu,al authority, aud some OF his own free will
He also mid that by tho action of the senate in
cectlns bowman, who Ind gwen tho work 10
BLAIR y knc>, he hal been lelt pennilcss, with the
largest establishment III the luiun lying dc.-
Buwmane conduct toward, Wendeli Was shown
uu il very bad light, Bowman, ii appears, has
gwen Inrt ii tho work 10 Jewctt. editor ot the
Fillmore organ at Buffalo. \. H. Binks aud 10.
severn, were aleo examined. TLey did hot seen.
10 XIV much, Acept that they had received some
material III, from Wendell
Ncnddl testified that out Of the Post Office
blank pnndns he paidl in 1851. tho sum OF SIX
Thousand dollars ~ tho lennsy l,nninh new spapcr,
ol Pnl!deiphia, AID u the Evening Argus, ot
Ph,l rIclphid, tho SUN ui five thnusa.d doiars.-
He mi Drmed lLe committee that he went into
duubliu! Democratic Districts in Pepu-y lyauia,
and spent money freely for the benefit ui tic sup
pntte.a Of the policy ul the ADMINISTRATION, MIR.
Nice. ol tho Pcnnsy syl,nnan, was also bcfre the
committee, and did not discrolit the testimony Of
Wendell. There are rich dc, ,slupments !orthc'm-
III. bc,oIc The committee.
BIZ. HOWE BEruKE THE nARPERs FERRY conNiTrEE.
Dr. ilpwc OF u stnH. appeared before the Sen-
ate Brown ltaid Committee to day. lie declined
taking the oath to testify unless he was permitted
to enter hIs protest against the whole proceedings
l'y permission he made the following protest -
ihc undersgned, having been sumg,onei To
appear aud testify before your committee. and
being unable to resist the power OF the senate
obe,s the summons, but enters his protest against
the proceedings. upon the following gruunls -
fnst-Brcaise the tribunal created is secret
and ,uquIsiturIal.
Sec ,ndI- Because it is created for purposes he
yond The legitimate scope oi legislative inquiry.
Ihlrd lie. anse 1t usnrps powers nowhere clear
" dcl, gated iy the federal constitution 10 Con-
grrss ur either branch thereof.
Fourth - because it is dangerous rs n precedent
and liable To abuse III the opportunity II gives
Tor perver-iun u the grent power ot the Lnlon TO
thc Qualification "i ,indietINc party pnssun ~ VA
riuus Nays, to the peril OF private right and per
eunal liberty, as Wy dragging citizens from their
homes IN Al part vt The country, and rendering
no Inan IN his own house.
FIIth -Brcausr, waiving nil other objections, 1t
is unnecessary, innsnueh ~ for all the purposes
ut in,ostigatIon testimony bv drposiiiou, under
the ldrs'I.otlun and WITHIN the limits vi tie res
pecuye s.aics, Is lu!iy adequate.
S. q. HOWE. .
The witness stated that he hal known john
Brown dutiug the troubles in Kansas; helped
ruse money and arms: they were raised by
tuGntn ns inaGe from the aid If inaRliannts Of
Kansas, that he expected Brown would lcpcl
armed ItNRs'On by armed resistance, that Brown
had gained his entire culiidcncc; that he was Il
man vi trIri honesty rs well courage; HAT nj
er the troubles had censed III kansaf,
BfJWn c,nunuel t. devote himself t. Il vance
the cause o praclltal ant,-sascry; that IN 1898
Forbes wrote u witness, claiming money tor pust
services, Informing Inn that Brown lii aims,
Ne., beinhguS Io the cvmmittee, and intended
hostile Quniousirat in some slave State, and
thai he MAS incompetent II; that uuieSs the
management III ufilrS "as tuken from Brewn aud
gwen 10 lhm (tOr1es) ie would expose ii; witness
had nerer Known Forbes; that senator Wilson
about the same time wrote to witness, stating he
had been told Brown intended using arms and
means belonging 10 the committee Tor unlawful
purposes, warning witness against Blown, and
advising that tho arms le taken from him; that IN
Con. Of such inlurma tion. orders sent
-
committee, then stored in Iowa, into Kansas, to
bo used only IN defence Of tle freedom thereof
witness had ~ means OF knowing whether the
arms were the same taken nt llarpers Ferry, but
supposed they were; witness could procure copies
Of the record and vi orders sent to Brown, and
would do So; witness knew nothing Of the conyen-
ton III tnialu; not privy TO tho plan Of at
tack on lIirpers Eorry. There WAS mu,h other
evidence, hut none Involving any leading repub-
licans: he recognized several papers found in the
carpet bag to te in his handwriting; did not know
Of any organization or society in aid of Browns
plans; believed Brown to be an honest and highly
Conscientious man, determined upon practical
anti-sayory, but opposed to exciting insurrcction
shedding ot blood, except i'll sell defence; had
given bim aii aud comfort such. Witness,
being pressed to know what he meant by spread
ing ant,-slayery doctrines, for which purpose
contributions were made, illustrcted by compari-
son with efforts made to spread the Gospel among
the heathen &C., &e.
JosnuA Il. GIDDINGs BEFORE THE INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Giddings appeared before the Senate Brown
Raid Committee to-day. He was treated very po-
litcly by the committee. Senator Mason, tho
Chairman, received him with some GOODNESS Of
of manner
MIR. Giddings testified in substance as follows
John Brown had become known to the people Of
his town--Ash shiabula, Jefferson couniy-through