Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-09-14
The Gardiner Case.

In the present position of this case we would
prefer making but slight illusions to it; nor do
we feel disposed to assume any responsibility
even for such facts as may be stated in our CO.
lumns. Our only purpose in the premises has
ever been to expose fraud, IL any has been prao-
ticed, and to cause every offender to be brought
to punishment.
The following has been presented to us by q
gentleman with whose requests we are well-dis-
posed to comply, and who is responsible for what
he utters:
The Gardiner case has assumed an entirely
new phase For more than two weeks Mr..
Soule's committee in the Senate, Mr.. Olds' COM
mittee in the House, and the Mayor of this city,
have been occupied in taking evidence in this
case, and the defendant has been banded about
from "post to pillar" to listen to the imputatons
of Mexican witnesses brought here by the agent
of the United States. They are said to have
sworn "equal to our army in Flanders" but If
half Of what is said out Of doors be true, they
have been firing blank cartridges. Their chief
witness has at length exploded the mine, and
shewn very clearly, on cross-examination, that he
knows nothing of the facts he was brought here
to prove; and, after having sworn roundy and
in positive terms to the forgery and fraud, he now
admits that the seals on the papers may be gem
uine, and has shown by "docamsnts," drawn from
him by the sharp 'pincers" Of experienced
counsel, that the sole object of the Mexican wit
nesses is to procure conviction Of Gardiner
under the belief that the award made to him will
then repert to the government Of MEXICO!
Incidentally had come out that the witnesses
came here under the expectation of making o
grand speculation in the prosecution of heavy
IL Al .t,I In1sc
relations under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,
to have all their expenses paid, in the mean
while to be Unidentified for all damages and then
to realize quitea pretty fortune by their "excur-
sion." The prosecution have not presented a
single witness from the alleged neighborhood of
the mines single person whose name is said to
have been forged, nor single official whose char
acter is said to have been personated
Having coueluded the examination of their
first and principal witness before the Mayor Of
this city, and finding that his cross-examination
did not suit their Vieos or expectations they have
suddenly paused, carried their witnesses 10 Aie1an
dria, in the State Of Virginia, and given the de-
PENDANT notice to attend there! This is the most
outrageous, if not ridiculous, part of the whole
that they should give notice to take
dispositions of certain witnesses, naming them be-
fore the Mayor of this city, take that ofone only get
sick ofhis cross examination, and suddenlytransfer
the whole proceedings to an adjacent State, where
they knew it would be difficult, if not impossible,
for the defendant to induce his counsel Zone of
whom is thorough master of the Spanish Ian
guage, in which the dispositions are taken, and
is thus enabled to hold check upon an interpre-
ter, if necessary to go; and after the Govern
ment has deprived him of all the means of EN-.
ploying new counsel, if, indeed, new counsel
could enter upon and master such case
This may be law, but it has no admixture of
common sense or justice, and smells strongly Of
rank oppression; of a piece, perhaps, with the
unheard of, and in fact, unconstitutional con-
duct of the counsel for the Government in July,
when the excessive bail of 800, 900 was demand
ed for the release of Gardiner from prison.
The whole proceedings in this affair are unique
and mysterious, and its true history will, when
laid opon, as it will be, excite establishment, and
display some of the intricacy of political ma
ohinery.
WASHINGTON, Sep. IL, 1852.