A SCENE IN- THE AMERICAN" HOUSE OF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 122, 7 April 1862, Page 3

A SCENE IN- THE AMERICAN" HOUSE OF

KEPRESENTATIVES. (From ihe Times' Washington Letter.')

The House of Representatives has interesting business under consideration. In the first place Secretary Cameron refused to give the information demanded by the recent resolution in reference to the disaster at Bull's Bluff', on the ground that it would be injurious to the public service ; and then took place one of those extraordinary scenes which cast disgrace on the proceedings of the American Congress, and expose it to the censure of the civilised world. It appears that a-few ch-.ys ago, Mr. Conway, of Kansas, spoke of tbe affair at Belmont as a defeat, and that his words were resented by Mr. Fouke, who commanded a regiment in the action, and who said, in vindicating it as a victory, that he desired " to nail the falsehood to the counter." Mr. Conway, claiming the right of a personal explanation, had the report of what then took place read by tbe clerk at the table, and asked Mr. Fouke if he intended to make the charge of falsehood personally applicable to him ; whereupon that gentleman made a brief statement in reference to the action at Belmont, in order to show that the force had done there all it had designed to accomplish, and tbus continued : — '• That, Mr. Speaker, is the statement I designed to make on Thursday if the opportunityhad been afforded inc. I did not intend then to say more than I now say. I thought it was unkind, and still think it was unkind, in the gentleman from Kansas to persist in going on with a charge based, as ho says, ui>on a newspaper report. If he loved lii 3 country, if he had pride in the achievements of our arms, he would have hesitated to throw away his whole speech for the gratification of having established the falsification of such a charge as this to his satisfaction, and to the satisfaction of every Union-loving man. My friend from Kentucky (Mr. Harding) also refused to give me the floor. I made the statement that the charge was false, and I will permit the gentleman to make the application to himself, if he sees proper. He is the only judge in the matter. For one, when I look back upon that bloody battle-field, and remember the comrades who fell at my side—some of them at my feet; when I remember those who have survived, and are now ready again to meet the enemy at any day and any hour, I could not return to camp and look those gallant soldiers in the face, and say that I sat in my seat and allowed such a charge to go uncontradicted. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman made his charge on the foundation of a newspaper report. I denounce that report as false, and if, the gentleman is as magnanimous towards our'soldiers as he would seem to desire us to be on other occasions, let him take this explanation and make his own application." Mr. Conway—l have, Mr. Speaker, given the gentleman every opportunity to do himself justice in this matter. He has refused to avail himself of my generosity. I propose, therefore, to submit this question to the candid judgment of the House and the country, whether such conduct as his in this case does not clearly betray a deliberate purpose to bring on a personal collision between himself and me without cause ; and whether this is not conduct unbecoming a gentleman or member of this House, and worthy only of a blackguard and a scoundrel. (Cries of " Order ! ") Mr. Eicbardson —I call the gentleman to order. This is not the place to indulge in any such language. The Speaker—No further debate is in order. Mr. Fouke—One word. (Great agitation in the House.) Mr. Rice, of Maine—l object. The Speaker —Debate is not in order. Sir. Fouke—l shall not make any debate, but I will say—(Order, order) —that the member from Kansas has proved himself to be—(Order, order) —a disgrace to his State, a disgrace to his station, a disgrace to humanity itself, and unworthy of the asso'ciatio lof gentlemen. (Shouts of " Order, order.") , A gentleman, with the appropriate name of Duell intervened with a motion to strike rebel pensioners off the rolls, and the principals and their friends went outside to arrange for the other affair, which is expected in due course of gentlemanly observance to follow.

A New Weapon in Warfare.—That highly respectable paper, the New York Herald, suggests in the event of war between ourselves and the Yankees, the confiscation of all British property invested in American securities. The proposal of not paying an enemy off is a new idea of vindicating national honor. — Punch.

A Nicu Place to Live in. — The disputed territory between the two parties south of the Potamac must furnish anything but quiet places of residence. What with picket skirmishing and the depredations of marauding soldiers, to say nothing of the contingency of a furious battle, one would think that the region would be completely deserted by all save the contending, armies. Yet it seems not to be so. The army correspondent of the New York Post says that, a Connecticut gentleman, who owns a small estate near Palls Church, went over a day or two since to look at his tenant. The family has remained in the dwelling through all the troubles of picket slrirniishiinr, and scarce a day; luui»passcd for a month that they have not witnessed 'sanguinary scenes from then- windows. The. building lay between the pickets, .neither- party, venturing down to it. On one occasion a Federal soldier ventured down to the well for water, and was shot dead by a rebel bullet while drinking. There the body remained for a day or two. The house itself has been pierced with bullets, but none of the courageous family were harmed.— -New York paper.

