Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-06-02
Opening Sealed Letters.

surrendered himself to the y. 5. Marshal.
Opening Sealed Letters. sgra.
| 10 the House of Representatives, on Satur
day, when the subject of the witness Wooley,
was under consideration :-"Mr. Butler
mean to move that no telegram or letters be
sent to to the witness, after he has condemned
| the House; except after inspection by the
Speaker. y - u
| ''The Speaker informed Mr.. Butler that he
| did not deem he had the right to open any
| thing in sealed envelope even by the order
of the House. p. 80 - ~" / & !, ~ y,
| ...Mr. Butler. I;suppose the Speaker could
do SO by order Of the House. 81. 5-35 = . aslssv
ssThe, Speaker repeated Il Not even by or
der of the House. q / ~ Y C}.I4LLEf hjls q I D
+ :sMr Butler IfWoolley does not choose to
receive them in that way, they need not be
sent to him at all. Think the House should
| have some power TO protect itself. 1t it has
not, then our presence here is pretty much
| useless. @ lGsc ta.s;l. .ae1ss ri
| '.Tho Speaker. The Chair understands the
gentleman from Massachusetts now to make a
| motion that no communications except open
ones be transmitted to the witness.
| i''Mr. Butler. That is the point Il II 4
T. I"Mr. Wood. With permission Of the gen
tleman from Massachusetts,, will remind him
| of the fact that tire are some things which the
House of Representatives cannot do. 1t
cannot violate tho. law; it cannot violate the
| Constitution Of the United States"
'Mr. Butler [ think [ have the floor.
| 5'sMr. Wood [ want to remind the gentle
man from Massachusetts, that there is higher
power than the House of Representatives. .5
| ''Mr. Woodward asked Mr.. Butler to allow
him to offer an amendment .ze9!4 ,@oszI -.
i''hIr. Butler declined to allow the amend
ment to be offered, and proceeded to discuss
the question as to how Woolley had been
| treated. -a+.gs .roFT e1rg T sggr -
''Mr. Wood made the point Of order, that
the Speaker had already told the gentleman
from Massachusetts that he would not have
authority, even by order of the House, to do
what was required of him: .3y. pa
''The Speaker remarked that the gentleman
| from New York was mistaken; that the Speak
er had stated that he did not deem the House,
even, could give him authority to break the seal
ola letter addressed to witness, land that there
upon the gentleman from Massachusetts had
changed his proposition, and modified 1t so as
to require that all communications to the wit
ness should be open communications.
''Mr. Wood said he did not so understand
the proposition. .@...u
| ''The Speaker remarked that then the gen
| tleman had not heard the proposition of the
| gentleman from Massachusetts.
| "Mr. Wood inquired what the Speaker
would do if the communications came sealed
''The Speaker replied that they would moi
be delivered to the witness.
| The LATE Ex- PRESIDENT BUCHANAN Mr.
Buchanan was born in Franklyn county, Penn
sylvania, on the 22d of April, 1871. His faith
er emigrated to this country from Ireland ano
commenced life as hardy s.pioneer, but man
aged to acquire competency that enabled hin
| to give his son classical education. In 1906
Mr.. Buchanan graduated with high honor al
| Dickinson College, In December of that year
he commenced the study of law. He was ad
mitted to the bar November II, 1872, being
then little more than "a years old. So success
| full was be as lawyer, that at the age OF 4C
be was enabled to retire from the profession,
| At the age of % Mr.. Buchanan became mem
Der Of the Pennsylvania Legislature. In 1926
Mr. Buchanan entered Congress, and in 1881,
at the close his fifth term, was sent as Envoy
! Extraordinary to St. Petersburg. On his re-
turn 1883 he was elected to the y. S. Senate
and under the Administration of Mr.. Polk he
filled the Office of Secretary of State. One o.
the first acts of President Pierce's administra
ton was to appoint MI. Buchanan Minister tc
! England. He returned to the y. S. in 1856
Ireceived the nomination of the Democratic
/ Convention in June, and on the 4th of March
! 1857, was inaugurated President OF the United
States. At the close of his term OF office II
/ 1861, Mr.. Buchanan retired to bis estate a
Wheatland, where he passed the remainder Q
his life. asa
1 r. THE ELECTION IN VIRGINIA.-The mongrc
| Constitution has been prepared for month
and the campaign has been opened, and yet al
| Of us Ion the Conservative side, at least) arr
kept completely in the dark as to the time Of
the election. Will it occur in month, or Ii
! six months, or not at-all? The reconstruction
acts provid that when the Constitution shall
be framed it shall be submitted by the Con-
vention for ratification &C., ''atan election,
&c., to be held after ''the expiration of thirty
days from the date of notice thereof to be
| given by said Convention. 'Gl29Gs@ @salz e
| The notice was given, but no arrangements
| have been made tor holding the election within
| the prescribed time. Indeed, it has been in
definitely postponed by the order of the mill.
tary commander, upon. the ground that Con
gress has failed to provide a fund out OF which
the expenses may be betrayed. We do not
see how, after the expiration of the time limi-
ted, any election can be held under the recon
struction acts as they stand. Has notthe clause
Ifyipg the limitation lost It's virtue and efficacy