The Portland daily press., 1878-01-28
WASHINGTOA.

Investigating the Interior Department.
WASHINGTON, Jan, 27.-The subcommittee
from the House committee to investigate the
Interior Department., waited on Secretary
SchurZ, and has been informed that the De-
partment will render the committee all the as
sistaRcefn its power in the way of furnishing
free access to books, papers, etc.
A BILL to Facilitate Investigations.
Representative Glover will tomorrow intro
duce bill to amend the Revised Statutes re-
lative to investigations by congressional COM
mittees SOFAS to administer oaths ito witnesses
and provide for the immediate arrest of wit
nesses failing to appear; also that witness re-
fusing to testify shall forthwith be placed in
the custody of the Ssrgeant-at-Arms without
waiting Cor the House to order his arrest, and
his contumacy shall as soon as practicable be
reported to the House for action. The bill
makes the refusal to testify contempt of au-
thority of either House, punishable with not
more than $1,000 fine or imprisonment Of not
more than one year, or both in the discretion of
the House or Senate. 1t also revives the pro-
vision of the act of Jan. "a, 1857, exempting
from all penalties witnesses who may Grimm
ate themselves In testifying before the COM
mttee, and forbids the discharge of witnesses
in the several departments of the government
who may testify concerning abuses, corruption,
extravaganza or unlawful or immoral acts, op-
preston, eXtortion or other official misconduct
within one year from the time Of testifying, or
without at least six months notice of such re-
moVaI, 'ncluiiug oO uayS leaVe OF ABSENCE WIFI
pay, and the payment in full for
services rendered by such persons. A
penalty is provided for the violation of this
prohibition. The committees are EN- powered
TO impose secrecy on the witnesses concerning
the nature of their testimony. This aims to
prevent uDfounded charges against innocent
persons being circulated before the examina-
ton by a committee Penalties are also inn
posed on persons attempting to induce wit
neSseS to refuse to appear OF testify or other
w Tn INIT fr0n
certaining the facts. The witnesses are ex-
empt from arrest by any other authority while
coming, going or attending committees. The
bill abolishes the responsibility of contuma-
cious witnesses to any court, the punishment
to be inflicted by that Honse, of whose author
ity that witness Is in contempt.
The Border Troubles.
The Texas border troubles occupied the at
tention of the two of the House committees to-
day-foreign affairs ana military affairs. Ma
jor Price of the eighth cavalry testified before
the former and j. G. Tucker (who was before
the foreign affairs committee yesterday test-
fed at great length today before the committee
on military affairs A large part of his exam
inatiOn was directed to show the lawless con-
dfton of society in the Rio Gsande counties of
Texas and that people in the border towns of
Mexico are kept in good deal of alarm and ir-
Iitation by the staggering of the officers of the
Texas state troops and soma subatern officers
threats Of invasion and cenSuest apps Sd
also that Mr.. Ford, who testified yesterday be-
fore the foreign affairs committee, is well
known popular character on the border where
he has the reputation of filibuster, is Familiarity
known as cold Rigs, aud that he had been
holding public meetings in Texas for which
infammatory hand bills had been distributed
declaring that war with Mexico was imminent
and that he was authorized to raise regiment
of state troops. Tucker acknowledged to hav-
ing furnished arms and ammunition to Diaz
when he was preparing his revolutionary
movement, but declined giving any particulars
as to how or where they were delivered.
He likewise admitted the payment of certain
sums of money to Ford on behalf of the Next
can government, but declined to give auy par
tculars.
American Claims against Spain.
Although the United States and Spanish com
mission for the satisfaction of the claims of Cit
liens of the United States, growing out of the
instruction in Cuba, have been in existence
seven years, few cases only have been settled,
and none since March last. The delay is caused
by the difficulty in procuring Witnesses and
proof ia Cuba. Several cases Involving the
citizenship of claimants heve been referred to
the Italian minister, who is umpire of the COM
mission.