French and English in China. —Our men were always kept busy ; fatigue parties could be seen everywhere" employed, either at repairing the roads, making wharves, carrying water, or landing stores, whilst the Preach strolled about, even through our camp, with their hands in their pockets, gaping at our working parties, 'or looking in wonder at our huge dragoons, as they and their horses landed, until their energies were roused by the apperance of some old sow coming round a corner, when pursuit was immediately commenced. One cause of this desultory foraging on the part of our allies was, that upon landing each man was supposed to have with him six days' provisions, which is more than any man can or will carry. If lie should keep his biscuit it is the most that he will do; but no- soldier will carry and take care of six days' salt moat. It grows bad and smells horribly after the first two or three days, when it is invariably thrown away. The Frenchman was obliged to go pig-hunting, or actually fishing,, to keep himself alive, a system' of supply which relieved their commissariat of much difficulty. Our men, on the other had, landed with only three days' provisions, including the rations for the day on which they landed, and on the fourth, regular supplies of food and drink were issued to them. — Narrative of tho War with China in 1860. By LieutenantColonel G. J. Wolsely.

An Unpleasant Predicament. —Mrs. Napier's journal describes very graphically the dilapidated condition in which they found the Oliateau do Yiroilay, in consequence of its having been plundered a short time previously by parties of liussian and Prussian soldiers, who appeared, to have wantonly destroyed whatever they could not carry away. Smashed chandeliers, large pier-glasses shivered to atoms, shot holes in windows and ceilings, and " bayonet thrusts through valuable paintings—all bore evidence to the retaliatory amusements in ( wliich these belligerents had indulged. It was a precarious situation for a lady to be placed in, during such troublous times, when marauders from the different allied armies were scouring the country around, and (with the exception of our own troops) frequently committing outrages of the most violent description. Soon after Captain Napier's departure, Mrs. Napier was aroused m the middle of the night by a violent knocking at the door. She had only one female attendant in tho house, the other persons sleeping in a building which was detached. Mrs. Napier, fearful, from the violence with which the door was assailed,that it would at last ba broken in, summoned sufficient courage herself to enquire who caused such disturbance at that hour; when to her utter dismay, five bearded, fierce-looking Cossacks forced their entrance into the house, made themselves quite at home iv the saloon, and by signs expressed their will to have something instantly tp eat and drink. With great presence of mind Airs. Napier waited on them Jierelf, having previously despatched the servant girl to the stables, witli orders for the groom to mount a horse aud gallop oil" to inform Major Younghusbaud what had occurred. Meanwhile she appeared to have performed her part admirably. She brought them the refreshments they required, aud'kept them thus in good humour and good behaviour till Major Younghusbaud arrived, when he found his sister still playing the part of waitress to these strange looking guests; who, however, with the exception of having become somewhat elated hy thehospitality they had experienced, continued to keep themselves within bounds. The Major immediately went to the village Viroflay, where he soon found the officer in command of the detachment to which this jovial party belonged ; they returned together to the chateau, the jolly Cossacks were sent to the right about, and the Itussian officer, who was some connection of Prince "Woronzotf, ordered a corporal's guard to remain in one of the outhouses, for the protection of the premises, and to guard against the l-epetition of any similar intrusion. — The Life and Correspondence of Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.B. By Major-General Elers Napier.

