Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-04-12
Our Washington Letter
WAsH1sGroy, March 80, 1872.


Editor Free Press and Times.
The legislative week hiss not been remark
.ble one, except in point Of brevity Four days
Of strife in the Senate on the tariff, and an
equally lavish expenditure Of time in the House
on one Of Thomas Scott's railroad projects 'f-
fectinc this city, disposed our Legislators to
proper observance Of Good Friday, and the coz
sequence W., an adjournment on Thursday eve
ming until Monday. The passage Of the Chicago
relief bill WAS finally accomplished. but not
without an amendment exempting Lumber from
its operation that condition having been in
sirted upon By the sufferers By the great ires N
Michigan sni Wisconsin. The bill now only
needs the signature Of the President 20 become
law. The tariff bin, which passed the Sen.te on
Thursday, mskes such sweeping reduction in
the revenue az 20 render It's defeat in the House
almost certsin. Including the reduction IN in
ternal taxes, the decresse in TIE revenue will be
shout Gsry-ive uillionr Of dollars, which 1t must
be s.ufcssel is a rather generous slice. Some
Of the amendments were added for the purpose
of killing the bill, ana may accomplish thst Oh
iect. Both Houses have, however, given very
decided 1nsiol..ies in favor Of free sea and cof-
fee, 60 there can be very H;.le doubt in regard
to the fual disposition Of these two articles,
whatever mry be done with the rest. After
every section Of the bill, except the first,
had been amended, Mr.. Hamlia humor-
ouraly proposed TO "put a head On -
It, in the wsyos substitute l5r the first sec
lion. A msjority were, however, averse TO any
such rueiIs,ic sctisn, and his substitute wst
voted down
There are nov thirteen special iavestigstions
in progreso, in place Of zen last week. Nj.
Dana Of the New York Sun, brought with him
8 lawyer yersel in the sinuo-s ways Of the New
York police clur,r. sui auenls the sessions Of
the committee investigating Socvetsry Ro5eson' s
sf4i-s as prosecuting witness. "a an ezhibi-
ton Of p.rs5na. nz'ig-,'y, AMI f-r meagraness
orreaults, this Investigation pr,alses to eclipse
al the rest The Secretary ciailets his own
defense su1 finds It sn easy tasS.
The French arms inycstig CATION is f;ili N pro
crcss, but nothing hiss been accomplished be-
You'd placing Aiessrs Suuaer snd S-hurz in &
s.il. more hum;li2iin- attitude. a:ter weeks OF
" b,0Wirr TO zee terra more expressive
than eecAat-th0re gentlemen are elkei 70 fur
uish the facts OF which th-ir cXtrS1riinary &c
ton wa based. But oL mounting the witness
stand all their boosted knowledge vanishet.
frf. -I.H che NIrs ~ I'd
the committee room ls Fitiai.5. Zach Of them
knows numbers Of reo1ls who could throw the
most dazzling Light Oh these dark transactions,
hut It would be a breach Of sacred confidence TO
diyulgs their names, 70 We s1e s. wise as before.
Moreover, Mr.. Sumner is thoroughly convinced
that the committee is not legally constituted, AID
therefore licg elaborate written protests against
obcyin- Ike rummlug lic has ransscked two
ceutuue5 f1r urecsler:s, ami fortified himself
behind d. gsrsy % authorities Quite 1esAteIlng'
but the committee have 40 tss-e -lr sUcA le.ict
Of antiquity.
Tat fas,v drisd-up little FsenohmAu,
ChambI1-, who has leel .EbOIiug 50 hard t1r
a nultor oi yoais TO get bic us-a- anu title oi
'' Marquis ' ia print, has finally succeeded be-
end L'z mort s-LEuiue cZpec.2uons.
The committee summoned him e. witness,
and nov the Marquis Be Clemt-ua's' name
--,,t-v ,-''i "a, a.s-s~ is Tsn1v. lis exam
irsti5n ',.-.f f-- tz. 49,. 65t. as in the case
Il Tho -,g e.r,f..isl ri-1essrs. bis knowledge Of
800 in f-s.,.,e vss v--v limited. though be
~ 49,, ,-t- .-r-., ro.tsl Int +; would be
. t-s,.l ~ 'co-ill-.ee to i've their names.
MS ~cs,.,. sI.rrli-o m find how many per-
an. tb.rs 1-. r. ,ts ,.,.li --bose rerutat:5n de-
reuis OBJ their bc'n- kept In comI .ete otEcuriiy.
IN ber,.,- I-.,.5-t. cts;rrsn of the Demo
..-.;- 49, ~. ,--.. M In on s7,-4,r-