The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-03-16
WASHINGTON NEWS.
WASHINGTON, March IA.

W ASHlNGIONJ udICu lf'
TAMPKRING WITH PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
A matter of very unusual character
will soon be brought to the attention of
Congress through correspondence be-
tween Secretary Cox and some members
of the House and the Senate. 1t appears
that some weeks since the Senate called
on the Secretary of the Interior for GER
tain papers relating to Indian matters,
and that they were subsequently ordered
to be printed. Instead of this order
being carried out, they were taken to
the room of tho committee on Indian
Affairs and there rearranged, a large
part left out entirely, and important
portions of others struck out. When
the docun eat was printed a mem
Der of the House familiar with
the case wrote to Secretary Cox, COM
planning that some of the papers had
been garbled, and many suppressed
entirely. The Secretary had the mat
ter Investigated, and found that all the
papers were sent from the Interior De-
partnent to the Senate. This led to
the facts given above being ascertained.
The Interior Department is justly in
dignant, as the case is one in which
fraud has been freely charged, and Sec
rotary Cox has furnished the papers,
which gave q complete history of the
action of the department in Che matter.
Some of the oldest members of Con-
gress say the case is wholly without q
parallel.
THE NAVY REDUCTION.
The House committee on Naval At
fairs have not yet put their bill for re-
duction Of the navy into shape, but the
subject has bean 30 far considered as to
show that majority will favor very
considerable reduction, both in line and
staff officers, and also in the number of
ships in commission. Some of the COM
mittee think q reduction of between
one fourth and one-third in the entire
force will finally be agreed upon In
considering the appropriation for the
Navy, Mr.. Dawes committee has had
the matter of reduction in view, and
the amounts recommended to the
House in its bill will be such as to ne.
cessitate the putting Of several ships
out of commission.
The BOSTON PosTOFFICE.
General Butler and Mr.. Farnsworth
had lively time to day during the dis
cussion on the appropriation bill. Mr..
Butler took occasion te say while the
Boston Postoffice was under considera.
ton, that he believed Mr.. FarnSworth's
committee had made an unauthorized
investigation, and that when the item
sppropriating money to pay its expen-
ses came up, he proposed 10 have some
thing to say. Mr.. FaTnswOrth replied
that the item for the Boston PostofliCe
came first, and lie intended TO give the
House some Conformation concerning that
which would fully occupy the attention
of the gentleman from Massachusetts,.
The matter was understood to be iu-
tended as charge on FarnswOrth's
part that Butler was interested in con-
tracts for granite for the Boston post
office. Everything promises a spicy
time when the subject comes up.
ALADY INDIAN SUPERINTENDENT.
During the absence of Superintendent
Janney, from the Northern Superinten-
dency,, that district is in charge of his
daughter. A report has. been received
at the Indian Office from the lady, stat
ing that Indian matters are quiet in the
SUPPLEMENTARY.