The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-24

Whenever suspicion Of corrupt practices attaehs. 10
men, and they ate mpt excupais themselves by false
statements the suspicion gains en-iod force, if COZ
rupton be not regarded conclusvey established. II
we were sure that the parties implicated the alleged
frauds connected with the Capitol enlargement advised
or consented to the defence which the Republic has put
forth for them we would not hesitate 10 say that they
had committed the crimes which have been charged
ganst them That journal, in the first instance falsely
affirmed that we had retracted our allegations. We
| promptly exposed that movement on Tuesdays and on
Wednesday the Republic, unsbashed BY exposure and
OF further degradation fashes the congressional
debates and places declarations the mouths OF senators
which they never uttered.
The Republis AYERS that when our article of the 18th
was written we knew that the charges contained had
been exposed in the Senate debate Of the 10th and that
when our remarks of the 22d printed they
companied by the report of that debate which stripped
them Of all justification In describing the points of tina,
debate the Republic says that the principal speakers
were Mr. Underwood, one OF the committee Of invesi-
CATION. and Mr. Hunter II then goes on TO say
snow, in the somewhat stale debate published in tho
Union yesterday. the alleged facts which constitute the
grievance concusvely exposed-4 ono instance, At
least by gentleman who facilities Of obtaining
Information this question equal TO those on which the
Union has relied Every point advanced by Mr. Stanton
in his letter is borne by Mr. Underwood The marble
contract the granite work. and the brick matter-al com
pnsed in the Unions charges-are noticed by Mo Under
wood, who shows only that fraud has been osat-
lis ed in these particulars and loss, but that imputed
extravaganza OF The architect In relation the foundation
suited from the advice of Mr. Huner and dsinorosod
though competent Mr. Underwood spoke In tho
of authorities cited by the Union and though
his statements overturned ALL nearly ALL thar they had
sad they listened and reported without
dction by Other facts sxcupatory Of the
chtect presented by Mr. Hunter and they, too,
uncontradiced Tho public therefore. have Messrs Hum
ter Underwood and Stanton witnesses In behalf of tho
government and its officers land agains the onesided
imony which the Union has constructed its libelous
| avcrments."
The debate thus described by the Republic arose on an
amendment to the deficiency bill forbddng the use Of
the money appropriated thereby during the current quar-
ter of the fiscal year. That amendment proposed
by Mr. Borland who sustained it in debate and carried
with him majority of the Senate yet the Republic does
not intimate that Mr. Borand took part in the dis
cussion. On the contrary, it attempts to create the i'm
preston that Mr.. Underwood silenced all opposition
proved to the satisfaction Of every that fraud
embezzlement had been committed-and rumphantly
quilted the persons suspected OF corrupt practices The
readers of the Republic would be astonishel to hear that
Mr. Underwood did not allude 10 the points made
by Mr. Stanton in his letter which published in this
|
The disposition which had been made Of chips cut from
the stone in preparing for the building and he said that
quantity of granite, instead OF inferior stone, had
been put in the foundations for greater security, the
suggestion of Mr. Hunter sustained by the opinion OF
engineers; but these matters which we have never
alluded in articles. aud which had never heard
OF until we read the debate in our paper II is no new
trick avoid the true issue by thrus,ng false ono
III opd 10 ala.
of an unansvsrsble argument by attacking PROPOSE
ton which has not been advanced, OF by defending
/ position which has not been assaled The Republic
proves that its desperate by speaking OF the use
Of additional granite in the foundation in manner
calculated, and have doubt intended to induce the
belief that Mr. Hunter had vindcaied the architect be-
fore the Senate and had not only justified, but had id.
vsed. all the extravaganza and waste which has been
committed That gentleman stated expressly more than
once that he knew nothing Of the truth or alshood OF
the charge OF fraud and corruption which has been pre-
ferred and testified 10 by witnesses The Republic ut
ters direct fasehood in saying that Mr.. Underwood
showed that fraud had been established before the
committee with regard the marble contract the gran
lite work. and the brick matter" Mr. Underwood did not
even attempt TO prove that lbsre fraud in the mar
Bile contract much less succeed in that undertaking He
said tina, only $4,000 had been thus far expended for
marble, and that all he sail with regard 10 marble
As 10 fraudulent conduct with regard the granite and
brick contracts, he might have disproved il with
out affecting any matter we have laid before the
public Tor we had no, before heard anything OF those
contracts, and made therefore, allusion to them in
our articles this subject The Republic uers another
direct falsehood in saying that Mr.. Hunter presented
other facts exculpaioy Of the architect which were not
denied Mr.. Hunter did no such thing; for he said ex.
pressy that he knew nothing of the alleged frauds and
embezzemens He certainly did no, speak witness in
behalf OF the government and its officers against the tss
mony which has been given under oath before the commit
tee OF investigation, although The Republic Gays be
did. And that journal puts forth another falsehood
in ITS assertion that MIR Underwood overthrow all, or
nearly all, the charges which have been preferred with
regard TO the Capitol extension, and not me- even
by contradiction As said before, he did not even
aemp, TO do that He gave bis attention entirely TO hs
architect The other persons implicated he did pre-
tend to shield and to the architect his chief labor
was directed 70 protecting him from the imyGsd eensxrs
in adpo~e, which nigh, be conveyed by the amendment,
prob biting the expenditure OF the money appropriated
by the deficiency bill during the present quarter He did
not even intimate that frauds had been committed and
the amendment passed, notwithstanding his efforts
against IT, But We cannot continue this subject at the