The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-06
he senate then adjourned until Monday.


The Senate amendments TO the bin
making appropriation for the PAYMENT OF
invalid aud other pensions were concurred in.
The House thercupOn proceeded to the ques
Il N ~ the recusant witness, Mr. l.. W. Barnes,
the New Orleans Manager OF the Western Union
Telegraph Comp my, the Serge mt alarms pre-
senting him before the bar of the House
The Speaker. addressing Mr. Barnes, said that
II was his che Speakers) duty to ask him what
excuse he had 10 offer for the failure TO produce
before the House Committee sitting at New
orleans t.legrans called for In the subpoena
served on him.
Mr.. Barnes replied that his answer had been
prepared in Writing 10y his counsel. Messrs.
Lowrey Ashton aud ne asked That IL be read
The Spclk suggested that the answer should
he under oath, and MIR. Barnes replied that IL
Me-srs. Conser diep.. Mchl and Kasson rep.
lowal objected To precedent being set Tor re.
quirllg the answer Of a witness charged vita
contempt 10 he mhdO under oath.
Mr.; Garfield dtep.. Ohi agreed with the
Speaker ina the facts contained in the answer
shoul he made under oatn. hut he Thought 1t
would be rather rough to require a man to swear
Tue Speaker said he sympa hized with Mr..
Gathrid IN that sentiment. Llugnter.J
me 'lerk then proceeded 10 cad me answer,
Whlth - Noluminous paper, quoting all the
proceedings thus far IN Tue M Il r. The wit
ness protests that the paper designated as 4
sunp WAS not IN form or substance sub
l''ld 10 MN or 10 any one else except to John
q. thompson, the sergeant at Arms, named
,hetein th.t 1t WAS In NJ sense an order OF the
/ House winch could pe subject OF obedience
or nislhedieuce IN HIM, ana that sucn paper
could not be ughifully made the ground
Of mhiriing a Ienalty on him. he pa
per then gues on t. argue the invillabili-
~ OF teiegrlphlc dispatches citing in support
Of 1t "Joolt,'s CDn-tltutlonnl L.fult lions -
IL then recite- the rules Of tie conn nv, forbid
dug the communication OF desp.tches when
aiphed Tor, unless bv permission Of the execu-
tlN' ufnccr or ny the or tr Of a court. The VII
4, $ then sa,s that rs soon 80 he received the
paper served upon him, he apprsed his superln-
trndrnt Of the fact. aud asked tor instructions.
Nuolner reason lur ms uplng 80 was IN Al. some
tine prcNiou ~, he mad received Instructions
from tue supcr,ntendent AT Mobile TO send TO
MN AZ inc business IN I had pissed through
tine New Orleans office from The 1T OF Noyen-
Der 10 the dth OF December, anu he had done so
before ne haI been served with the paper vi the
committee. Inc instruct IONS received from his
SUPERINTENDENT were .decue furnishing the
dispatches called Tor, ANA mat ne WOull DC re-
declares lhat since the transmission OF the pa
pers to Mobile he has had no control
over them, nor has he any knowledge what
ever That such messages as were lied for
- me paper ever passed through tht
anN 81 thcm rem ined in the ONCE their leg i
possession Wa ia him ~ subordinate en-
puyce. aud he cNpre.Sc the belief tnat II he
nd undertaken 10 rnnnagr The uhl'e for them
hud ca ~ them away he would nave Oeen cOLi-
miitnS Hn actual ttssp ISIS. lie also Ilead-, he
say. tuat tie paper served upun niin ~ Cuuchcd
Ia sucn ,Wre rlng terms rs to ne a neral " r.
iaut coming wltnin the PROHIBITION of the Con-
SITUATION, uud At Vditunco Win the great prlntl-
pies 81 pars ona AutrtS and riglt established for
AL irDtm u 81 tbs AnEID ->.Nun race. Also that
/ the Legislature If Louisiana IN IAts tue us
closure = tcir-raphlc dispatches INSIDE
Heauor lie debates that ha did not cOntem-
the lIuus', ma uad oulN roughl to do his duty
n, he understood II. lhe messages Of tho Office
were IN possession OF tine cpmtanY ann not OF
III uselteN,,pt as ac erh Ia therefore ishs to ue
di,cnsiged rom custody AID permitted - re-
turu 20 mis- home,
The reading II the paper being concluded, Mr.
Knott 10 ul kNJ offered a resolution tnat the
irpult ~ The committee, the answer Just iead,