The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-21


District jail.
Mr.. Cox presented a petition Of i'm
portcrs and dealers in Foreign Wines
protesting against an increase of tax OF
low grades of wines to 40 cents per gal
ion, rs exorbitant and unjust, as restrict
ing the importation of these wines, anc
thereby lessening the revenue receipt:
and working great injury to Il large ma
jority Of the trade:
Mr.. Garfield from the committee on
appropriations, reported n bill appro
priating $l500O0 for continuing the con.
struction of the st. Louis Postottice build.
ing, the amount to be available imme-
diately. Passed.
Mr. Crounse introduced bill appro.
priating $4,000 for the special distribu-
tion Of seed, to the portions Of the coun-
try that have suffered from the grass
hoppers' rayages. Passed.
Leave WAS asked to introduce Il resolu-
tion calling on the President to state by
what authority the courts and officers of
Mississippi at Nicksburg have been in
| tcrlercd with by the military.
Mr. Linch objected to the resolution
in that shape
Mr.. Sheldon presented a memorial of
the Conservative members of the Louis
lana Legislature, relating to the difficult
/ ties concerning the organization Of the
Legislature. Referred.
The House then went into committee
| of the Whole on the Indian appropria-
/ tion bill, Mr.. Poland in the chair.
The bill having been completed in COM
mittce was read TO the House, the amend
mcnt to pay s., ,9Sl ,247 to the Choctaw
nation, being the only important amend
mcnt, the bill was further discussed in
/ the House and was amended by reducing
the amount to 100000 in accordance
with the reports OF previous committees,
and the amendment as thus amended was
agreed IS. Yeas l39; nays 9S. The bill
was then rejected Yeas III; nays 100.
/ Mr.. LoUghbridge, who had charge of
/ the bill, moved to reconsider the vote re-
iccting it.
Mr.. Hale, Of Maine, suggested the
/ committal Of the bill to the Committee
on Appropriations with instructions to
report it back without the Choctu% claim,
which he said wa, the point on which the
/ fight had been made.
The Speaker presented a message from
1 the President calling special attention to
/ the absolute necessity Of providing
proper armament for the sea coast de-
/ fenseS. Referred to the Committee on
| Military Affairs.
/ The rccusant witness in the Pacific
, Mail investigation, Charles \. Wetmore,
was again brought before the House and
| asked by the Speaker whether he was
now prepared to answer the questions pro-
pounded to him. He replied that ne
could not answer the question unless it
was modified and he proceeded to read II
statement why he could not answer it,
He complained Of the manner Of his cX-
animation, yesterday, which he said must
have been originally adopted by some
person desirous of having the eXamina-
ton conducted so that the evidence
should be made to confirm the preor-
daincd judgement of the examining
body. The crosS-eXamination by Mr.
Dawes, had confused him, as it was cal
cuIated to extinguish any light on the
subject which might probably have been
extracted from him, if he had been per-
mittcd to unravcl his own recolections,
and been croSs-cNamined afterwards
Witness having detected some contempt
uou, indication from few members,
asked the Speaker that he be treated with
respect. but was informed that the Speaker
had not noticed any evidence of diSre-
spect. Coming to the question as to who
had mentioned Becks connection with
check; saw what his idea to-day was that
he ought not violate the cou-
fdcncc person, without further
consideration of the subject; he had
therefore asked for time, which request
was not granted but was absolutely
ushercd before the bar of the House; he
protested. in the name of every Amcri-
can citizen who is in sympathy with
Justice, and whose supreme power is
rcater than that OF the House, against
such examinations in the future; he had
been considering the matter since he was
before the committc, and had been sur
priSed to find that ne had not fixed the
right rumOr or right mark he would
= y
whom he could trace the rumor, but he
thought that Mr.. Beck would assist him
in finding who the guilty parties were; he
hoped that Mr. Beck and all the honest
men might be found innocent in tho
maelstrom of overwhelming charges, SO
that the goats might be selected from the
sheep, and also that the sheep might be
selected from among themselves by tn"
Darwnian process Of investigation, then
they would all grow purer and purer
until they became marvels of virtue. He
declared he was ready, though not will
ling to go to Jail, but he hoped and eN-
pected that the House would be satisfied
with his statement.
Mr.. Dawes thought the statement last
read by the witness was such an arraign-
ment Of the committee that it was proper
for the House and not for the
committee. to take notice Of it.
He moveds the ordinary resolution
that Charles \. Wctmore be considered
in contempt of the House.
Mr.. Lamar thought that the witness
had purgcd himself of contempt, having
answered explicitly and positively that 1t
i, beyond his power to give tn" name Of
his informant and having intimated his
doubts to the accuracy of his telegram or
whether there was any such informant in
existence.
Mr.. Hale. of New York, moved as n
substitute for Mr. Dawes resolution, that
Charles \. Wetmore having under the
guise and preten-c Of answering to the
charge of contempt been guilty Of a
series of gross and wanton insults to the
House, IN the presence otthe House be
adiudged in contempt therefor and COM
mittcd to the custody Of the -crgeant-at-
arms. to be- detained in the common Jail
IF the District until further order of the
House.
Mr.. Garfield intimated that witness,
answer in presence Of the House had
raised in his mind the question whether
he Was Of sound mind. Laughter If
the House thought he was, resolution
ought to pass, but otherwise milder
form Of punishment ought to be adopted
Mr.. Page asked Mr.. Hale whether the
witur., was to be sent to iail because his