The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-10-20

aN
The report Of the committee appointed
Il investigate the c%onnexion Of the Hon.
Thomas Corwin with the celebrated Gardi
ner claim is published at length in the col.
/ nmns OF the Union.2 As il is a document
that has been long looked for. it will be
read with deep interest. The report is
signed BY two democrats and one whig,
and its statements are the result Of a labo.
rinus and candid investigation Of the facts.
We do not intend at the present time to
enter into any lengthy comment upon the
evidence disclosed by this committee, the
conclusions agreed upon, or the parties
implicated. But we do not hesitate to say
that the report presents a picture Of politi-
cal profligacy and Of personal abasement
~hich has not been parallel in the history
ofthe present administration, from the days
III the Galphins down to the present
hour.
Our readers viii recollect that the COM
mittee 10 investigate into this claim was
raised at the last session Of Congress, up
nn a resolution offered BY Hon. Edison B.
Odds, Of Ohio. and aiggnded by Hon. R.
X. Meade, Of Virgini4S and that, in the
course Of the discussion preceding the
adoption Of the resolution by the House
Of Representatives. Hon. Lewis D. Camp
bell. Of Ohio, the friend of Mr.. Corwin.
and now one Of the immediate abolition
friends Of Gen. Scott, made the following
declaration:
..The proofs were furnished by Gardiner
and his agents; and | have the authority
Of the members Of the board Of commits
~sioners, composed, as it was, Of distin.
gushed men and able j%urists, for saying
that there was no clearer case presented
to that board than this Of Gardiner. The
papers were most perfect, both in matter
Of form and substance, and contained in
ternal evidence. by a combination Of COR
roborative circumstances, 10 force The con.
clusion that the claim was just. 1t was
allowed"
DR.. Odds, in reply, took issue with this
statement; and the fact is now established.
upon the amplest evidence, that the Card
iner case was a FRAUD THROUGHOUT, and
that il was so BASE A that the board
Of commissioners who decided it have re-
ceiyed the severest apprehension and re-
buke. In this conclusion the committee
ofinvestigation, Of both parties, fully agree!
The following facts are also made clear by
this report; and we ask the reader to pause
and ponder upon them:
1st. That Mr.. Corwin, whilst acting as
senator from the State Of Ohio, and %receiv-
ing eight dollars per day for watching over
and guarding the national treasury, took a
large contingent fee for the prosecution
Of q claim against the United States-the
amount OF his fee depending upon the
amount Of money he could get out Of the
United States Treasury.
ed. That when he was appointed the
head Of the Treasury Department under
the present administration, and received
the custody Of the national treasury, and
when this claim, il paid, must be paid upon
his warrant, he sold his contingent claim
for a large sum Of money.
We may be answered, that the commit
tee Of investigation declare that in their
opinion Mr.. Corwin did not know that the
Gardiner claim was fraudulent; but it is
apparent and %undeniable, that he received
large sum Of money for his services in
this case; that he advocated it in the face
Of the notorious suspicion that surrounded
it-suspicions even shared by the commits
s%ioners, (who were censured by the COM
mittee;) and that he still retains tile money
and refuses to surrender IL, on the ground
thai he did not knoaD the claim acas a fraud!
As il is now proved to be a fraud, which
public opinion long suspected it to be. Mr..
Corwin can rid himself Of all completely
in the dishonor Of the claim by returning
the money to the public treasury. He is
bound to do this. The law may not be
sufficient to compel him to do it; but COM
mon equity and justice to the plundered
treasury Of the people demand that he
should pay it back to the treasury; make
it good to those who purchased his inter-
est in the claim: and stand before the
world yindicated from the condemnation
which his present position will draw down
upon him from honest men Of all par
ties.
There are other important points in this
report which we shall discuss hereafter
1t presents a most revolving picture Of the
morals of the present Scott leaders-the
mon who sat in the board Of Mexican com
missioners-who decided in favor of this
utterly groundless claim-who urged ii
through-and who received the greater
share Of the proceeds. The fact that no
such mine ever existed in the district of
San Luis Potosi as that upon which the
claim was based; the fact that Mr.. Gardi-
fler is now indicted for his connexion with
it. and is awaiting his trial, under heavy
suretiss, before our courts; the fact that
the board that decided IA favor Of this
claim admit that they themselves suspect
cd il; the fact that they nevertheless deci-
ded i was just; the fact that, in the face