The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-01-19
From Washington.
The "DRAG.NET" INVESTIGATION.

| HE ''DRAG-NET lSNESIlGAii'N'
The Glover resolution in the house, for II
general investigation of the executive depart
ments, which by an accidental republican ma
iority in the house on Thursday OF last week
nearly came to grief, was taken up on + friday
when the Democrats were in the majority, ana
passed-111 to 101. The two most important
committees that will 90 to work Immediately
under the resolution are said to be Whitthornes
navy committee and GlovcrS committee on the
treasury department.
POSTAL SAVINGS BANk.
Several bills are already before the house
proposing the establishment of the postal say
ings bank system. The bill introduced by
Price, Of Iowa. proposes to issue certificates OF
deposit in sums OF ten, twenty, fifty and one
hundred dollars, to bear 365 per cent. interest
from date and convertible into 4 per cent. GO
year bonds but before such conversion they
must be received at par and accrued interest
Thursday, was before the house ways and
means committee with bill similar IN its
provisions for like object.
SENATOR DAVIS On SILVER.
In the Senate, on Monday, Senator Davis, Of
Illinois, in presenting the memorial of 400 bus
mess men and bankers of Chicago, i'll favor Of
the single gold standard and the enforcement
of the resumption law, took occasion to say
that he thought it not improper to state that
the views set forth in the memorial were en-.
tcrtaincd by very small percentage of the
people of Chicago. Later, in presenting the
resolutions of silver meeting at Blooming
ton, he said he had not attended the meeting,
though he endorsed its resolutions, which he
had the secretary read to the Senate
MATTHEW'S RESOLUTIONS.
The discussion of the resolutions of Stanley
Matthews, declaring the government bonds
payable in silver, &c, was resumed on Mon
day, when Edmunds offered a substitute, de-
claring that good faith required the principal
and interest of the public debt to be paid in
gold, &c. Senator Bailey, of Tenn. made a
two hours speech against the amendment and
IN favor of the original resolution. But the
event of the week in Congress was the maiden
speech IN the Senate on Thursday, of Dan
Voorhees, on the same side of the question
Even the correspondent of the Chicago Ttmes
with all his prejudice, admits that it was a
magnificent speech. 1T was from beginning
to end Entertaining. His voice was so thor
oughly musical and his manner so easy, while
his sentences ran along so full of vivid pic
lures, that he unclaimed the interest of those
who did not as well as of those who did sym.
pathizc with him" In closing he almost ut
tered q threat of repudiaton II am now
making an appeal" he said, for our national
credit. 1t depends upon the will of the people
only. If you crowd them too far they will
turn. warn all who value their investments
to beware
BY a ruse, on Wednesday, when there was
a very thin attendance Of members, the oppo-
nents of the Matthews resolutions nearly sue
cecded in carrying II motion to kill them off
by reference to the Judiciary committee. Mat
thews had address enough to stave off a vote
until absent senators could be sent for, and
finally the motion was voted down by 81 to
lo-a triumph LOT Matthews.
PETTICOAT INVASION.
Washington for week had been suffering
from a petticoat invasion in the guise' of a ma
tional womans suffrage convention. After
various Intellectual attempts to be heard on the
floor of the senate or house, or both, the lead
crs Of the concern got two days hearing on
Tuesday and Wednesday before the senate jud
iciary committee. Judge Kelly laborcd hard
to get them n hearing at the bar of the house
but his resolution went under by a vote of $40
to 1O1
Four PER CENT. BONDS.
Secretary Sherman publishes Il notice in
Wednesdays Washington and New York
papers that the contract with the syndicate is
rescinded and that on and after the Goth inst,
the per cent. loan will be thrown ON the
market for general subscription.
MORTON.
The Senate spent Thursday in listening to
eulogies by Senators Mcdonald, Thurman,
Conkling, Morgan, Bruce, Edmunds and
others on the late Senator Morton The
usual resolutions were adopted and being sent
to the house the senate adjourned The house,
on receipt of the resolutions also adjourned
after having spent the day in tedious debate
on the silver question. The house decided to
devote yesterday to culogies on Senator Nor
ton.