The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-09
CON G R E S S.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, March s.

WASHINGTON, March s.
wHIsKY COMMITTEE.
The Speaker announced the appoint
nient Of the following committee on thl
matter connected with the so called
whisky frauds and Attorney General
office: Messrs. Knott, Chairman, Harris
Glover, Cochrane, McMahon, McLarl
and Plaisted. On request OF Mr.. Harri
he was excused, and the Speaker said HI
would appoint another member in hi
place.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON AprRoPRIA
TIoNs.
Mr.. Randall, Chairman OF the Commit
Tee on Appropriations, reported the leg
islatiyc and executive appropriation bill
and made statement rs 10 the reduction
proposed in il. The estimate from The
departments for the subjects embraced il
the bill amounted to S20,773,S0G. The
appropriations in the same bill last ses
sion were $lS,734, 900, and the appropria'
tions reported in this bill were $l2, $780,
1888, so that 1t was a reduction Of about
SS,000,000 on the estimates and reduc'
ton OF about $6,0000 on the bill OF last
year. Besides that, the committee had
laid in this bill the foundation Of further
reductions 10 the amount OF S5,0O0,O ,OOC
more. The committee recommended the
transfer Of the Indian Bureau to the War
Department, which would effect u direct
reduction Of Sl,000000in the Indian ap.
preparation bill, and he had the author
ity Of General Sheridan for saying il
would effect u reduction Of $500, 900
more in the army appropriation bill. The
committee had also recommended the
abolition Of So special agents OF customs,
because they were believed to be utterly
inefficient or unnecessary, and would ad-
nit the amendments to be offered by the
Chairman OF the Committee on Invalid
Pensions (Jenks) to transfer the Pension
Bureau from tho Interior to the War
Department, by which the services OF 800
persons could be dispensed with. The re-
port had been reached by the committee
with great unanimity, and there was no
difference in the committee with regard
to the prOpriety Of the reforms and re-
ductions recommended.
Mr.. Holman, another member Of the
committee, concurred in what Mr.. Ran
dali had said, and added that the transfer
Of the Indian Bureau to the War De-
partment would in no wise affect the
efficiency OF the agencies heretofore re-
sorted to to civilize and ameliorate the
condition Of the Indians, and would leave
in full force the Peace Commission.
Mr.. Foster, another member Of the
committee, said that what the chairman
of the committee had said was mainly
correct, but he thought that he (Randall)
had placed the addition which the Mi
nority OF the committee would recon-
mend at too low figure when he placed
it at $4,000. The minority Of the COM
mittee would propose various amend
ments, aggregating million dollars
probably one and half millions-nota-
lily in the Internal Revenue Departmnt,
where n sweeping reduction has been
made such as might endanger the collie
tion OF revenue.
Mr.. Randall said that when the bill
should come to be discussed heshould be
able to establish the fact that these re-
ductions might be made.
The bill was ordered printed and made
the special order for Friday next.
DEMANDS INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Purman made a personal expla-
nation in regard 10 the statement that he
had used his position 10 enrich himself,
saying that he challenged the fullest in
vestigation as to his integrity as mem
ber Of the House. He denounced in Sc
we're terms those persons who had put
the stories in circulation. He moved for
select committee 10 investigate the
charges. So ordered.
TIE NAVAL INVESTIGATION.
The recussant witness, ABB. Wolf, who
had refused TO answer certain questions
put TO him by the Committee on Naval
Affairs, was brought before the bar Of
the House, and Mr.. Whitthorne,the Chair
man, was proceeding to state that the
witness had this morning appeared and
answered, and that he might be discharged
from custody, when witness himself fell
on the floor in an epileptic fit, producing
much excitement and sympathy in the
Chamber. He was attended by physi-
clan, and subsequently carried from the
hall, when Mr.lWhitthorns concluded his
and had witness discharged
from custody.
On motion Mr.. Whitthorne's two Sub
Committees Of the Committee on Naval
Affairs were authorized to carry on the
investigations OF the navy yards Of Char
lesion, Mass, and Kittery, OF Me. The
Sub Committees are: Messrs. Mills, Bur-
leigh and Jones, OF New Haven, for Kit
terry, Messrs. Mills, Harrison and Jones,
OF Kentucky, for Charleston.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE BELKNAP CASE.
Mr.. Knott, chairman Of the Judiciary
made the following report in
the case Of the impeachment OF the late
OF War:
4. The Committee OH Judiciary would re.
report that in pursuance Of
the instructions OF the House they have
articles OF impeachment against
william W. Belknap, late Secretary OF
War, for high crimes and misdemeanors
in office, but that since preparing the
same they have been informed and be-
lieve that Caleb p. Marsh, on whose tes-
before the Committee on Expend-
itures in the War Department, and re-
ferred to them by the House, said articles
were framed, has gone beyond the juris-
diction Of the Government of the United
States, and that probably his attendance
as witness before the Senate, sitting rs
a court Of impeachment, can not be pro-
cured to convict said William W. Bel
knap OF high crimes and misdemeanors
in office as Secretary Of War. They
therefore recommend the adoption of the
following resolution:
Resolrei, That the resolution instruct
ing the Committee on Judiciary to pre-
pare articles OF impeachment against W.
W. Belknap, late Secretary Of War, for
high crimes and misdemcanors in Office,
be recommitted to said committee with
power 10 take further proofs, to send for
persons and papers, to sit during the ses-
sion OF the House, and to report at any
time. Your committee, impressed with
The importance OF securing full indemnity
10 such witnesses as may be required to