The Portland daily press., 1872-03-07
WASHINGTON.
Presentation Of the Japanese Embassy
.... to the House.
Gen. BabcOck's Testimony.
Secretary Boutwell, ON the Sale of Arms.

SPEECHES OF GEN. BANKS, SPEAKER BLAINE
AND PRINCE IwAKURA.
WASHINGTON, March 6.-Long before IL
O'Clock this morning the galleries Of the House,
with the exception of the southeast, the diplo-
matte and reporters galleries, were densely
crowded. Hundreds were unable to gain adj
mittanee. The east gallery, known as the
Ladies Gallery, was reserved for the families
OF the President, Vice President members Of
the Cabinet Senators, members of the House
and the Diplomatic Corps exclusively Several
| OF the latter were present with ladies. At II
O'Clock the embassy appeared, Prince Iwakura
| leaning on the arm of Gen. Banks, and the rest
following. They ranged themselves in front of
the Speakers chair, and amidst breathess ST.
lence the ceremony of presentation took place.
| Gen. Banks, as chairman of the committee,
made the opening remards, as follows:
| Mr.. Speaker-1he Committee of the House
assigned to that duty, in accordance with its
Instructions, has now the honor to present to
you and the House, His Excellency Prince Iva
kura (here Prince 1wakura bowed) and their
excellencies OF the embassy, the ambassador-in-
| chief and the associate ambassadors of the gov
| eminent of Japan, with their attaches Here
the embassy all bowed
Speaker Blaine responded as follows:
Your Excellency-On behalf of the House of
Representatives welcome your Imperial EN-
| bassy to this hall. The reception which is ex-
tended to you so unanimously and so cordially
| by the members of this body is significant of
the interest which our whole people feel in the
rapidly developing relations between the Japa-
nese empire and the American republic. The
course of migration for the human race has for
many centuries been steadily westward, a
course always marked by conquest and too often
| by rapine. Reaching the boundaries of our
continent we encountered a returning tide from
your country, setting eastward, not seeking the
trophies of war, but the more shining trophies
| of peace, and these two currents of population
! appropriately meet and mingles on the shores
of the Pacific sea. 1t will be my pleasure to
! present to your excellences personally, the
representatives of the people, and to assureyou
| for them, as well for myself, that during
| your stay at our capital you will at all times be
welcome to the privileges and courteses of this
| floor. tst r. .t.,..f At#
Prince Iwakura responded in Japanese,
| which Gen. Banks translated as follows:
| Mr. Speaker and the honorable members of
the House of Representatives of the United
| States of America-On behalf of the ambassa-
| doris of Japan, our sovereign, and the people
| whom we represent we tender you our sincere
thanks and warmest friendship. We fully ap-
| preciate this distinguished honor which places
| us face to face in the presence of that mighty
| power which unites the great American Repub-
| lic Governments are strong when built upon
the hearts of an enlightened people: We come
for enlightenment, and we gladly find it here.
| Journeying eastward from the Empire of Sun
rise toward the sunrising, We daily behold a
new sunrise beyond the one we before enjoyed
New knowledge rises daily before us, and when
a completed tourney shall have passed in re-
view an enciroled globe, we shall gather our
treasure of knowledge, remembering that how
ever we have advanced toward the sources of
light, each onward move has revealed to us a
further step beyond. The government of Japan
already appreciates the value of an enlightened
policy toward itself and all nations; but our
united assurances on our return win confirm to
the people at large the friendiness of feeling so
frequently expressed heretofore and now so
generally exhibited to this embassy. In the
future an extended commerce will unite our ma
tional interests in thousand forms, as drops
of water will commingle, flowing from our sew
eral rivers to that common ocean that divides
our countries. Let us express the hope that
our national friendship may be as difficult to
sunder or estrange as to divide the once SPLEEN
did drops composing our common Pacific Ocean.
Applause. --
The embassy were then introduced all round
SECRETARY BOUTWELL, ON THE SALE OF
..LH ..U ARMS, ...tHFFr
Secretary Boutwell, appeared before the
House Committee on Expenditures in the War
Department aud testified as to the amounts re-
ceived in the Treasury for the fiscal pear end
ing June 80, 1871, from the sales of arms and
ordnance stores. He gave the amount as s., $780,
093 The difference between that sum and the
amount returned by the chief of ordnance as
having received those sales, So, 1913, which
he accounts for by explaining that the balance
was not carried into the Treasury during the
last fiscal year, hut paid in sinoe then even in
excess of the sum returned, but 1t would be
necessary to analyze the various accounts care
sums paid in on account of sales in the last is-
cal year from those paid on account Of suhse-
Quent sales, ~ 4.ls.. 5.