A Domestic incident arising out of the civil war in the United States was amusingly illustrated in the case of Flower, Macdonald, and Co., v. Politz and Rose, tried before Mr. Justice Williams on Tuesday. The action originated in a tobacco sale at Messrs. Greig and Murray's in June last, at which the defendants purchased "31 boxes of Bendigo and 4S halftierces of black diamond twist. Two half tierces of the twist were taken out of bond for the purpose of testing the quality, and after survey the defendants objected to take the remaining 46, alleging that the article was not according to sample. The market having gone down since the sale, Messrs. Flower and Co. fancied that Messrs. Politz and ltose wanted to twist out of the bargain, and they accordingly threatened that if the contract was not completed, they would sell the black diamond on the defendants' account and risk. They did not carry the threat into effect, and on the lOtli of July news was received by telegraph from Adelaide that iv consequence of the civil war in America tobacco had risen BO per cent. The painful spectacle of the north fighting against the south appeared to engender humane feelings in the breasts of Messrs. Politz and Rose, and "just to avoid litigation," they wrote a polite note to Messrs. Flower and Co., stating.that they were willing to take the twist, and accept a bill for the full amount of tlie purchase money. Strange to say this kind offer was not received in a kindly spirit by Messrs. Flower, Macdonald, & Co. With singular inconsistency they refused to let the defendants have what they had so urgently, asked them to take; nay, the even demanded the return of what they had agreed to take; they had refused to take all, they should have none. Messrs. Politz and Rose naturally felt hurt at this unkind treatment, and they in return refused to make any restitution. - Thus did these two mercantile firms play at cross-purposes. "All or none," however, was the motto of Alessrs. Flower, Macdonald & Co., and as they could not get all-, *.hey determined to have none; so tbey sold the 40 half-tierces, not at a loss, but at more than 100 per cent, higher than what they fetched in June. Having made something like £1,000 by the transaction, they generouslyresolvedto sharetheir good fortune with somebody; and after casting about for worthy objects of their benevolence, they selected Messrs. Duerdin, Bronckhurst, and Smale, the solicitors, and a pretty little action in trover to recover what was iv November last the market price of the 34 boxes and two half-tierces was the consequence. The jury, on Tuesday, however, seemed to think that this rosy game ought to be put a stop to; and notwithstanding a flowery address from Mr. Dawson, for which he was complimented by his Honor, they returned a verdict for the defendants, a very gratifying decision, for after paying all the costs, Messrs. Flower, Macdonald & Co. will still have netted a few cool hundreds.— Melbourne Herald.

The Italian Royal Family.—The King of Italy has appointed the Commendatore Buoncompagni to be lecturer on constitutional law to the Prince of Peidmont, heir to the throne, and he has also placed the Prince under the tuition of the advocate and Deputy Mancini for the study of international law. This Prince, Humbert, is praised by his instructors both for intelligence and sci-upulous attention to his duties. His lessons last eight hours, and his daily task begins at six o'clock in the morning. He speaks very good Italian and French, aud is familiar with Latin. He is now seventeen years and a half old, and will be of age on his eighteenth. He shows great aptitude for all manly and chivalrous exercises, and has lately been made President of the National Rifle Association, an honor he owes no less to his rank than to his remarkable skill with the weapon. His brother Amadeus, Duke of Aosta, now more than sixteen'years old, is said to be of a livelier disposition, and to exhibit uncommon talent. The youngestl son, Odo, Duke of Montferrat, is rapidly recovering from the infirmities which afflicted his boyhood. He is now fifteen, has rid himself of his slight deformity,, and seems, as he is, perfectly straight. He generally resides at Genoa, and is being educated for the naval service. His affable manners have made him extremely popular among the Genoese. The only Princess who remains at home still unwedded, Maria Pia, is a fair, stately, graceful young, lady of fourteen.— Letter from Turin..

A Fortune from a Sheep.—ln 1805, Mr. Bidwell. a law-student in Stockbridge, Mass., told a poor lad that if he would catch and turn out his horse, he might have it to ride home and keep till Thanksgiving. The boy accepted the offer, and the day before Thangsgiving, as he was mounted on the horse ready to start for home, Mr. Bidwell handed him a silver dollar—the first dollar he ever had. Instead of spending it for personal gratification, he-bought a sheep with it. From that sheep he had, in 1832, a flock of 1,054 sheep, with he "sold for 2,500 dols. This money he invested in up-town lots in New York city, purchasing ten lots for 252 dols. each, whicli he sold in two years for 12,500 dols. This wa%£he beginning of the fortune of Nathan Jackson, Esq., distinguished for his generous and munificent donations at various times to Williams College, Massachusetts.

