The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-08-13

Attest: EDSON B. OLDS, President.
C. Z. WELLER, Secretary.
sac gas From the Washington Union.
MIR. CORWIN AND THE GARDINER
beit1 eia,fsse & CLAIM. !h1s ii0es
Mr.. Corwin has been in the city several
days, but as yet he has made no statement
of the facts relative to the Gardiner elsim;l
and it is remarkable also that since his
return neither the Intelligencer nor the
Republic has deigned to, notice the affair.
A private individual may, under certain
circumstances, afford to pass by charges
OF wrong practices, but public servant
has no right to throw himself on his dignity
when corrupt PRACTICES are charged on
him, and supported even by Prima Jqciel
evidence. According to the theory ofour
government, public servants are always
and at all times amenable to, the; public,
which is their master. Under such the
ory, the officer who refuses to lay open bis
transactions well nigh makes confession
Of guilt. s. 15tt a,bis9I hl0cg - /
Within the last few days we have heard
various and conflicting rumors. We use
the mildest term; for in, many cases we
haze heard statements as facts, not as ru-i
mors. But not meaning to make any
statement of fact, unless we feel so conf
dent in the source of our information as to
vouch its accuracy, we prefer to use the
word "rumorS," and draw out our deduc.
tions. Z. The rumors, then, which have
reached US are: s,s Al lfaeg }aaJ
| 1. That Mr.. Corwin was interested in
the Gardiner claim as counsel only. qeq
2. That Mr.. Corwin was interested both
as counsel and part purchaser. gq5 s
3. That Mr.. Corwin sold his claim be-
fore he went into the treasury. ,a;,ti
a. That Mr.. Corwin only agreed TO sell
his claim before he went into the treasury.
5. That the value Of Mr.. Corwin's in
terest was not determined on until after he
went into the treasury, and that the valua-
iion was not made until after the board
had met. .+'.f..;' f,,,aa bf',,,,,
We do not mean 10 ovouch for the acou-
racy of any of these statements. although
we would BE- justified, considering Mr.. Cor
wins silence, in taking for granted the
truth Of the worst Of them. - T., .fr.
But, to begin with the beginning, we will
suppose that Mr.. Corwin was interested
only as counsel, "a nd that one-iourth ofthe
Gardiner claim had been given him pure
ly as fee Now, the Gardiner claim
amounted to $l.600,000. One-fourth Of
that sum is just 100000. Now, we ask,
''if Mr. Corwn believed that the claim was
just claim, would he have taken $780,
600 for one-fourth Of itl" lfthe persons
who appraised Mr.. Corwin's interest
thought that the claim was just and well
substantiaied, would they have appraised
one-iourth Of it at 3 roo, OOO-deductin
fifteen per cent. for contingencies and seq
en- per cent for cash payment There
is something singular here which we might
but will not just nowi attempt TO explain.
But, further, on this supposition: II Mr.
Corwin was simply employed as counsel,
and was promised or given a contingent
fee for his services, what, we ask with all
Difference, had he to sell and dispose Of, if
he retired from his post Of attorney before
his duties were performed! Nothing. His
acceptance OF opposition which forbade
him to act as counsel annuled the promise
to pay fee. The promise of the contin-
gent fee was annulled, and that fee revert
ed to Doctor Gardiner, who was alone
authorized TO use it in order to procure
other legal assistance or political influence
to further his interests The idea is pre-.
posterous that ailawyer employed 10 OBJ.
tain tract Of land for his client, on the
promise Of one-fourth the land recovered,
can, have his interest appraised, and sell
that interest to an entire stranger to his
client, and then fail TO appear in court.
True, he might do no wrong to his client
on these two suppositons; s5 3o9 sdi 9fgs
1. That, although he had sold his inter-
est to q stranger. his talents and his inf-
ence acould still be used for his client; or,
2. That the perdict oas known before
the terms OF sale acre fsed.. te.a l...
Our unsophisticated intellect cannot per.
ceive any escape from this reasoning; and
we cannot understand how itcan be avoid
ed in the Gardiner case,, if, Mr.. Corwin's 5
interest was simply--as his friends have
stated as counsel or Attorney, II there
be any reliance in logical deduction, vel
must say that on any Of the rpmors. now
afloat Mr., Corwin cannot be defended; for
each and all Of them would convict him Of
a wrongful act either to the government or
to his client, even leaving out Of view the
remarks we made about week ago, show
ing that as a senator. he had no right to
accept fee before the Mexican board.
! But letus make some other supposilions
-supposltions which are in STRICT accord
ance with the PRINCIPLES Of Euclid, ssas
Mr.. Corwiu either sold or he did not sell
his interest in the. Mexican claims before
he went into The treasury, lfbe did sellit|
before he went into fhe treasury, we have
already shown he was still interested in |
them, unless he "sold" his client at The !
same time. 1.-The did not sell il be fore he |
! = Il