National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-20
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
(ContiESed from First Page

He read an extract from the Alta California
stating deliberately that check had been traced
that he was the author Of the dispatch, but re-
fused to say who gave him the Information, plead
ing that it was given him in confidence.
Mr.. BECK then quoted the record he had
made In the Forty second Congress on the que5-
ton Of granting this and other subsidies, and
showed that by vote and speech he had on all
occasions been its consistent opponent because
ne believed such legislation was most psrniciOuS-
u ne a GCuiS not therefore have aided the subsidy
known,
AND LET THE HOUSE BXPRL HIM
ne eo9rted the largest investigation, but he
was. 1t was due that he should know who made
such charges in face Of the record he had made
on Ine sur sSOsay question If the House did not
fore the country suspected man. Abiding to
an editorial in TIE NATIONAL REPUBLICANS this
OF a Republican House was probably the best way
he could aid the subsidy, he called attention &,
the fact that that House had less than twenty
i've majority.
The resolution was then adopted without d.
vision.
ness the consideration Of the bill to incorporate
the
POTOMAC AND MOUNT PLEASANT RAILROAD COM
PANY.
Mr.. ELDREDGE moved to amend by incor-
poratfng road along High street, Georgetown,
to Tennally town, and as amended the bill passed
The SPEAKER laid before the House a mum
her of executive communications, which were re-
feIred.
Mr. GARFIELD, of Ohio, asked leave to offer
resolution directing the joint committee on the
library to inquire into the eXpediency OF pur-
chasing Miss Ransom's
PORTRAIT OF GEN. GEORGE Il. THOMAS,
now on exhibition in the rOtunda of the Capitol
Mr.. POTTER, Of N. Y, objected, and said he
should object to the purchase Of paintings stuck
uPsll around the Capitol without the permission
OF the House.
Appropriations, directing the Secretary Of tho
Treasury to make report in relation TO the cot
ton claims on file in the Treasury Department.
THE DAILY IRWIN.
Mr.. DAWES, OF Mass, from the Committee on
the attending physicians of Mr.. X. B. Irwin, to-
gether with certain testimony taken in regard to
his health, and asked that It De printed in the
this time prepared to recommend any change In
the place of Mr.. Twins confinement.
The House then went into the Committee CT the
Whole on the
INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL,
Mr.. POLAND, Of VT, in the chair.
The pending question was upon an amendment
offered by MI. CoMGNsO, OF No, to pay HhIs
is known ADJ the
AWARD OF THE CHoCTAw CLAIM,
under a treaty made by the Senate.
Messrs. COMINGO and HARRIS, of Mass,
advocated the claim as a matter of Justice and
than the withholding Of this money from the To-
dams for so long period Of time as it had been
Mr. HALE, Of Me-, said the most alarming
feature about this claim was the manner in which
1t was proposed to pay this large Of nearly
10 ali the descendants 81 the indians s Who Tsrs
Ousted, or to create an educational fund TOR the
ChoetGUs as provided by the treaty, but it was "
go to
PETER PITCHLYNSE AND PETER FOLSOM,
ba 80 h. III A..N
been beset by the lobby that comes here to urge
& claim involving less money than this. He
you you'd not vote this large amount Of money IN
were entitled to it would get It. He believed the
money would all pass into the hands Of the lob
byists.
Mr.. PARKER, OF No., said there was too
much about this cry OF the lobby. If Congress
would act fairly and honorably by this people,
accredited agent Of the ChoctaWs, who had been
here for forty years. the lobby could not get their
Irosd ~ Ine as .h ne SSn Gs
yet, in spite of that fraud, the treaty admitted
that the Indians were entitled to compensation
receive this money, for they had been indorssd
by their counsel and Legislature OF their nation
No one ever asserted that this was not an honest
claim, and was able to substantiate the assertion
Mr.. HARRIS, Of Mass, proposed to guard the
BILL and prevent all the money being diverted
percentage shall Be paid the agents, and that the
balance should be paid 10 the treasurer Of the
Choctaw nation.
Mr.. SHANKS, of Ind, was not welded to any
particular mode Of the payment Of the claim, but
he would insist that the claim must be paid. He
heard gentlemen making the same speeches here
year after year, and yet none of them took the
trouble to make further inquiry Of the subject
and satisfy themselves Of It's justice. He was
willing the payment should be guarded, but no
insisted that it should be paid.