Horrible Narrative. —The St. John xjt.uy News, of December 6, has an account of the sufferings of John F. Sullivan, of Hadley Falls, Mnss, and his companions, deserters from the whalesliips Daniel Webster and Ansel Gibbs, of' New Bedford, "ia Cumberland Straits, on the 4th of August last. The nar--rative-was written by Sullivan. The writer says that he had no reason for leaving the ship only tin-it he was not sufficiently provided against the cold northern climate, and was afraid of dying by scurvy. The crew of -the Ansel Gibbs complained of bad treatment. They were John Giles, boatstcerer; John Martin, Hiram J. Davis, Willard Hawkins, Thomas Colwen, Joseph fisher, aiid Sam. Fisher,-who, with Sullivan and-his shipmate Warren Dutton, constituted.the deserting .party.. They stole a boat from the Aiuel Gibbs, in which they managed to place a very small quantity of provisions, two guns, and a little • ammunition, and steered across the Straits. They left the vessel in latitude 05, about five miles from Penny's Harbor. On the fourth day they fell in with tho barque George Henry, Captain Cuddiugtou of New London, who offered to take all on board, but they declined. He gave them some provisions, which were augmented by a duck and.tho hind quarters of a white bear they managed to shoot before they reached Constitution Island, where their provisions became nearly exhausted. On the 20th August, at Cape Chidleigh, they had nothing but mushrooms and berries to live upon; and here Hawkins and Davis ran away from the party, and carried away everything "that was useful belonging ,to the boat. After an attempt to to leave the place, which was prevented by stormy weather, they landed again, and Dutton died of" starvation. Tho narrative of Sullivan says : —'' The evening he died Samuel Fisher proposed to eat him; he took.his knife aud cut a piece of the thigh, aud held it over the fire until it was cooked. Then, next morning, each man followed his example; after that the meat was taken off the bones, and each man took a share. We stopped here three days. We then made a start; but the wind being ahead we were compelled to put back. Here we stopped two more days. During that time the bones were broken up small and boiled in a pot or kettle we had ; also the skull was broken open, the brains taken out and cooked. We then got a fair wind, but as we got round a point we had the wind very fresh off shore; we could hardly manage the boat; at last we drove on to an island some ways out to sea ; we got the boat under the lee of it; but the same night we had a large hole stove into her. Being unable to haul her up, we stayed here eight days; it was on this island they tried to murder me. The third day we stopped here. I was out as usual picking berries, or anything I could find to eat. Coming, in I chanced to pick up a mushroom. I brought it in with mej also an armful of wood to keep. While kneeling down to cook the mushroom, I received a heavy blow of a club from Joseph Fisher, and before I coidd got on my feet I received three more blows. I then managed to get on my feet when Samuel Fisher got hold of my right arm; then Joseph Fisher struck me three more blows on the arm. I somehow got away from them, and being halt crazy I did not know what to do. They made for me again ; I kept begging of them for God's sake to spare my life ; but they would not listen to" my cries. They said they wanted some meat, and were bound to kill me. I had nothing I could defend myself with but a small knife ; this I held in my hand until they approached me. Samuel Fisher was the first to come towards me ; he had a large dirk knife in his hand; his cousin was coming from another direction with a club and a stone. Samuel came in and grasped me by the shoulder1, and had his knife raised to stab me. I then raised my knife and stabbed liim in the throat; he immediately fell, and I then made' a step for Joe but he dropped his club and went up to where, the rest were. I then stooped down to see if Samuel was dead, he was still alive; I began to cry; after a little while the rest told me to come up—they would see that there was nothing more done to me. I had received four deep cuts in the head ; one ofthe fellows dressed them for me, and washed the blood oft my face. Next day Samuel Fisher died; his cousin was the first one to cut him up; his body was used up the same as my unfortunate shipmate's. After a while we managed to repair the boat and left the island. We rah in where we thought was mainland, it proved to be an island ; here we left the boat and proceeded on foot, walking about one mile a day. At last we reached the other side of the island in about four days ; then put back again to the boat. It took us four days to get back. When we got there, we found the boat stove very bad since we left her. We tried to get round the island in her, but she sunk when we got into her; we then left her, and went back again to the other side of the island, to remain there until we should die or be picked up, We ate our belts, boots, aud sheaths, and a number of bear and seal skins, articles we had with us. To add to our misery it commenced to rain, and kept up for three days; it then began to snow. In -this miserable condition we were picked up by a boat's crewof Esquimaux on the 20th September,and brought to Ckoke on the 3rd of October. The missionaries did all that lay in their power to help us along, and provided us with food and clothing-, then sent us on to Niau, where we met " the doctor" (Davis), whp, was picked up three days before we were. He reported that his companion died, and told many false stories after he was picked up. The Boston Journal says the above thrilling narrative has the air of a romance leather than reality, and some of the circumstances appear very improbable, but as the Ansel Gibbs, which arrived at New Bedford on the 11th of last November, reported the desertion of seven of her crew, with a wbaleboat, iv the Arctic l-egion, at the date above given, the main facts of the story are doubtless true.