GEN. BABcoCK ON THE NEW YORK GRNERAL
b ,-y ~. ,a ORDER BUSINESS,
Gen. Babcopk WIS examined before the New
York Custom House Investigating Committee
to-day, He swore he had no interest whatever
| in the Leet Il Stockings general order business
He had never received money from II in any
way or shape, nor was there any arrangement
| n.,taa hAx lNak
GERS. He also swore he was detailed from the
Engineers Corps rs Secretary TO the President
and has charge of the public buildings and
grounds and is engineer Of tho Potomac aque-
duet and receives no pay whatever except as
Major of Engineers.
Gen. Babcoek was interrogated concerning
his relation with Mr. Lindsay, whom he has
| known since 1861, Lindsay had been civil to
himself and others on che staff and he had
thought If an occasion arose to reciprocate his
kindness; he could not positively say he saw
him from 1864 to 1859; did not remember of
| writing any communication to Lindsay except
in returning his thinks for having sent him
some trout; Lindsay had never been at his
ing him at the Executive Mansion but once. i
| Mr.. Bayard asked Gen. Babeock to look at
| the letter handed him. Gen. BabcOck said that
it was written by him; but he did not recollect
that he had done 50 until he Just remembered
the fact. He read the letter, which is as fol-
| lows: .- ,r1i.,rrs5's -,-f1ao4 KIN
EXECUTIVES MANSION, WASHINGTON, d. G.
My Dear Liadsay:- Your letter reached me
to-day. 1t is just as / expected. sent it sim
ers by the same mail received the enclosed
do not intend to answer such an assumption
or if at all in short civil note.
| You need have no fears of their imposing
| upon us. 1 shall he pleased to do whatever
can for your friends, when 1 know what you
want, to reciprocate for your kindness to me.
am alone in my glory Gen. Porter will be back
I tomorrow Remember me to Messrs I.eet,
Parker and the gentleanen il your house. Hop
ing to hear from you when i can be of any ser
''' s O. L. BApoocK.
Mr.. Bayard asked Mr.. Babcock whether he
did not know at the time he wrote that let
ter that LINDSAY held the confidential position
of Secretary to Collector Grinnell.
Mr.. Babcock replied that he did not know
that Lindsay held that position but supposed So
I he was further asked whether he knew of any
proposition from Leet TO Lindsay relative to
speculation in San Domingo or on the Tybee
Babcock replied that he had no knowledge of
the fact to which the correspondence referred.
| He repeated that he knew no plans by which
specnlations were to go into operation, He was
not aware that any more Than the first payment
of $lO0, 900 had been made by the government
to San Domingo This was provided for in the
treaty he negotiated. The 100000 was on
account of the lease of SANTANA Bay. pr,
"A further provision was 800, 200 in arms ana
ammpnitions Of war the receipt Of which was
included in the treaty. The payment was made
in Nov. 1869, after the signing of the treaty It
was made to the Dominican government, The
money was paid Though the American govern
ment agent Mr.. Perry.
The chairman enquired whether the witness
knew of any one who had received money on
account of the lease. 81
Gen, Babcock replied that he did not On
being flrther iptetrogatsd, he knew of no
American citizen who was interested in rail
roads in San Domingo, but Mr. Sullivan in
formed him that he aulliyan) had an interest
in the railroad from SANTANA Bay to Monte
Cristo. ,..1
He believed that Sullivan represented other
parties. He knew of one American citizen
who had entered into the banking business in
San domingo, but understood he failed He
did not know of anybody to be benefited by
the land grants in the event of annexation. He
knew of gentleman who had suIysyins con-
tract abtained previous to his khewiedee Of the
proposed annexation. He could not saw that
Sullivan had not held an official position, as no
may may. have been employed By the Secretary of
MI. Gasseriy INTERCEPTED Gen, habcock at
some length In regard to San Domingo, and in
the course of his replies he said there might
have been large purchases of land in 1869 and
1870 but not to his knowledge
Gen Babcock presentedfthe following letter,
which was read: -->aLs r. g. ft.H~ -.l.t
EXECUTIVE MANSION, |
: Washington, d. O., July, 1870.
sir,-I am in receipt OF letters apply
iuo for 10