The Shasta courier., 1854-02-04
The Bribery Case.
The following is the charge OF Mr. Peck, Sem

On Saturday, tue 4 IN lnSt, was passenger
| on the steamer Senator, which left San Francisco
in the morning OF that day, bound for Benicia
with the San Francisco Blues, and many others
on board, whose object was to attend the iuau-
guralion of the Governor. During the trip to
| Benicia was introduced by Mr.. A. Selover of
| the firm Of Selover & Sinton, San Francisco, to
Mr.. J. C. Palmer. Of the firm of Palmer. Cook
! s. Co., Bankers, San Francisco. This was the
| first time ever saw MIR. Palmer. On the dow n
ward trip, in the afternoon of the same day,
while alone with Mr. Palmer. he introduced the
subject of the Senatorial election, and asked me
how stood upon that question [ told him
was opposed to bringing the election, and
| assigned as one reason that was a Whig He
| then asked me how my roommate, Col Wm
B. May Senator from the 10Th District, felt upon
| that question. l said to him that probably Col.
| May and myself would vote together He re-
| marked that the Wings were in no way inter-
| ested in the matter. ii was war between
the two factions of the Democratic party; and
then said if would give my vore and use my
influence with Col. May in favor of bringing on
the election for U. s. Senator this winter, and
| in favor of MIR. Broderck's election that he (Mr.
| Palmer) would count me down five Thousand
| dollars, and he added that he did not wish MIR.
| ID. C. Broderck to know of the offer he then
made. To his Mr. Palners) proposition re-
| piled in the most positive manner. " will not
sell my vote-I cannot be bought" He SAID he
did not consider it offer to buy me, and
hoped would not look upon it in that light !;
that he did not want any body to work for him
| for nothing. again refused, aud left him.
There were several additional lines to the
statement. commencing with '.On the Tuesday
following (ihe 10th inst y referring to some
subsequent transactions; but a score was drawn
through them.
On Tuesday the oath, Mr.. Palmer appeared at
the bar OF the Senate was sworn, and answered: {:
That on the day of the inauguration of Gov.
Bgler, (Satnrday) l proceeded the boat to
Bencia- On or about the time of leaving was
introduced to Mr.. Peck In about fifteen or
twenty minutes, Mr.. Peck came into the lower
saloon where was. We walked together, and
Mr.. Peck addressed me saying: 'Well, Mr..
Palmer suppose the Capital question will come
up in few days. What is your preference in
the matter? :" | said that was not at all inter-
ested i'll the matter What is your Mr.. Peck 81
opinion Mr. Peck said that he had not deci-
ded, but thought that the result of the vote OH
the capital question would be one and the same
thing the decision of the Senatorial question"
Mr. Peck then said. What is your choice, MIR.
Palmer?" I replied that should like to see
Mr.. Broderick elected. Mr. Peck then said, ~
am New Yorker, and l suppose as New
Yorker ought to vote for Mr. Broderick." and
he further said that he (Mr, Peck) had had
right hard luck, and a good deal of sickness;
that he had paid $500 doctors bills, and that
$4,000 would not make him come ont whole on
the late election campaign, and he thought that
a man had right to get out whole. and said,
Judge, not me. He (Mr Peck) then stated,
:" Well, Mr.. Palmer, if could get $4,000 could
pledge my own vote and that of Col. May, on
the Senatorial election" | said, +" Howl" He
replied, very knowingly, 1--WE room together,
and are going to vote together" | said "$50t
is great deal of money! and then we parted
This was the only conversation that transpired
on our passage up.
About fifteen minutes after we arrived at Be-
nicia, Mr.. Peck introduced me to Col. May. |
saw MIR. Peck in the evening and nodded TO him,
but had no conversation with him until the
Tuesday following. MIR. Peck then called, as
have been told, at the Office of Palmer, Cook &
Co., and enquired for me. After l returned to
the Office, and at about o'clock, MIR Peck called
in and sad "Mr Palmer, should like to have
a few moments conversation with you" My
reply was, I" am engaged, Mr.. Peck; l cannot
see you"
did not see MIR. Peck for some time after this
occurrence; and this is all the conversation |
ever had with Mr.. Peck.
At the time of writing this, our latest dates
from Bencia are to the 9th, the investigation
mp to that time having occupied four days. We
have the evidence of MIR. Peck. Mr. Selover,
Mr.. Lent, and the affidavit of VIM. II. Graham.
Mr.. Selover tesiifies that during conversa-
ton with MIR. Peck relative to the propriety of
bringing ON the Senatorial election this winter,
g he said his mind was not definitely made up,
or words to that effect; he said he had been un-
fortunate in the country; that his sickness,
the sickness in his family. and his election ex-
penses, $4,000 would not make him whole; and
he repeated in the same tone and almost in the
same BREATH that he had no objection to making
money ont Of his position; that might know de-
hnitely the character OF the man and make sure
l understood him. put the question TO him, and
he reiterated the same statement" Again, while
standing in front of the Bella Union, waiting for
friend, 9 Peck said that politicians life was
very thankless one, that they seldom got much
credit for what they did; concurred, and he
said that he wished he was out Of it, as his elec-
ton expenses and his sickness were SO heavy
that $4,000 would not make him whole and, he
added, some people had no objections to make
money out of their positions; told him sup
posed So"
Mr.. Graham sesti6es, among other things, the
following: Meg
.'On Tuesday. the 10th of January, instant
called at the banking house OF P. c. & Co. to see
Mr. Palmer on business MIR. P. and had been
in front office or banking room four FIVE min
utes when MIR. Peck came: Mr. Peck spoke to
Mr. Palmer, and one or the other of these ex
pressions "A few words with you in private
Mr.. Palmer, if you please, or "A few moments
with you, Mr. Palmer, in private;'' was lit
tie asfounded at Mr. Peck's coming up and
speaking to Mr.. Palmer in that way, as MIR. z.