The Portland daily press., 1877-01-31
WASHINGTON.
Illness of Secretary Morrill,

Illness of Secretary Morrill,.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-Secretary Morrill, is
confined to his room by sickness.
The Presidents SALARY.
The House Committee on Appropriations, in
the legislative and executive appropriation bill,
only provides $25O00 for the salary of the
President. 1t is likely the provision as it
stands now in the appropriation bill will be
agreed to. and the next President will have to
be content with $25,000 per annum.
The Presidents Veto.
The President, in his veto message to day,
says 'the constitution entrusts to him solely
the reception and conduct of all orrespondence
with foreign states making him in the language
of one of the most eminent writers on constitu-
tional law, the constitutional organ of COM
munication with foreign states. No copy of
the addresses which it is proposed to acknowl-
edge is furnished. He says: 'I have no
knowledge OF their tone, language or purport.
From the tenor of the two joint resolutions it
is to be inferred that there communications
are probably purely congratulatory. friend
ly and kindly intended as they may be
The presentation by a foreign state of any
com munication to branch of the government
not complased by the constitution for the re-
cepti0n of communication from foreign
states might, if allowed to pass without notice,
become precedent for the address by foreign
states of Communications of different nature
and with wicked designs. If Congress can di-
rect a correspondence by the Secretary of State
with foreign governments a case very different
from that under consideration might cause
when that officer mieht be directed TO present
to the same foreign government entirely differ
eat and antagonistic views or statements.
Secretary Robson and Whifthorne.
Secretary Robson testified today that he had
nothing to do with setting detectives on the
track of Congressman Whtthorne, but COM
municated with a Congressman who had inf1u-
ence with Whitthorne to warn the latter to be
careful. He did so out of respect for him. He
had no knowledge that Dana, editor of the
New York Sun, was shadowed while in Wash
ington. He had no recollection of any CONVEX
sation with Murtagth about not exposing Whit
thorne.
Cabinet Meeting
The cabinet meeting adjourned at 2 o'clock
this afternoon. There was no business of
special Importance before the meeting.
The Oregon Case.
The Oregon electoral case was the subject of
lengthy discussion in the Senate committee
on elections to-day. The committee were una
BILE to decide upon the report as there are
large number of kilograms relative to this case
which are not yet offered in evidence, but
which will be offered to-day or Tomorrow.
The Senate committee on elections continued
its investigation on the Oregon electoral case
this evening VIM. II. Hollister, cashier of
the banking house of Kountze Bros, New
York, testified to the fact of two deposits being
made at his bank aggregating $9,039 to the
credit of j. Fl. N. Patrick, Omaha, by E.
Davis.
Senstor Kelley testified relative to cypher
dispatches and correspondence of Patrick with
the national committee asking $4,000 to de
fray expenses in connection with the Watts
case. He never heard of the unlawful use of
money in connection with the case mentioned
and he never had an idea that any money
would be used improperly in connection with
it.
Senator Mitchell offered the following tele.
gram, which he asked to have inserted in con.
nection with the testimony Of Mr.. Hollister:
NEW YORK. Nov. 27.
TO j. H N. Patrick Salem. Oregon:
Secure your points at all hazards. Commu-
(Signed,) DAVIS.
At this point committee adjourned.
Nominations and Confirm atiOns,
The Senate in executive session to-day con-
frmed the following nominations: Thomas
Settle to be Judge OF the U S. District Court
Tor the Northern District of Florida; medical
director. VIM. Grier to be Chief of Bureau OF
Surgery in the navy department.
The President sent to the Senate to-day, the
nomination of John Grierson as Consul at Co.
quimbo.
Failure of the Pacific Railway Scheme.
Especial despatch to the Boston Journal]
The session of the House Monday was more
noteworthy for what was not accomplished than
for what was. 1t was possibly the last chance
for the consideration of the Texas Pacific and
Central Pacific bills. The LOBBY, larger and
more powerful than any that has been seen
here since the Pacific Mail days. thronged ev-
cry corridor and occupied almost every vacant
place upon the floor. Suggestions of all sortswere
made by them to members to induce them not
to oppose the motion to fix day for the con-
sideration of the bill, which was at the foot of
the calendar and could not be reached except
by suspension of the rules. 1t could not by
any possible chance be advanced upon the cal
endar except by a motion to suspend the rules
and fix day certain for its consideration If
this could be accomplished the bill could then
be passed by bare majority. Every effort
was strained to accomplish this 1t is. even
said that money was used freely, but of this
there is no evidence.
Finally, the pressure on the floor became so
great that Durham Of Kentucky insisted that
the Speaker should enforce the rule for the
purpose of unprivileged persons on the floor of
the House, adding that it was not possible to go
twenty feet from the Speakers chair without
running against half dozen lobbyists. This
bold assertion, aided by the Sergeant. at-Arms,
cleared the floor, but the House adjourned be-
fore Lamar had any chance to make his mo-
tion; so the probability is that the immense
Texas Pacific and Central Pacific grand combi-
nation scheme has failed for this session.
Various.
Treasurer Wymer stated this afternoon that
the government had not lost any money
through the collections made by parties claim
ing to represent others. In all instances of this
character the moneys so collected have been re-
funded.
The internal revenue receipts to-day were
$204, ,958; customs $514, ,129.
The condition of Mr.. Stephens is so much
improved that he is now believed to be out of