Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-12

WASHINGTON, Dec. ll.-Ihe Senale
bill for the appointment of George Ban
croft to fill the vacancy in the Board Of Re
gents of the Smithsonian Institute, was
passed.
Mr.. Orr from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported bill allowing homesteads
and presumption settlers in Iowa, Nebraska,
Minnesota and Kansas, whose crops were
destroyed by grasshoppers in 1874, to leave
and be absent from their lands till May,
1876, without prejudice to their rights.
Passed.
"HaIf q Million steal.''
Mr.. Garfield denied that there was any
foundation whatever for the article in the
NetU York Tribune yesterday, entitled
s'Half Million Steal" charging the Com
mittee on Appropriations with having in
serted an item in the postoffice appropria-
ton bill. for an additional subsidy to the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company. The
bill had not been reported nor even con-
sidered by the committee.
The House then took up the private cal
ender.
Dawes Explains the Situation
Mr.. Dawes rising to question Of priv
ilege, called attention to the fact that the
Committee on Ways and Means had taken
up the investigation into the Pacific Mail
subsidy, which had been commenced at
the close of the last Congress and had then
fallen through, because the committee had
been unable to secure the attendance of
Richard B. Irwin, agent of the company
who was the only person who could give
the information sought for, and who had
left for Europe, while the president Of the
COMPANY became insane or pretended in
sanity. This Irwin had recently returned
from Europe and the company had caused
his arrest and brought suit against him for
the recovery of $4,000 obtained by him
from the company. He had then given
bail and had again gone to Europe, but had
since returned. The committee had sub
pOened him, and had, late last night, receiy-
ed a telegram from him stating that he had
important business to attend TO in New
York on Friday and Saturday; that his
health would not permit him to travel al
night, but that he would appear before the
committee on Tuesday next. The Sergeant
alarms had also received a telegram from
his assistant at New York, stating that
Irwin was unable on account of his health
to appear before Tuesday. The committee
had some want of confidence in Irwin, and
had sent him telegram that the committee
could not consent TO any delay. To this
the following reply had been received:
81 intend no disrespect to the committee,
but it is utterly impossible for me TO start
before Monday without increasing my i'll
ness to such an extent that my presence
will be useless. l will positively appear
next Tuesday"
Mr.. Randall-Has not Irwin been in
Washington within ten days?
Mr.. Dawes-If that is so, it is news to
the COMMITTEES. | wish to have the action
of the House on the subject, so that if the
witness should fail to appear, the House,
and not the COMMITTEES on Ways and
Means, will be responsible for It.
Mr.. Phelps sent 10 the clerks desk tel
egram which he had just received from
Irwin stating he was too i'll to move before
Monday; that he was confined TO his room,
unable to write and hardly able to speak
audibly, and said that if the committees
haste was anything more than pro fOrma,
it was simply brutal. He added that Ir-
win was a constituent Of his, and that he
was being made
A Victim
of the Pacific Mail Company; that he was
eager to have the suit tried, and had come
back from Europe TO hurry on the trial.
After further discussion, a resolution
was adopted directing the arrest of Irwin
for contempt in failing to obey the sum-
mons Of the committee, Mr.. Dawes ex-
planning. however, that the ehiefobject was
TO guard against Irwin again leaving the
country before giving his testimony.
Adjourned.