The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-25
Things in Washington.
STRANGERS AND PoLITICIANs-cAsE OF sM1THsoN vs..
STANTON, FOR DAMAGES.

The Washington correspondent of the Baltimore
Sun writes under date of the ODD inst.
\ large number of congressman, lobbymen
hangers on and visitors generally having departed
the city for the holidays, the hotel saloons and
public places present a comparatively quiet aspect.
Enough still remain, however, to keep I'D the an.
pearance of political excitement. One or two OF
the House Committees have appointed sub-com.
mittees to investigate specified matters during the
holidays and have business ready to be reported
to The House when Congress reassembles. The
Ways aud Means and the Committee
on Elections, also the Special Committees on Ordi-
nance, Retrenchment and Frauds in the Pay De-
partment, will continue to pursue their investiga-
tons. A number of politicians and place hunters
are still on hand, who will remain, ''watching the
course Of events" and be ready to take advantage
of any event or change that they may conceive to
be favorable to themselves; for, as a prominent
official remarked to-day, there is now a greater OPP
portunity for place and position than has been
known before for years.
During the late war, it will be remembered, Vim.
T. Smithson, a banker, foImely OF this city, was
arrested by order of Secretary Stanton on q
charge OF sending to the enemy was
tried by military commission, and sentenced to
Imprisonment in the Albany penitentiary. = Mr..
Smithson was subsequently para2ned, and he then
instituted suit against Mr.. Stanton for false i'm
prisonment, laying his damages at $50, 600. The
defendant put in a special plea to the bill, in
which reference was made to q number OF docu-
ments, while the documents themselves were not
produced, whereupon the plaintiff, through his
counsel, submitted q motion to compel the de-
fendant to produce the documents for inspection.
The motion was 10 have been argued yesterday be-
fore Judge Wylie, but the hearing has been post
posed for q lew days. There is quite an array OF
counsel engaged in the case, Judge Hughes, Gen.
Denver, Mr.. Peck, and W. D. Davdge, Esq, rep
resenting tho plaintiff, and Acknowledgement
Stanborv, Hon. james E. Brady, Judge Edwards
Pierrepont, of New York, and w. Y. FendaIl Of
this city, representing the defendant.
UNSIGNED BILLS IN THE PRESIDENTS HANDs-DIF-
FERENT VIEWS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRovIs-
IONS THEREON.
The only bills signed by the President that were
not reported to Congress before adjournment are
those changing the time OF holding the annual
meeting of the stockholders of the Union Pacific
Railroad Company. and the bill changing the name
Of Samuel Chase Barney.
The other bills in the hands of the President fail
for lack of his approval, except the bill to incorpo-
rate the First Presbyterian Church in this city,
which was not presented to the Executive until
yesterday morning, and Of course too late to re-
ceive Mr.. Johnson'5 signature, as he has no
authority to afix his name and approval after the
day on which Congress adjourns. the chairman
of the Senate committee on enSrossed bills says he
did not get possession OF the bill last mentioned
until Yesterday, and therefore failed to get it to the
President in time to authorize the Executive sig
nature.
1t is proper here to say that prominent Republi-
can Congressman differ with Mr.. johnson upon
the construction OF the language OF the %constitu-
ton, which provides that if q bill be not signed by
the President within ten days it shall become a
law unless Congress, by its adjournment, prevent
its return. The congressman argue that the adj
journment OF last Friday, to meet ON tho 9Th of
January, is not such an adjournment as is contem-
plated by the terms of the constitution as to sign
ing bills, but the prese 1t is only o recess, and
hence the bill striking out the word white" and
other bills in the Presidents hands, do not fail
to bee )me laws by reason of last Fridays adjourn
ment.