The New York herald., 1874-12-22

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Wells wh,,e, Whitehead, wheiev, Williams o. Massa
lucky, and Young Of Georgia-75.
THE PACIFIC MAIL INVESTIGATION.
Mr. DAWES rep.l or Mass. CHAIRMAN OF
OF the refusal o. Richard d. irwin to answer cer-
tain questions put 10 him respecting the distriDu
ton by MN ol the $T5O,uO0 received by HIM from
the Pacific Mail Steamship company TO aid in the
procuring oi the additional subsidy Tor the CANA
mai
me stenograpnic report OF Mr.. Irwin's examin-
atlon having oeen read, Mr.. Dawes moved the
adoption OF an order that the Speaker Issue his
warrant 10 tae Sergeani-at-Arms, commanding
him 10 take into custody Richard b. IRWIN and
bring nim TO the bar 0. the House TO show cause
why he should not be punished tor contempt.
Mr.. DAWES went on TO say:-rnls witness
readily and almost cheerlully states 10 the CON-
mittee aud to the country, t1at Tor the purpose OF
procuring private legislation oy Congress he has
taken s730oo0 and brought IL 10 the very doors OF
Congress; and then, because he dla not enter
walk mp and down these alsles distributing It, out
put the remainder OF his work IN the hands of
tnlrd parties. he fancies tnat lie put stop to
tnis Investigation; am the question or this House
To determine Is whether, having mad rolled on It's
shoulders an inference which 1t Is Impossible
otherwise 10 repel, the House shall let the inter-
ence remain thaJ that subsidy was procured by
the expenditure Of tins sum OF money There Is
no member whose name stands recorded Tor
tnat measure, or VINO omitted to vote against
It, who mas not this charge laid at his door, and
all sucn members call on this House TO repel tnat
inference, which this witness seems voluntarily
and with great alacrity TO desire to lay down
upon them. But, II 1t touched the character OF no
member OF the House, 1t touches the method OF
legislation aud the means ol procuring legislation
at the HANDS OF Congress- and Congress cannot
omit to investigate IL TO the bottom and TO under
stand Its length ana breadth. II this money
reached corrupty no member OF the House, 1t
was however, expended TO procure the passage or
bill, and whether 1t was by private entertain
ments or BY any other process whatever, then
Congress must know 10 what manner legislation
Is procured here, or congress must cease to have
regard not only TO the personal character oi IT'S
Is done "a Congress. there is no % aspect in when
this witness presents the case that Congress can
retreat from. ! am myself very Wen convinced
10 tempt the Committee OF Ways and Means 10
bring him here ana to draw out OF him just wnat
has been drawn out OF him but am 1lled with
amazement that any sane man could lor one mo.
ment suppose that ne could testify this much and
long and somewhat technical discussion en-.
sued as to the power OF the House to punish Tor
CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS-.
Mr.. STEPHENS, tdem.) OF Ga, and General But.
LER. rep.) or Mass. argued that as the law pro-
vidts Tor the punishment OF q recusant witness by
sending him Tor trial before court and jury or
the District OF Columbia, the house has no otner
In this country any such thing as parliamentary
common law, and claimed the constitutional right
Of every ci.zen 70 be tried before court and
jury
BECK, (dem.) oil KY, claimed tnat besides the
statutory provision giving the Court the power 20
punish recusanr witness by fine and llnprlson-
inent, each House had the power TO punish lor
Mr.. BECK also suggested the proprlety Of passing
another law giving Congress Itself me power to
the County Ja,i lor twelve months. =
Mr.. LAWRENCE. rep) OF Ohio. argued that the
House had the same power in such matters as The
Wnile Mr. Lawrence was speaking Mr.. BECK re-
marked that he nad just been informed that Irwin
was no longer iG the custody OF the Sergeant.at.
Arms, and was preparing to leave Washington IN
the next tram.
ject was introduced Irwin was first discharged
from the custody IN whicn he was neld, under the
resolution Of last Monday, as witness who had
Jailed TO appear.
Mr.. Beck's announcement created some excite.
ment, but the. discussion was continued. In the
slonal Investigations as mere mud machines"
He argued that the House might Just as Wen con.
ihumoscrew mum as to assume the power to W punish
HIM by committing him TO jail.
AT last the discussion was closed, and the order
asked for by Mir. Dawes was made without oivl.
sion or the House.
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
Mr.. DAWES then called up the resolution Tor an
adjournment over the Christmas holidays, from
Wednesday, December o. to Tuesday, January5.
Mr.. HALE, repJ OF Me-, moved to lay the resolu.
tion on the table.
The House refused to lay the resolution on the
taole-yeas 1O0 nays l26.
Mr.. GARFIELD. (rep.) OF Ohio, moved, as an
amendment. to make the adjournment IRON next
Thursday to the following Tuesday. The amend.
meut was rejected without the yeas and nays,
only flty-two voting Tor 1t on rising vote. The
original resolution was then adopted for recess
from Wednesday next to Tuesday the 9th OF Jan.
uary. The vote was-yeas 121, nays 90.
Mr.. CoBURN, repJ oi Ind, moved to fix for the
first Wednesday alter the holidays the consider.
Affairs In relation to the equalization OF counties.
The motion was not agreed to.
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