The New York herald., 1877-01-10
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 0, 1871
BY unanimous consent the States werc called for
bills II in the morning hour OF Monday, when the
following bills among Others introduced and
ferred:--
BY Mr.. sKELYE, Cndl Of Mass. for the free impor-
taton of books.
BY Mr.. FREEMAN, (rep) of Pa, for the appon tment
of a commissioner for the equitable distribution OF the
unexpcnded balance OF the Geneva award fund
BY Mr. CARR. (dem.) OF Ind providing method OF
counting the electoral vote and declaring tho result
Mr.. MILLER, lrep.) N Y, offered resolution in-
structlng the Committee on Ways and Means TO inquire
into the cxpedency OF abolsnng the two cents stamp
tax checks anu drafts. Referred.
MEXICAN oUrRAGEs
Mr.. ScnLEcHEE (dem.) OF Texas, offered resolu-
ton calling the President for copies Of papers In
possession OF the State and War departments relative
to the Imprisonment OF John J. Smith, an American
CITIZEN by Mexicans, and also to tho wounding and
robblng by Mexican soldiers of Samuel Higgins.
Adopted.
THE CASE OF MR. ogroN.
The SPEAKER laid before the House u mmunication
from Nj Morrison Chairman oil the New Orleans In
vestigarg Committee, transmitting extracts from the
proceedings OF the committee IN regard TO the refusal
Of Mr. orion, President OF the western Union Ieie-
graph Company, appear and testify before the
mtec to produce tne kilograms called Tor III sub
pona served upon him.
The proceedings having been read Mr.. HuNroN, Of
Virginia, offered the following resolution
Resolved, That the Speaker Of the honse issue writ
s m she ~ ether S himself or his
deputies or messengers William Urton bring
siyes to answer Tor breach oi its privileges and con-
OF before etc a Of 70 ws " 'y t.
Morrison chairman IN obedience to subpoena Sommand
lsld and ALSO IN refusing to ornE before SAID committee
dealt with the law the imcts. require
CHARACTER OF THE SUBPOENA
Mr. GARFIaLD, (rcp.) OF Ohio, inquired whether Mr..
hath .ItnH ,..l.
grams on all teegrams sent by certain persons.
Mr. HuyToN-Not certain tele- rams
Mr. GARFIELD Il ask the gentleman whether the SUBJ
pnna restricted as everywhere Is IN courts OF JUS
tcc to the production OF papers the existence 0 which
has been sufficiently pointed OUT 80 that specific papers
may be dcn:hei or rs Mr. Orton commanded TO
produce generally in group papers the existence OF
which has not been proved. is the subpoena In the
toi m OF a drag metz also want to know whether tho
subpoena IN the same torn that served upon Mr.
Barnes which directed him, but the Sergeant-at-
Arms by name, to produce the telegranls
HUSToN replied that IN tn. tirst place the main
contempt OF Mr. orion was his failure o appear before
the committee in obedience TO the mandate of the
House. That fact sufficient which to base a
warrant Tor his arrest AS 10 tho description OF the
tecgrams in the subpoena, he referred Mr.. GARFIELD 10
the OF General Babcock in ST. LOUIS, when that
identical question raised and when the Court de-
cded lavor oil Tho validity oil the telegram.
Mr. kAssoN, rep OF Iowa, remarked that thcre
were lwo points IN Mr. Orton's statement the COM
that he Ill and the other that he had
no possession or knowledge oil the existence oi the
papers called Tor. The pending resolution prac-
tically asking tho House To adudge Mr.. Urton
tempt Tor somc' hing oil which he mad no knowledge.
He (Mr Kasson) clear that Mr.. Orton should not
be charged with contempt for the non-productoD Of
papers which were not IN his possession, but the
charge should be limited TO contempt for his non
appearance
Mr. HuyroS thought that nothing stated by Mr.
Kasson should change the resolution. II witness
were allowed write court ou committee that ho
had the papers called for II would be making the
witness and not the court or committee the judge Of
what pa pers were material Mr.. Orions duty was TO
have gone before the committee aud submitted To an
examination on that point twas "A FACT, too that Mr.
Orton had beer IN Washington two weeks ago aud
transacted business here, that ho nght certainly
have been able to appear before the committee IN New
Orleans.
on call Of Mr.. WILSON. OF Iowa, the subpoena was
read, showing that II was addressed to j. q. Thomp-
son. sergcan-atArms. or his special messenger, aud
tnat II manded him 10 summon Dir. Orion TO APP
pear aud BRING with HIM t''you J all kilograms In his
t"your possession, &c.
fhe resolution adopted by vote of l5s yeas to
THE REcrsAST RETURNING BOARD.
The SPEAKER then laid before the House extracts
from the proceedings oi the committee IN tho
oi J. Madison Wells and other members OF tho
Louisiana Returning Board for refusing 10 produce the
returns, &c, which that Board acted The papers
having bgen read,
Mr. HuSroS, OF Virginia, moved that they be re-
ierred To Judicinry Committee, with Instructions
To report the House the earliest day practicable
what action should DO taken thereon.
Mr.. kAssON suggested 10 instruct the committee to
make careful report the extent and the Limitation
oi The power OF the House to order the attendance OF
anu lhs production CT Official papers and documents
Dy the officers o tho State OF LOUISIANA executing the
ivnctoDs OF the State government
Mr.. HuyroS considered that that question was en-
braced n'tho original motion.
The motion was agreed TO-
GOLD SILVER
MI OBRIEa, (dem.) oi Nd, IRON the Committee
Mines ana Mining. reported back Senate joint reso
luton TO authorize The President to appoint three
commissioners 10 attend international conference
hc subject OF the reative OF gold silver
with all amendment authorizing the President 10 pro-
pose SUCH u conference 10 iorega governments
Mr. REAGAN, tdon.l OF iIcxas, opposed the Joint
luton arguing that the silver question which
vltaly involved the interests OF the country, and
which should. therefore, be exclusively controlled by
tue eAmcrcan Congress.
The morning nour expired, and the joint resolution
went over without aclIon.
Mr.. REAGAN, OF Texas, from the Committee Com
mcrcc reported back the bill repeating much OF the
act oi December l1 1877 as provides for pivot draw
IN any bridge 30 be erected over the OHIO RIVER be-
tween COvngton ana Cincinnati.
Alter discussion by Mr REAGAN OF Texas, in iavor Of
the bill, and by Mcssrs. kgHG OF Missouri, and say