The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-10-22
The Gardiner Fraud Edison b. OIds--
Thomas COrwin.


II The Gardiner Fraud Edison B. Olds-
Thomas Corwin.
The committee appointed by Congress Il
investigate the Gardiner claim, as our read
ers are aware, has reported il "naked fraud, i,
supported upon forged testimony. The re
port is signed by Hon. Preston King, yolne,
| E. Howard, and Hon. Chafles Chapman
the two former being democrats and the lat
terra whig, The other members of the com
mittee, Hon. Andrew Johnson, (Dem ant
| Hon. John z Goodrich (whig) would doubt
less have concured in the report had the.
been present at the investigations. Tht
Igentlemen who decided in favor of the CLAIM
are George Evans, of Maine, Caleb E. Smith
of Indiana, and Robert T. Paine of Nortt
Carolina. They were selected as partlsans
land two of them are now leading friends o
Gen Scott. The Secretary of the Board ties
Iti6es that the claim was "REGARDED
WITH SOME Suspicious FROM THE
BEGINNING!"
The man who had the independence to
stand up in Congress and ask for an inve sti
cation Of the claim, is Hon. Edison B. Ods
upon whom, for that act, all the vials ol
wrath of the whig party have been poured
and to defeat whom, thousands of dollars
have been spent. The Wings were the more
anxious to defeat Mr.. Olds because, at the
same time that he moved the investigation
Of the claim, he also asked that the commit
tee ascertain what connection the Hon.
Thomas Corwin had with it. Congress, CO.
inciding with Mr.. 0lds, passed resolution
70 that effect, and the investigation began.
Now, in the opinion of the Wings, Mr. OIds
had no right to ask how half million of
the peoples money had been taken from the
treasury, much less a right to ask that the
suspicious which rested upon MIR. Corwin,
who was GARDENERS counsel for year and
assisted in procuring the allowance of his
claim, should be cleared up. They say that
it was very dishonorable act, and in order
to rebuke Mr.. Olds for his audacity in trying
to save the peoples money, no means, hon
orable or not, have been spared to defeat his
reelection. They nominated their strongest
man, Sam. Galloway, who courted both the
abolitionists and the temperance men; food
ed the district with lying documents and
had it thoroughly canvassed and polled. No
sooner had the returns commenced pouring
in than the Wings began TO crow over Olds'
defeat; preparations were being made at
Columbus for grand jollification, and the
Wings were in the highest state of extacies
when old Licking sent laundering sho
that scattered their hopes 10 the four wind,
and left their torches, tar-barrels and sky
rockets dead loss upon their hands, theil
pockets in collapsed state and their coun'
tenaures immeasurably elongated DR.
0lds was triumphantly elected. Thus have
the people sustained him in his gallant course
in regard to the Gardiner fraud and reward
ed him for his services in their behalf.
Although the committee has reported Mr.
Corwin as not concerned in the fraud, yet
the circumstances of the case do not war.
rant :he belief that he was altogether un.
known oit. The points decided are as fol
lows!
THAT THE CLAIM WAS A NAKED
FRAUD
That THE ALLEGED MINE IN THE STATE
OF SAN LUIS PoTosI, department of Ric
Verde,) UPON WHICH GARDENERS CLAIM
WAS BASED, HAS NO EXISTENCE, because there
ore no mines of any sort in that department
and State
Tha: the board of commissioners suspected
the claim from the beginning and, upon thu
explanations of DR.. Gardiner, allowed it
That the board of commissioners frs
made private decision of the claim, eacI
member keeping memorandum of th
amount !; and that they increased this frs
award some $4,000 or $60,000 by the in
PRODUCTION ofaddition testimony p
That Thomas Corwin, the present viii
Secretary of the Treasury, was the counse
of the claim more than year; was the con
fidential adviser of Gardiner; was part own
er ofthe claim and hence must have know
the whole history of the affair.
That he was attorney for this claim, an
part owner Of it, while senator in Cor
gress. Y
! That he got large suth of money Tor b
! personal and professional interest in II
. claim before he went into the Treasury D
j partment, and that he retains this money
. his pocket 10 the present day
: We ask the people TO think of this matt
! calmly and dispasslonately and lthen S
i whether Mr., Corwin is wholly guiltless.
: MI. Olds certainly had very good grounds
osking an investigation, and the wings,
= opposing it, showed their doubts as to
: result. Had they been sure of Mr.. Corwi
entire innocence they would have been an
! ious for it. that the suspicious which rest
a upon him might have been removed at
earliest moment
| .s.A !. : A