Mr.. HOLMAN, OF Ind, argued that the action
Of the Senate in 1855 in making the award did
not necessarily bind the House.
Pending further consideration the committee
rose.
CoNTUNAcIoUs WETMoRs.
The Sergeant-at-Arms appeared at the bar Of
the House with Mr.. q. A. Wstmore, who had this
morning refused to answer certain questions pro-
pounded by the Ways and Means Committee.
The SPEAKER, addressing Mr.. WetmOre,
said he was at the bar of the House for alleged
contempt, in that he would not answer a question
propounded to him by the Committee OF Ways
and Means. He then asked him ii he was pre-
Mr. Wetmore replied, 'sNo, SIR" and requested
time until tomorrow to determine whether he
could answer the question without breach Of
The SPEAKER. You are at liberty to mike
any statement you may desire.
Mr.. Wetmore read
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
Mr.. Speaker, am before the bar Of the House
to answer why should not be committed for con-
tempt The cause of my appearance here is sim
ply stated. On the 4th instant, late at night,
sent special dispatch to the Alta California,
among the statements being one that "A strange
rumOr is ai1Oat concerning Mr.. BACK and his con-
nectiOn with the Pacific Mail subsidy" Mr.. BECK
demanded an explanation Of this sentence, which
did not in any way cause circulation Of any par
ticular rumOr. Being pressed for an answer, L
mentioned, among others, a rumOr which was
confdentially related to me BY friend to the
effect that cheek from Mr.. FAINT had been traced
to Mr.. BECK, but this rumor 1 had never pub
lished, not deemtng it worthy OF publication IN
less corrobOrated in some way. Neither do now
assert or charge the same, affect to believe it.
He then demanded the name of the party who
hnh ralaf no m a a. m n
tomorrow, so that might obtain permission to
furnish the committee with evidence as to the
origin Of the rumor which was related to me only
as hearsay evidence, and not with intention to
make it public. This time
THE COMMITTEE EEFUsED TO GRANT,
notwithstanding In all other cases 1t had been
usual to grant 1t. am compelled to ask the in
diligence Of this House for time until tomorrow
to make answer to the charge Of contempt. am
80 far the only witness so summarily brought
here under like circumstances, and require lit
tie time to prepare an answer, so that may not
be forced before the public notice without an Op-
portunity to make such statementa as Il have never
been called upon before; listened 70 PortLoa
denee to-day, and heard several very Important
answers which might misrepressnt what ! did
correction. / would respectfully request an OPP
pOrtunity to read this evidence in full, and to
have Il corrected before am required to answer
any Of the committee, and would like TO have .
fair chance to make my own statement and
think can, PROBABLY to-m0rroW, Iully SATISFY inc
committee, and especially Mr.. BECK, that have
not desired TO keep any important Information
from them. l, therefore, respectfully ask this
House to give me until tomorrow to make an
swer.
Chas. A. WetmOre, having been heard by the
House. has failed 10 show SUFFICIENT cause why he
Should net answer, and that said W0tmore DO
considered In contempt for his failure to make
M DAWES said that the communication
made TO Mr.. Wetmore was not one that any por-
son had o right to consider confidential, but the
House had right to know who his informant
was. There Is only one question to DO answered,
and that 10,
WILL YoU sIvB UP THE NAME OP THE PERSON
who gave you the lniormatiOn7 II tho answer
required was anything but yea or nay no would
consent to farther time. But this question was,
In itB scope, different from that which any other
witness had refused 70 answer.
Mr.. HUUuHTUN, OF Cal Inquired whether
other Witnesses had not been accorded time when
they had asked for Il.
Mr. DAw rs replied that this oasg WAS not
analogous 10 any other, II this Hona0 sees any
nSeslilty for the extension Of time they could
Mr.. hOUuHTON moved to postpone the nr.
ther consideration Of the resolution uatll to'mor'
row,
This was Rsssqd 20 BY rising yota Of u 20 -,
and pending the demand for the yeas and Gays
the House, ~ ESQ =, NJ, adjourned