The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-03-26
WASHING TON.
WASHINGTON, March 25.

United States and Ecuador, has
been officially proclaimed aud is to con.
,inue IN force ten years.
The District InvesiigatiOs.
Alta meeting ofthe District OF Colun-
b:. Investigating Committee this
morning John Collens testified that he
had laid severe, raised houses and done
parking and other work for the Board
Of Public Works amounting to about
one thousand dollars without say con-
tract, except that about three weeks
so be signed contract and gave bond,
both dated back to September l7th,
lN72, tor the faithful performances OF
certain work amounting to less than
one thousand dollars, all OF which was
lone and paid Tor fifteen months pre-
8 iouslv.
Report ON War Claims.
The reporta of Judge Lawrence,
chairman OF the House Committee on
Var Claimp, to the sub committe en-
the general subject OF war claims WAS
considered at its meeting this morning,
an. sner considerable modification,
authority was gwen to report the same
"a the House. The conclusion arrived
:. bv Judge Lawrence was that the
government is not legally bound TO
make compensation for property used,
oc.u,iei, damaged or destroyed in the
ate war, by the United States forces
but that whatever is done 10 to hs con-
-'as7ei as an act OF grace and mercy.
The Sanb0rn Contracts.
The Committee on Ways and Means
ave another hearing in the matter Of
the Ssnborn contracts to-day, and So
Icitor Banfsld made statement,
which he appeared, he said, not in the
.nterest OF Sauboru or any other COZ
trscto., but at the request OF the Sec
r5,a.y OF the Treasury 10 explain the
v,'alicn Of tie department to this con-
,rac,. The question OF application for
the contracts to collect debts due the
government had been made as
yarlv as 1862, and although
The Secretary and Solicitor were not
av7YaUiy disposed to the system the
c5ntrac,s were given to several parties
~ rates OF commission varying from ~
10 50 per cent. of the amounts to ts
collected, the contractors TO pay all ex-
nepgeg, bu. invariably the result had
uasn that nothing was collected. AT
al! events the government got nothing
The system wac abrogsted, and was
no; resumed until the passage Of the
!aw under which the Sauborn contracts
we're given, aud less care was taken to
limit the commission under that coz
tract than there would have been il it
had been supposed anything would be
collected.
The collector was sharply cros3-queE-
toned by Beck as to why Internal Rev
nae Commissioner Douglas was not
rsIIei into consultation by the secr9-
,ary and solicitor when they undertook
% carry the law into effect, aud also
a. to what authority he had to write
...e-s tointerual revenue officers direct
In. them to aid Ssnhorn when the law
REQUIRED that lie should aid them.
10 the first question his reply was
.aa. the law referred to debts withheld
.al not particularly to internal reve-
nno mstterS; and 10 the second
hat the idea OF assistance
was it should be mutual, and that San
born could not very well assist regular
Ua:cers unless they ware willing 10
asSs, him.
IL reply TO Z question by MT. Shell
i9a the solicitor sad he hsd 40 kuowl-
elee, belief or suspicion that any officer
o,tae Government had received or ex-
rsc.-d 10 receive auytbins in any way
from the Sar born contract.
After the examination o: Bauield
@ae concluded, John Sanborn cane
-e'ore the committee, but iDstead Of
proceeding with his statement be sad
Ia. he had, within the last twenty-.our
hours, been advised by his Counse,
la, In view Of the Indictment pending
agaius. him in Brooklyn. charging him
vl.h collusi0n with revenue otiicers TO
ls.raul the government, it would be
injurious for MIN TO mske fall state
meat, which he had been ready aud
willing TO make. He WAS ready. how
ever, 10 give to the committee such get
e.aI 10 .o:mauoa On the subject as he
possessed lie waS informed by the
chairman and other members Of the
committee that the committee could
Aot II and ls.cn TO any partial state
mea; That he wac present not by Or
&er Of The committee, bat o. his own
yo..tion, aud in accordance with his
oEa rsQUe9f IN o.der that ne might
make fall aud fair statement o.
the circumstances connected with bis
contract II he was not prepared to Dc
ma, aad 10 answer such QussliIus q:
The committee might desire to put tc
hlm, the committee would decline 10
as.eo to any partial or restricted states
lenf
SauJorn's counsel, Woodbridge oi
ermonL has justified the position
'.,,en by his client He thought il
-srtar for MIN not to submit himself 10
!ue examination o. the committee. He
aliuled to the fact that there was s
gentlemen present, understood to be
"1 Assistant Distric! Attorney from
Brooklyn, watching to,ake advantage Of
anything Sanborn might SAY. The
committee adjourned without any de-
c.sion as to whether Sanborn should ol
'aould not be made witness.
Pinchback mud Sheridan,
The Committee on Elections finish ed
ne examination of the case OF Pinch
aack against Sheridan or the s.s
from Louisiana, and it is understood
IA, they will report next week tha
49, x-o..I ~ oy;Japna m wbich bo,