New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-30
UOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Mr. BLAIR I'm, Val quired of Mr. Potter on
what authority lie yesterday Iredicated bis charge
Of disloyalty against Judge Pitts of Northampton
County, Va.
Mr.. TOTTER rep, Wis., replied: On the sd-
dress Of Judge Pitts TO the Virginia Legislature, at
Richmond.
The address was POW resd in which Judge Pitts
refers 10 the action by the Legislature for defense.
Tie cousummaion Of this would be maniesly un-
inst. He could only plead not guilty of disloysty
10 the South and doubted not he could triumpbantly
vindicate himself from every charge Lis enemies
and prosecutors might bring agains. him. He pro.
tested against being removed from office 10y extra
constitutional means.
The House then resumed the consideration Of the
report Of the Select Committee on Government COL
tracts.
Mr.. ROSCOE CONKLING REP. n. y said he
voted aglnst raising that Committee. Ii eeelned
none could be so honest eminent that II would be
suitable TO clotbe them with the unheard-Of power
asked on that occasion. 4! seemed unfit 10 constr
10 IN advisory board TO supervise questions 0i In
tegniy relative TO every man engaged in the sd-
ministuton Of departmental affairs. Ii seemed TO
hlm rowing commission TO take into consideration
tie honesty fraud of al future contracts to be
tered into with any Department Of the Government
II brought with II grave objections. and little ar
guueut could be found IN it, favor. Experience hsd
demonstrated that every objection there made bad
been abundantly sustained by the conduct OF the
Committee, which had done grave and irleparablc
well 80 the nation have suffered by the declarations
Of the Committee. As this Committee was pioneer
experiment and had TUNED out badly, they could dis
rense with it. The gentleman Dawes bad said there
w6sindubitabG evidence of fraud, well nigh, IN a sir
gle wear much as tie current Expenditures of TIE
Government during the Administration which the peo-
Te had buried from power beesuse Of its corruption.
Now he tCODklingJ remarked thai II any mau was
~ makrg that staiement, II would Jus-
tiy the Teople in orting TO anything but revoiu
ff.s la na at
ieatiercd by tie fIaLking privilege, were shot far
and wide among the loyal States Of the Republic.
Like other remarks and statements the gentleman
Dawes made however deliberately prepared, this
We one, on mature reflection, lie would DC
willing 10 recall.
The Committee had proceeded on OK pano tesii-
uouy iu secret. Parties never were informed they
were TO be tined aAd convicted and stigmaizsd and
hung up 10 fostering IufdUy; and as q case in point
he sad The Committee had priSily aud clnudosinoly
gathered evidence against Gen. Fremont, to blast
bic character citizen and soldier, 81 the time he
was IN command Of al army. They never iuiorn ed
Gen. Fremont that he WAS aspersed, nor gave hin
lie uames OF the witnesses against him, and they
1Gorc Cd him no opportunity for defense. What good,
Mr.. ColkliBg asked, had the Committee done 20 Oh
set tie harm ? lie was not aware that one single
fraud bad been developed by the Committee which
remained unearthod at tie time they pretended TO
dig D. ur. Mr.. CouAliug asked the Speaker What
tine 1einsined 20 him.
Tie SPEAKER replied eighteen minutes.
Nr. DAWES (Rep., Mass. THE lime will be ex-
tended 20 the gentleman.
Mr. WASHbURNE Rep, IL object 20 that.
Mr.. CONhLlAG-l knew that and do you know
h.w knew il Because the member from Illinois
is the only man in the House sury enough to inter
pcs@ objections IN such a case.
~. NASliBjkNE rose 10 reply, when
Mr. CONKLING called tie member 10 order.
M. WASHBURNE lexciiedly)-I call the crea-
tuIe 10 order.
Tie SPEAKER demanded the preservation Of
order.
Mr. CONKLING-The Member from Illinois un-
dersanGA the rules 'of ths House, and must UNDER
stand tia ilis is not the place for persoua alcrca
ion. He knows the proper place for that is outede
tLese walls.
Mr. WAsHBURNE eacitedlyl-Yes, Sir, and 1
au ready for u.
Mr.. CONKLING-No individual in this House
better knows than the Member from Illinois that /
stand w what say until convinced that am in
error and therefore there Is no necessity for any in
teuuption here Mr. Conkling, in the course Of bis
rcmsiks said lie regarded the Committee as one Of
ihose Ornaments too expensive, under tho circqm-
,fapccs. TO be induged, and In this connection hu-
,corog.iy commented Oh the allowance to the Com
.rit.oe Ly heir own order, Of twenty cents nile
for travelling and two dollars day. befde other
eces.ary expenses. lle was unaware that any other
Committee lad thus provided for themselves. II
tti1 Committee have been engaged in asailiug men
and blackeping their chaIaciers, it was proper to
Lroyv how much II cost. Aa n fine point wac being
IN, ON things, it behOoyed them all 10 know whether
Suy persons round the board had been getting any
t'ip5 tl.v ought moi 10 have. liltlc mileage was
Il da1gtlous thing. Like liquor, If II was tasted too
innch he habit gets fastened.
Mn. WASHBUKNE, In reply sald was the
" uukiudest cut Oi ull' when the Chairman tAlr'
ScvonsD Of te ComLliitee 0f Ways and Means. TIE
leader of thu House and holding the purse srings OF
tie .tiCn, recently Ios. IL t.e Ho4.o AVID atthch'd
tic Committee ~ tneir at.crce, CtaEiug that they
had committed more igay Do t'an tD'y bad detected
the Committee had been noi.iiei that they should
feel tlc lllng ,Srt. tM onu unE lnNtI'lFt, t.C
today they lad listened o. what nigit be cGlied
titilll IMITATION, from tie extraordinary member
iGn.al1J i.oM NcN-YOIk, who had attacked the
COMMITTEE Tor tie benefit Of thieves oOrractOrs aud
rlnnGcYrrs, who had for two weeks been holding
HAL carnival III sniidpalIpn that tie Committee
..rra 10 l., DESTROYED H. would have been but tair
tr,itil ZION tLlt cy might bcl repaired 10 GIe vii
=, en,y. why did uo; tie member from New-i ok
make is charges Ike q man and not iIae HhnhMS
coward The gentleman irom New-i ork hah hi-
temNed 10 h0id 10 up heie ds Io.,i"s t"o "o'c'"-
,,,fi more than we have saved IT. lie na5 gene
about nguring up the expensef OF the Committee,
and slesEed into lie Clerk ihce 10 6ok how unth
ca.h member had been paid. 4h4t member saij
tt:,l no committee hetore ever TOOK anything I'r
,r,vo iro cyftrses If Le lMr. COnkiiue) knew
anvil fle he aust know that his statement wax iasc,
{or never was Committee charged WIN u
dutv by the House but that COMMITTEE War
alravs paid; aud II there IS inai mere VINO com
rtai,,s ol what Lao been paid or what waa phid 10
iior al nv colleagues let him stand up and say So
When oar iellow-rnemDers Of Congress were pursu'
tfsi, ayocatOns Bnd several Professions at home
,ttb their families, this Committee had given up
evcrythiug in order To discharge tho dunes WIN
which they were intrusted, ana now ciamor II
,'i'el hv tte member from New.York to have this
C,nitiec discharged lie, ms gay That II tho HOusf
/ IsIerea the charges which have been made, tue
oso viii be unjust % itself and unjust 70 the eOun