The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-22
HOuSE.

uAls hhILLbUu lOL improvement Uu SuLu
berland river, Tennessee. The call OF tn
States for bills being ended the call 10
resolutions was entered. Mr.. Bromber
offered resolution for appointment Of
select committee 10 inquire whether an,
officer Of the Government has used mean
to obstruct tho administration justice Il
tho District Of Columbia, particularly Il
relation to the 80 called safe burglary
conspiracy. The House refused 10 secon(
the previous question by vote ol "a I,
81, and the resolution went over.
Mr.. Randall gave notice that the SAINT
resolution would DO offered next Monday
| Mr.. Hays offered a resolution for {
select committee to inquire into the polit
ical affairs OF Alabama, and as to tho usI
of Federal soldiers there, the intimidation
Of voters, SC.
| Mr.. Randall suggested that the com
mittee should also inquire as to the dis
tribution Of the rations voted by Congress-
in Alabama.
Mr.. Hays said he had no objection to
that, but the inquiry had already been
provided for In resolution adopted last
Monday. Mr.. Hays resolution was
adopted.
The House then proceeded to vote or
suspending the rules and adopting reso-
luton offered last Monday by Mr.. Hol
man. Itis as follows:
REI0lved, That in the present condition
Of the financial affairs Of the government
no subsidies in money, bonds, public
lands, or by pledge Of the public credi
should belgranted BY Congress to any asso
citation or corporation engaged or prepar-
ing to engage In public or private enter
prlses, and that all appropriations from
the public treasury ought to be limited al
this time TO such amounts only as should
be imperatively required by the public
service.
The House refused to suspend the rules
and adopt the resolution.
IRWIN TO De TRIED FOR CONTEMPT.
The Committee on Ways and Means
made report OF the refusal Of Richard
B. Irwin 10 answer certain questions pu,
10 him respecting the distribution by him
of the $750,000 received from the Pacific
Steamship Company TO aid in procuring
subsidy for the China mail service.
The stenographic report Of Irwin's ex-
aminction having been read, Mr.. Dawes
moved the adoption Of an order that the
Speaker issue his warrant 10 the Sergeant,
alarms, commanding him to take into
custody Richard 3 Irwin, and bring him
TO the bar OF the House, TO show cause
why he should not be punished for con-
tempt
MIR. Dawes went on to say: This wit
ness readily and almost cheerlully states
TO the committee and country, that fol
the purpose OF procuring private egisla-
tion by Congress he has taken $3.50, 900
and brought 1t 10 the very doors OF Con
gress, and then, because he did not enter
these halls with his money bags in his
hand and walk up and down these aisles
distributing it, but put the remsinder ol
bis work in the hands Of third parties, he
tancies that he can put stop TO this in
vestigation; and the question for this
House to determine Is whether, having
had rolled on its shoulders an inference
which It Is impossible otherwise to repel
the House shall let that inference remain
that that subsidy was procured by the
expenditure Of this sum Of money. There
Is no member whose name stands record
ed Tor that measure, or who omitted
to vote against It, who has not thiE
charge laid at his door, and all such mem
bers call on this house 10 repel that in
ference which this witness seems volun-
tarily and with great alacrity to desire tc
lay down upon them, but il It touched the
character Of no member OF the House Il
touches methods Of legislation and meanI
Of procuring legislation at the hands o.
Congress and Congress cannot omit 10 in
vestigate 1t to the bottom and TO under
stand its length and breadth. II thil
money reached cOrruptly no member O
the House, It was, however, expended L
procure the passage OF this bill, anC
whether It was by private entertainment:
or by any other process whatever, ther
Congress must know In what manner the
legislation 10 procured here, or Congress!
must cease to have any regard, not only
to the personal character of its mem
bers, but to the respect of the people
for what Is done In Congress
There Is no aspect which this witness
presents that Congress can retreat from
! am myself very well convinced Of the
motive which has brought him from Eu-
rope to tempt the Committee OF Ways
and Means to bring him here and TO draw
out Of him just what has been drawn oui
Of him; but am filled with amazemen,
that any sane man could for one moment
suppose that he could testify 10 this much
and no more.
A long and somewhat technical dis
cussion ensued as to the power Of the
House to punish for contempt.
Messrs. Stephens and Butler argued
that as the law provides for the punish
ment of the recuSant witness by sending
him for trial before court and grand Jury
of the District OF Columbia, the House
had no other power in the matter. They
denied that there was In this country any
such thing as parliamentary law, and
claimed the constitutional right OF every
citizen TO be tried before court and Jury
On the other hand Dawes, Kasson and
Beck claimed that besideslthe Statutory
provisions giving the court power to pun,
ish tho recusant witness by fine and i'm
priSonment each House had power to
punish for contempt.
Mr.: Beck also suggested the propriety
Of passing another law giving Congress
itself the power 10 commit the recusanl
witness to imprisonment in the county
Jail for 12 months.
Mr.. Lawrence argued that the House
had the same power in such mattees as
the English House Of Commons.
While Mr.. Lawrence was speaking Mr..
Beck remarked that he had Just been in.
formed that Irwin was no longer In the
custody Of the sergeant at arms and was
preparing to leave Washington on the
next train.
Mr.. Beck's announcement created some
excitement but the discussion continued.
In the course Of II Mr.. Butler character
lied the Congressional Investigations as
mere mud machines" He argued that
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