Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-12
REPORT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL INyEs-
TIGATING COMMITTEE IN THE GARDI-


The Committee of the House of Representatives
appointed to investigate the connection of Mr.. Sec
rotary Corwin with the Gardiner claim, before the
late Board Commissioners under the Mexico trea-
ty, have brought their labors to close, and made
unanimous report by all the members of the Com
mttee present in Washington city, viz: Hon. Pres
ton King, of New York, Hon. Volney E. Howard
of Texas, and Hon. Charles Chapman, of Connec-
ticut the Hon. Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee,
and the Hon. John q. Goodrich, of Massachusetts,
being absent: y-- sa-l..-s.,..,..- .,-z-.
From the Report of the Committee the National
Intelligencer makes the following extract, which
is all that relates to Mr. Corwin's connection with
the Gardiner claim:
"In relation to thes second branch of the inquiry,
the connexion OF the Hon. Thomas Corwin, the pre-
sent Secretary of the Treasury, with the said Gar
diner claim, the following facts appear from the
testimony upon The points directed by the resolu-
ton to be investigated: ID.
ain May 1919, the Hon. Thomas Corwin, then
a member of the United States Senate, was employ
ed counsel in the Gardiner claim by Hon. Wad-
dy Thompson, the original counsel of Gardiner,
upon an agreement that Mr.. Corwin should have
for his fee five per cent, on whatever sum should
be awarded TO Gardiner by the Commissioners. In
February, 1850, Thomas Corwin, in company with
Robot G. COrwin, purchased onefourth part of the
claim of Gardiner, andths fourth part OF said claim
was assigned on the 18th of that month to w. w.
Corcoran ESD, who loaned money to the Messrs.
Corwn to purchase il, and held the claim for Messrs
Thomas and Robert G. Corwin in equal shares, as
collateral security for the payment of the loan.-
The MeSSrS. Corwn paid S22, 900, and relinquish-
ed their fees on the fourth part of the claim pur-
chased by them, and paid part of Edward Curtis S
feeS-what amount does not appear-as the consld-
Grafton for the purchase.
"The Hon. Thomas Corwin resigned his seat i'll
the Senate, and accepted the appointment oil Sec
rotary Of the Treasury in the month of July, 1850
In the same month, and previous to his gong into
the cabinet of President Fillmore rs Secretary OF
the Treasury, sale of his fee interest in, and also
his halfof the onefourth part of the Gardiner claim
was negotiated through the Intervention oil Gov.
John Young, of New York, TO George Law, Esq,
of New York. From this time the SAID Thomas
Corw in refused 10 act as COUNSEL or consult with
other counsel who has been associated with him i'll
relation to the same, and took no further part III
the prosecution of the said Gardiner claim. The
assignment of his fee interest, and his interest in
the one fourth part of the Gardiner claim, and all
his interest in all other claims before the Board OF
Commissioners, (thirty- seven in number,) was cX-
ecuted by Thomas Corwin to J acob Little, of New
York, in November, 1850, and the money for the
purchase was then paid by George Law, to whom
the assignment 10 jacob Little at that time
transferred.
"The money for the sale, $50, 35I, was received
by Thomas Corwin, and on the 23d of November
deposited by him to his credit with MeSsrs. Cor
curan and Riggs. No testimony has been adduced
before the committee proving, or tending TO prove
that the Hon. Thomas Corwin had any knowled.
that the claim of said Gardiner was fraudulent, o
that false testimony forged papers had been, OF
were to be, procured TO sustain the same"
II will be seen, says the lhtelligencer, that the
result of the investigation, far it relates to Mr.
Corwin, is precisely what the friends ofthat gentle
l,ny tod u,