Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-14
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP
The senate's Committee on Frauds on the
Treasury.-It may not be generally known
that the Committee of the last Congress, (con-
sisting of Mr.. Soule, Mr.. Brodhead, Mr.. Clarke,
MI. Pratt and Mr.. Bayard,, made q very tho
rough investigation of all the facts within
their reach bearing on the payment Of the
money on the Gardiner claim, &c. They had
before them large number Of witnesses, in
Guiding all DR.. GARDENERS counsel and attor-
neys AT their request, the Chem Executive
brought the Hon. Henry May into the case,
md authorized the commission, with Mr.. NJ.
at its head, which went to Mexico to search
tor the pretended mines. They collected a
mass Of testimony there, which they refrained
from making public at the time, lest by so
doing they might put the defendant and his
aiders and abettors oa their guard, and thus
defeat the ends of justice. Shortly before the
end of the last session, Mr.. Soule prepared
himself to make a full report, but a pressure
Of other matters made him abstain from so
ioing. Subsequently, if we are not greatly
mistaken, Mr.. Bayard probably in connection
with Mr.. Brodhead, who took leading and
active part in the Committees labors,) has
prepared report and it only remains fol-
them to present it, it seems to US. The ques-
ion is, whether its promulgation at this time
might in any manner serve to alarm and thus
ootify parties in advance of a prosecution, who
may be directly or indirectly implicated in
the testimony which the Committee have accu.
mulated. We learn that General Waddy
Thompson, in his examination, testified that he
had not the slightest knowledge or idea of the
fraudulent character of the claim, or of the
preparation Of fraud or perjury to sustain it.
This Committee received complaints ' from
some sixty parties who had claims before the
commission in question, some alleging that they
had improperly received nothing, and Others
that the awards in their favor mad been too
small. To all of them communications were
sent, calling for proofs of improper acts on the
part of the Commission in connection with
those GASES, so that Investigations might be
instituted. Their complaints, however, stopped
with their original letters to the Committee,
no such proof as called for being attempted to
be adduced.
We trust that the public will soon have the
whole benefit of their labors The conviction
Of George A. Gardiner would hardly have
occurred but through the steps originated by
them. a.
The Gardiner Case.-The Washington cor
respondent of the New York National Demo-
crat, says:
Among the curiosities Of the Gardiner case
was the wonderful bainboozling of ladies and
gentlemen as to the justice of his claim. Poor
fellow he was man made to win confidence
and esteem. In his trip to Washington, up the
Mississippi, he was on the same boat with Col
Jefferson Davis, then just from his service in
Mexico. He managed to walk most efectually
into the Colonel's affections and sympathies
storm, Mrs. Chase of Tampico, and diver:
others. During his residence here, he lived al
Wizards, in clover, Jared sumptuously and
dressed in fine linen every day! He effectu.
ally blinded several correspondents for papers
in New York and elsewhere some of whom he
held in regular pay. Until the issue of his
frat trial, hdkept open parlors and entertain.
ed handsomely. He hoodwinked almost eve
rybody. The progress of the first trial, how
ever, and the issue of it, had the effect t.
quicken the perceptions of those who had pre-
tended to believe in Gardiner and his claim
and the awful results of the final trial have
effectually blown all doubts to the winds"
twill be recollected that during the origi
nal trial we hal occasion to discuss the case
| because we found in this same New York Ma
tton0I Democrat, q communication from Wash
ington, maligning the counsel for the prosecu
ton, the officers Of the Government, and tn,
| witnesses adverse to Gardiner, which had beer
| brought originally to US for publication, witt
| an offer to pay us handsomely if we would ad
NIT it into our columns as a communica alton
which we refused peremptorily to do on tn
ground that it embraced total misrepresent
| alton Of the case.
! We, on that occasi on, pointed out many Of tn
facts stated in the letter to the National Dem
| ocrat which We quote this afternoon, and re
| ceived, as consequence, oceans of abuse il
| the columns Of that Journal as our reward,
will be recollected.
Who's Entitled to the Premium we un
derstand that certain disoursing officers of tn
| army in California have been in the habit Q
drawing bills of exchange upon the prope
military bureau at Washington, payable Il
Nsv YORK.. It is supposed that the amour
drawn for one year, In this way, by one dis
bursting officer, exceeds a million of dollars
| Exchange on New York has borne premium
in San Francisco, during the time, of fror
three to five per cent; and, no premium bein
| credited to the Government in the accounts O
| these officers, we are led to believe that the
have been called upon for explanations an
that, in the mean time, the proper Auditor ha
charged them with the current rate of premium
at the time the >ills were negotiated. Wbe
| exchange at any place where public drat
may be drawn is against the Government, tn
discount infallibly appears as charge in tn
| dsbursing officers account; and it is hut jus
| that when a premium may be obtained o.
| Government drafts, the United States shout
| have the benefit Of it. No necessity exists 70
resorting to this roundabout way Of gettin
money, for the public depositary at San Fran
cisco had, and has, ample funds on hand 70
| all the wants Of the public service in tina
| region; and We understand that directions hav
been given that the disbursiug officers ther
shall. in future, obtain their supplies fror
that source and not by drafts payable in Ne