The New York herald., 1874-12-19

WASHINGTON Dec 18, 1874.
EHE EXAMINATION OF Irwin IN THE PACIFIC
MAIL INvEsTIGATION-HE sTUMBLEs AT A
QUESTION AND HIS ANSWER Is POSTPONED.
Twins examination went on In private to-day,
and is II possible, to be closed tomorrow. The
committee are 30 far very well satisfied with him,
and find him. as far as they have gone, frank,
putspoken man. When they came, however, to
the one vital question, whom did you employ to
assist you in procuring this subsidys" Mr.. Irwin
hesitatec and asked time until Monday before he
should unbosom himself. He said that II he should
answer this question unreservedy 1t would be
necessary first to 60 carefully to his bank ac-
counts and check book that he desired, II he
made statement to the committee. that it should
be accurate; that he might say, for instance, that
he gave one man $4,000 and another $1,000. and
that afterwards 1t might prove that he had given
to each $4,000. To avoid such inaccuracies he
wished to go over his books with his clerk, who
is an accountant. But with all his professions
Mr.. Irwin did not promise the committee aDso-
lutely to tell them any thing at all, and they, on
she other hand, after private conference, re-
4uirea him to answer their question tomorrow
and not on Monday.
There is an impression that Irwin has so far
played his part very well. To-day he showed his
own bank account, Kept with the American Ex-
change Bank in New York, and his brokers' ac-
count, which, he said, showed only transactions
IN stocks, bought for investment with his own
money and not with money obtained from sub.
gidy transactions.
1t is understood that the examination OF Irwin
to-day enabled Mr.. Dawes to put searching ques-
taons to some other witnesses publicly examined
in the room OF the committee.
SHARP PRACTICE By THE EXECUTIVE IN THE MAT
TER or APPoINTNENTs-AN UNSUCCESSFUL
BACK PAT DEvICE-coNEIaMATIoIs sMUGGLED
THROUGH THE SENATE.
In the Senate everything isD net 'qovely..
While the adm Inistraton Senator'S advising to-
gefher about policy the Presidents nominations
are pretty sharply scrutinized and do not always
pass muster For instance about four years ago Con-
gress passed q law prohibiting further promotions
IN certain OF the stan corps OF the army Last ses-
sion this prohibition was repealed. At the begin
ninq OF this session forty or city nominations for
promotions in the corps were sent 10 the senate.
These nominations were SO worded as to take
eject four years back, which would give
the back nay for that time to all the Nam
inees. The Senate Committee on Military Affairs
have concluded not to recommend the connrma-
tion OF these appointments until the nominations.
are made to take effect from this date. Again
Senator Flanagan has adopted queer method OF
delaying action on the Texas Post once nomina-
tions sent into the Senate al the beginning OF the
session. BY the usage OF the Senate the commit
tees to which tne nominations for ONCE are re-
ferred consult with the republican Senator for
whose state the nominations are made before
acting on them. The NOMINATIONS aforesaid were
referred to the Committee on Post Ofnces, and on
the same day Mr.. Flanagan went into the commit
tee room, put the nominations in his pocket,
spn they have not been seen since. A third in
ssnce ia more serious. Several senators whose
slasnton was called to-day TO the CONTINUATION
nlsss yesterday OF j. c. s. Colby 80 Consul at chin
fsAsx. ctiDs. were surprised, and said tney knew
>soaa,s ~ fbs circumstances. Colby was the clerk
" sis stsss<t InvespQaton Committee who. n "