The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-03-25
Washington News and Gossip
WASHINGTON, March %.
THE SECRETARY orrHE SENATE.

WASHINGTON, March %.
THE SECRETARY oFTHE SENATE.
Tie Senate Republican caucus to-day
was to consider the case of Mr. Score
tary Gorham, who is charged with COM
plicity in getting up and circulating
scurrilous charges against Senator Cole.
A committee of three was appointed to
lock into tho matter. There are 10
charges against his management OF his
office.
STATE WAR CLAIMS.
Most of the State war claims have
been wholly or partly audited and paid
by the Treasury, and the WORK on uu-
settled balances is getting on as rapidly
as possible. A new feature of the mat
ter involved is coming to . head, as
some of the Western States are putting
10 claims for interest money. These
cannot be allowed or paid without leg
islation by Congress, and bill On the
subject is likely enough to appear be-
fore the end Of the session.
THE ANTI-MoRMoN BILL.
The anti-Mormon bill has finally gone
about as it was originally introduced
by Mr.. Cullom. Five sections put in by
the committee were cut cut, including
the enc authorizing the enlistment OF
troops to enforce the laws, and that ap-
propriating one hundred thousand dol
lars for the relief of persons affected by
the bill. The measure as it now stands
contains twenty-nine sections of a
stringent character, and is in accord
ance with the policy advocated by Mr..
Cullom.
THE CUBAN RESOLUTION.
The report sent out last night to some
oissthe newspapers that the neutrality
bill of the House Foreign Affairs com
mittee commanded almost unanimous
support is by no means correct. The
first question was in taking the Senate
bill, which prohibits the fitting out of
expenditures here as substitute. This
was lost by yeas-Orth, Willard, Amber
and Myers; nays-Banks, Wilkinson,
Sheldon, Wood and Swami. Tho ques-
ton on reporting the bill was carried by
six to three; the nays being Orth, Will
lard and Amber, who will join in a
minority report. Mr.. Judd was out of
town, but will Join in the minority re-
port when the matter comes up for ac-
tiOD.
THE ROCK ISLAND BRIDGE.
The Rock Island bridge bill passed by
Congress and to-day sent to the Presi-
dent, declares that in the construction
of the bridge heretofore authorized by
Congress, across the Mississippi river
between Rock Island and the city of
Davenport, the Secretary of War shall
have power to construct the same for
single track railroad only, and 10 place
tie wagon road below the railroad
track, as recommended by the Chief of
Engineers, provided that in no case
shall the expenditure on the part of the
United States exceed enc million dol
lars.
THE MILITARY COMMITTEES REPORT.
The report Of the Military committee
is exciting considerable unfavorable
comment outside Of Congress, the first
of which is that while the attention of
district attorneys is called to the fact
that certain parties have attempted to
bribe members of the House, attention
is not called to those who accepted the
bribcs. The act of Jnly, 1862, provides
that any member of CongTc5s who shall
be convicted OF receiving reward for
procuring any Office shall be fined not
exceeding ten thousand dollars and inn
priSoued not mo.e than two years, and
be thenceforth disqualified from hold
ing any office of honor or trust under
the United States. The second criti-
cism is that the committee has recon-
mended violation of law in the mat.
ter, since the act of January, 1857, pro-
vidcs a. follows: "No person examined
and testifying before either house of
Congress or either committee of either
house, shall b9 held to answer Grim.
inally in any court of justice, or be
subject to any penalty or forfeiture for
any fact or act touching which he
shall be required to testify before
either bouse.of Congress, or any com
mittee of either house, as TO what he
shall have testified, whether before or
after the date of this act, and that no
statement made by paper produced
by any witness before either house of
Congress, or before any committee of
either house, shall be competent testi-
mony in any criminal proceeding
against such witness in any court of
justice"
PAYMENT OF INToRMERS.
TIE Commissioner of Internal Reye.