A Ticklish Case.—The body was buried after the usual interval; but the report fgot abroad that the man had died of the punishment. The Radicals insisted on the body being disinterred; and a jury was assembled. I found them examining evidence, when I - hastily made my appearance among them. After announcing' myselfj my office, and rank, I offered myself for their examination; their answer was—''You are one ofthe party concerned; you want to get the Doctor and Colonel off, but they shall go to the castle." On examining the face of the corpse, and the largely sloughing ulcerated state of the loins and sacrum, I in vain assured them that the appearances were those common in fatal cases of low fever; that, punishment was never inflicted in that quarter, and that I myself could swear to the man's being perfectly cured of his punishment before he was seized with the prevailing fever. But all would not do. Several vociferated—" You are a party concerned ; you are not a proper witness ; we will not take your testimony." In this state of affairs, I was quite at a loss what to do. I learned that the members of this inquest wero determined to bring inacharge of murder against Colonel De Grey and Dr. Irwin, andtocommitthemtothecastleof'York. I rode to Colonel De Grey's lodgings in York, where I found liim and I is wife in the utmost agony at the proceedings ; he wringing his hands and pacing tho apartment in agitation. On leaving, quite at a loss what to do, I fortunately met Mr. Atkinson, the celebrated surgeon of York, in his carriage. I related the circumstances to him, and he hastily took me into his carriage, and drove to the barrai-ks. I could have found no individual in York so fit and so able as my friend Atkinson to extricate us all from this terrible dilemma. He was a hearty, honest fellow, with much blandness of manner, of unbounded kindness and humanity, held in great estimation for his professional talents, very hospitable, and of very liberal principles—a feature in his character which made him regarded by the radical party of York as one of their chief men. I shall never forget his entry into the room where the inquest was sitting. They all stood up on his appearance ; and he forthwith began to rate one and all of them in set terms. " You rascals ! do you know what you are doing ? 1 You a jury ! pretending to investigate the cause of the poor man's death, and remse the evidence of the only competent witness that you could have ! You deserve, every one of you, to be sent to the castle." Then, addressing a humble-looking person there,! whom they had been examining, and who proved to be a little druggist in York, he continued, "And you, you rascal! What know you of wounds andpunishments ? go back to your counter." Upon inquiry, we found that the druggist, Upon looking at the sloughiug ulcer on the sacrum, had deposed .that to be the evident cause of death, and that the man had died of excessive punishment. Mr. Atkinson desired them instantly to go on with my examination, which they did in the most respectful manner, while ho stood by, and my detail clearly exonerated the Colonel and the Doctor. On my calling some time after this upon Colonel De Grey, he told rap with horror, that two of the jurymen had called on him for something to drink his health upon his escape from being lodged in York Castle.— Autobiography of Sir James M'Grigor. ■■ Served Him Right.—A_ few days since as two farmers resident in this neighbourhood were coming from Glasgow in a second-class carriage, a person bearing the appearance of an officer of a merchant vessel joined them at Paisley. _ After leaving, the farmers began to converse on private matters, when the nautical individual, who was the only other occupant of the carriage, began to thrust in his oar. After proclaiming that he was an American captain, ho began to abuse Scotch and Britishers in good romxcl terms, calling them slow coaches and cowards, and prophesying the speedy fate they would meet if they attempted to toucn the United State's. The farmers bore this hectoring for some time, but after the train passed Langbank it got beyond endurance,' and one of the farmers requested the American to give; over his abuse of the Scotch. Instead of doing so,' Jonathan said he would like to pull a Scotchman's nose, and forthwith seized that ofthe farmer. The latter, with great control, advised him not to do it again, an advice which only elicted a repetition of the offence. This was more than the farmer could bear, and he dealt the American a blow above the left eye which laid, his forehead open, and so stunned and astonished the braggart that he sat as niute as a fish" until he reached Port-Glasgow, when he suddenly .bolted out of the carriage, and was seen no more by his ch»s--tiser.— Greenock Advertiser.