The Portland daily press., 1877-03-02
WASHINGTON.
Important Decision.

WASHINGTON March 1.-The Supreme Court
to-day decided that the legislatures of Minneso-
ia, Wisconsin, Illinois and other Western
states have the right to regulate the carving
of freight and passengers on all railroads in
their res pective states.
Gen. Garfield's Explanation.
Hon. James A. Garfield, in answer to the
charge of illegally receiving $4,000 to secure his
influence as chairman of the committee on APP
preparations, testified to-day that all he ever
did was at the solicitation OF friend and
brother LAWYER named Parsons, who was sud.
denly called away, to prepare brief relative to
the merits of certain pavements. He had new
ar asked for a contract or price on any thing
Mr. Garfield stated in reply to questions by
Chairman Glover that after his return home,
Parsons deposited to his credit S500O as compen-
sation for preparing the brlef.
A,te,uu, 10 shoot n Treasury EMPLOYEE.
A pentlemanly appearing man, calling him.
self Iittleton called out lady employee named
Storer from her room in the redemption divis-
ion of the treasury department to day, and fired
two ineffective shots at her, and then vainly
tried to kill himself. He was arrested but the
affair is as yet mystery. 1t created intense
excitement for the time being.
stanley Matthews ON Southern Issues.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-The National Re-
publican of this morning has significant srti-
Gle on Southern affairs, written by Stanley
Matthews. who is regarded as having authority
to express the views of Gov. Bayes 1t con-
cludeS by saying:
There ssome sympathy felt personllay for the
better class of men who have settled in the
South and become identified with those govern
ments In prominent way, but it cannot pre-.
vail against the positive conviction in the pub
| lie mind of the impolicy of upholding uunatu-
raj power in the face of the protest of those
who in reality constitute the state However
| patriotic the intentions of such, among whom
we recognize Cows. Packard and Chamberlain,
they cannot have weight when opposed to the
| obvious interests of the country, and if they
| cannot MAINTAIN themselves by virtue of the
support of the people, the only legitimate source
| OF power, there are no considerations which
| should induce Federal aid and no authority TO
| warrant it, beyond the simple act of recogni.
| ton and the strict enforcement of the peace.
This is the view of the people, who exact Of
| the succeeding administration that it shall re-
concile the two sections of the country and Gull
| tivate friendly relations between them, restor.
ing their former fellowship, and so uniting
them in the execution of the Constitution and
the laws as shall guarantee the entire indepen-
dence of the states in respect to their local con
Germs and the absolute freedom of the colored
race in the enjoyment OF the gift OF citizenship
PeltOn Acquifs Tilden of the Oregon
Crime. -
Col. W. 7. Pelton, Secretary Of the National
Democratic Committee, was before the Senate
Committee on Privileges and Elections and
read written statement in relation to eiecuoI
dispatches. He testified in substance tina
none of the cipher kilograms were delivered a
Grammencey Park, and Gov. Tlden neve
knew of any kilograms received from or sent t
Oregon. The famous "Gobbe" despatch wa
never seen by Gov. Tilden or its con tents know
to him. The telegram from Portland, Oregon
dated November 2Stb, purporting to be signet
by Mr.. Patrick and Senator Kelly, was neve
translated or read by him (Pelton) aud he new
er understood it to contain proposition to pur
chase Republican elector nor any other cleo
tor He never sanctioned the furnishing Of
money to purchase an elector in Oregon, no
any one else to his knowledge.