The Madisonian., 1840-01-18

the Speaker, with view that the Speaker might lay
Il before The House, "All considered Il gross
overture Of BRIBERY"
! do not know (conlinued Mr. NJ whether The
/ Speaker did 50 consider IL, but -
| The SPEAKER here inierposed aud said; The
Speaker knew nothing OF that article until he saw IL
! Ia the :" Globe" Il was entirely unauthorized by
him, and the Speaker had never expressed the opin-
| ion that the gentleman from New York Mr. Mich
ell had been guilty Of an overture Of bribery. He
had disapproved Of the proposition itself and had
told the gentleman from N. Carolina Mr.. FfsheTl
that II was en- rey inadmiSsible.
Mr. MITCHELL resumed. As the inadmissi-
biliy OF the proposition, that might all very well be-
No doubt many Circumstance, might have occurred
between the time the letter written, and the
time al which the election might take place, which
night render the proposition nadmissible.
This article also states that the letter was shown
10 another gentleman; none OF them, however, save
the Speaker were named. The Speaker having dis
claimed giving TO The letter the character whch this
article states he did give Il, do not know tna' any
further notice need be expected from me al ihs ume,
But, should receive a copy of the letter, snaii
take the earliest opportunity OF laying II Deio'e '"e
| House.
INos by The Reporter. Subsequent to the exPlana
ton here given by Mr.. MTcHsLL. letter was received
by him Of which the following 10 copy
B.LrxoxE, January 10, 1910.
DEAR Sir: have just the article in the Globe
ia which mention is made Of your letter. need not
assure you that shall rcpel the imputaon. have not
time 10 prepare copy, but Will send one BY the next
mail
| Mr. FISHER, Of North Carolina, then rose and
(under the courtesy Of Mr. COOPER who agaiD yielded
the aoor) proceeded to state lha, he presumed 4 was
known to oil gentlemen here that he was the gentleman
from North Carolina whom allusion was made IN This
publication. aud that as such, 1t was necessary shat
| some explanation should be made by him also
| regret extremely CONTINUED Mr. that my name
has been brought into connexion with this matter. !
have ambition to figure in such things and probably
it is be attributed that very feeling that thus sub
ec has not sooner been brough. before the Public.
| The simplest way make statements upon such
subjects is to tell plain story as 1t occurred. lhs
! will endeavor TO do.
| Abou, the time tha, Congress met, received let
tar from General Green. (Which took TO be circu-
lar informing me that he was candidate for the Of
fee Of printer this House, and that he could be (or
" thought" he could be, the Reporter not being sure)
elected Like al such applications, thought no more
| about it. saw him few days afterwards, ana ne
never mentioned the subject But about the time the
Speaker Of this House elected was astonished TO
receive another letter from General Green enclosing
me letter which had been written to him by tho gen
teman from New York, (Mr. MircHELL.) And wall
now endeavor state from memory, as distinctly as
can the main points OF that letter. The statement
which appeared in the Globe was made upon the
strength Of conversation which the editors OF the
Globe held with me, and was published by my consent
Sull, however. 1t contains one or two inaccuracies
having negotiated in this sort OF manner with General
| Green They felt the injustice Of the charge they
heard Of this Transaction they called upon me Tor the
TRUTH and felt il right in justice to them, TO make the
statement Stil however as have said, there arc one
| two inaccuracies.
And now 10 the contents Of the letter. which, though
| I cannot give them verbally, can give distinctly.
The gentleman from New York commences the
letter BY saying that il had been distinctly ascertain
ed Messrs Gales & Sealon could not be elected Pub
| Ec III andt that his In "
great that he disposed TO go all lengths 10 de-
feat his election and that he believed that, bv the
acquisition of few votes Gen Green could be
elected that he supposed the profits Of the printing
To be worth thirty thousand dollars, and that, If il
was inconvenent to Gen. Green TO do the work, he
night make an arrangement with Messrs, Gales &
Seaton, and divide this amount Gen. Green retain
ing ten thousand dollars without responsibility or
care, and the other parties taking twenty thousand
dollars, and doing the printing. The gentleman
said that he wrote this letter to Baltimore, and that
he also addressed one Of the same character 10 Cum
berland. Gen Green, for reasons which il not ne
ceSsary 10 explain, sent this letter to me, and desir-
ed me to talk with certain gentlemen-not nam
ing them, but intimaling strongly who they were
that could not misunderstood the allusion saw
at once the impropriety Of this letter; and, short
lime after receiving It, You may remember, Mr..
| Speaker that met you. | stated 10 yon that had
received strange letter; pulled il out OF my
pocket and read il, you looking me, and asked
YOU if should show il 10 the gentlemen concerned.
| You united with me in saying that the proposition
was not to be entertained Tor instant but you said
nothing OF an overture of bribery. asked you if
should consult others, and you said ought to do so,
as had been requested SO to do by Gen Green
parted from you, and few moments afterwards |
met with a gentleman, not a member OF this House,
but gentleman Of standing in the other body
mentioned the subject told him / had received
letter OF this character He said he did not wish 10
it, and at denounced il in The stron gest terms
as an overture of bribery. Ii was that gentleman,
sir, and neither you nor l. who said that this was
overture of bribery. And in reference 10 this point
/ il that the editors OF the Globe mistaken
! lthen determined either to send the letter blck, or
TO keep it until saw him, and then 10 hand both let
ters (his own and Mr. Milchells) back to him But
| for my own sake, | thought IL would be proper TO
show the letter to another gentleman al that time my
fellow. lodger. | asked him 10 read II very carefully
TO read il twice over. lpresume he did so if me-
cessary he can speak for himself A few hours
afterwards General Green stepped into the room
50 he came in, he mentioned the subject
replied to HIM that | had consulted one or two
! friends, and that they seemed 10 look upon it
outrage. Not another word passed; he took the let
Ter, and that was the end of it,
Mr.. Speaker, there is another error in the "Globe
which, probably ought TO correct. The language
there used is such as might lead 10 the conclusion
that the statement was made with your knowledge.
1t right in you therefore, sir 10 make the stale
ment YOU have made. Neither you nor any one but
myself knew that The statement forthcoming -
And repeat, the editors OF the "Globe" are mistaken
! in surprising that you or any one else, except the
! gentleman OF the other House, not of this declared
the letter TO be an overture Of bribery Whether il
| was or was not an overture of bribery, every man
come for himself TO as correct conclusion as
! can
Again express my regret that have been con-
neced with this matter. Ii was me OF my seeking,
and got rd Of il soon as could
Mr.. MITCHELL rising in reply
! MIR. HOLMES, OF S. C.. said Before the gentle
man proceeds, | wish to say word as ii appears
am here pqrteeps eriminis 1t is but due to the gen.
/ fla,nn frnf N,ffh lima ~L.
statement he has made, that | should corroborae
every word thereof. He submitted The letters to me