The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-27
Latest News from Washington.
Congressional.


WASHINGTON, March 26.--Sendte.-- bill
granting right of way 10. the Mobile and
Grand Trunk railroad, with the amendment
requiring its completion within five years,
was passed. - lai4E.s~ ~
The North Carolina contested election case
was made the special order for Monday next.
French spoliation comes up OIL Tuesday
next, when Mr.. Cameron will speak on the
subject. i13>
House bill repeating the duty on ten and
coffee was taken up. Several amendments
were proposed and discussed, whereupon
Mr. Sherman said he would tomorrow re-
new the effort to pass the Senate bill, as it
seemed impossible to pass the House bill for
free tea and coffee rs separate measure.
Adjourned. .1,
HouSe.-All day was spent In filibustering
over the city depot in Baltimore for the Bal
timore and Potomac railroad. It is contest
between the Pennsylvania Central and B.lti-
more and Ohio roads. No vote was reached.
Senator Sumner Before the saIe-of-
Arms Committee. 81
WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Sumner
appeared before the sale-of-arms committee
this morning and refused to testify. He
asked and obtained leave to read protest,
which states that he has no personal objec-
tions to an examination, but he must consider
bis duty as a Senator, and, questioning the
competency Of the committee which sum
moned him, he says: "The examination
of Senator by committee of the Senate
on matter outside Of the Senate,
and not connected with his pub
lie duties, is sustained by precedents, as
when Messrs. Seward and Wilson were eX-
to nf
John Brown; but any examination with re-
gard to his public conduct, especially in
regard to a matter which he has felt it his
duty to lay before the Senate in the discharge
of his public duties, is Of very doubt
| full propricty. In his public career n
senator acts on his responsibility under
the sanction of an oath, and the constitution
declares that for any speech or debate
This prohibition, while not preventing ques
tons of certain character, must limit the
inquiry; but the law steps forward with its
own requirements, according to which it is
plain that senator cannot be interrogated,
! first, with regard to his conferences with
other senators OIL public business; and
secondly, with regard to witnesses who have
confidentially communicated with him. -.
| luC plUlcSI tlSO GSihCo Elouiist III al
against the competency of the committee !;
| that it is in violation of that general parlia-
mentary rule which, in the appointment OF
special committees, requires that they should
be organized so as to promote the business
or inquiry for which the committee was Gre
ated in familiar language, proposition is
committed TO It's friends and not to Its ene-
mics. 1 r- t.a
The committee unanimously decided to
issue Il Subpoena requiring Dir. Sumner to
appear tomorrow. "'
General Items.
WAsHINGroS, March 26.-W. S. Hunting
don, cashier of the First National Bank, died
this morning, of pneumonia. -'
There was a full Cabinet meeting to-day,
but only routine business was transacted.
The Supreme Court has fixed April the 9th
as the day for the argument Oh the judgment
Of the Circuit Court of South Carolina in
, refusing to discharge the kuklux prisoners,
and writ has been issued returnable that
, day. --
>, Joseph Nimmo has been appointed super
' vising inspector-general Of steamboats,.
Senator Sherman thinks the action of the
Senate to-day defeats the repeal Of the duty
: on tea and coffee. Ee believes that the Sen
ate tomorrow will adopt the tariff bill as re
ported by the Senate Finance Committee
Free tea and coffee without riders !" can
not pass the Senate. ... ....s...l.... 81.