, 1874-04-14
A NEW INVESTIGATION.
Epectas Dfspdtch to Tho Chicago Tribune.

THE LETTING OF POSTAL CONTRACTS.
.WAsu1Ha1oH, D. G., April ia great doal of
oxcitomont was occasionod quite lutte in tho
House proceedings by pasaage- -at-arms hetwcon
Page and Luttrell, OF California. stono, OF
Missouri, introduced q resolution directing tho
House poat-OfIic Committee to investigate al
legged frauds in tho letting of mail.contraots.
The resolution WAS most extraordinary
document ae In tho "wheroaa" it set
forth specific charges Of Irregularities
In these lettings, all OF which havo boon pub
lished in tho newspapers, prefaoing them With
the statement that 1t will DO found that such
and such frauds we're committed. by the adop-
ton OF tho resc4ution, with tho preamble, Of
COURSE, tho House would place itself on record
as declaring that the charges wore mattors of
fact. Many members objected to tho reading Of
tho resolution, which was lengthy, on tho
ground that It was d stump-apcoch, but tho
Speaker oyerru1od tho objections and It WAS
road then by consont. Tho preamble WAS
stricken out, and tho simple resolution directing
the inveatigation was adopted. Tho resolution
and tho discussion croatod
4 GREAT DEAL OF EXCITEMENT.
MassrH. Packer and Randall, of Penn, and
Tyner, Of Ind, stated in tho debate the notion
that was taken BY the Committee, In inyesti.
eating similar charges last session, from which
It appeared that the Repnblioane unitod IN clear.
Ing the Postmaster Gonoral and the officials OF
hiH Department Of completely in tho undisputea
frauds while the democrats united IN verdict
4 Raudsll ] seemed noaitiye that there woro facts
in this regard that ought to be ventilated.
Book, Of Kentucky, wanted to know
il tho Testimony taken last season had G been
reason was assigned why i had not Randall
| stated that that was matter in tho control OF
| tho majority Of tho Committee, who wero Re-
! publicans. Among those WHO grew very much
excited, Without any apparent cause at hrHt,
Woro
! TIE CALIFORNIA GENTLEMEN
named Page finally got room to charge that
Luttroll was inspiring. the investigation, and In
his colleague. Luttrell retortod iu kind, aud the
| two mon advanced to tho area In front
Of tho Speaker, whore they talked loud aud geH-
ticulated hercolyt with the mass OF tho mombors
of tiniaher, Page inquired, with an air ot trl"
umph, what political party Luttrell roprosontol
The question only eeomod to add to Luttrell's
excitement, aud he responded, With gfoat ylgos
Gratis, Newton Booth, and tho woEkingmon :
that he did not como hore to represent tho Paci"
TO Railroad, with the badge Of their seryituao
h az a1o,da did hs o9l'oasqe ebo1 as9
tho intorosta Of that corporation. Page et.
tempted to rejoin, but objection was matlo.
dsoat confusion prevailed during all tho quarrel.
Lutttell,
pY WAY OF CLOSING oL1NcnEn.
asked Ii Page WIS not himself q contractor fol
tho carrying OF tho malls. Page replied that la
vas, and said he had right to be- This appar'
emily left. the Geld to Lnttro!l, and tho Houst
adjourned forthwith. Tonight however,. i
| trnnaulroa that Page and Luttrell wore riya
bidders Tor the contracts which the former hold
and secured by undertaking tho lattcr. ThiI
circumstance puts new phase GU tho matter
and >ehowH 1t to bo quarrel hotween rivals Ii
business brought on to the floor Of the House
It is regarded al a diaagreeablo affair. and hu,
not raised tho Californian delegation, who llay
noyor stood high in the estimation Of thef
fellov-members There Ia no doubt TINT tha in
Yeetiaatiou ought to be had. &s tho lrKegularilo