Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-03-30
as coming from DR.. Davis had no. fixed

L
his attention. as @
| President Fillmore was deeply move
upon this statement, and expressed him
self with much feeling. Mr.. Crit,er
den profoundly regretted his appareu
negligence in SO momenlous a matter
and by his subsequen, diligence an
zeal. within the sphere OF his ofiicia
duties, compensated for the error. Hap
PLY the resolule spirit of DR.. Davis pre-
vented the consummation of the fraud
so that the misapprehsnsions of the A,
torney General did not in any degree i'm
pair the case.
The Government was, by this event
fully apprised, and a, the same tim,
convinced of ihe fraudulent character O
the whole transaction. Before proceed
ing with the active demonstration agalns
Gardiner, another circum stance just sub
sequent 10 this event must be mentioned
About the last Of June, 1851, Mr.. Ed.
ward Curtis, whom we named as former
counsel Of Gardiner, notified Presiden
Fillmore of his uspicions about the va.
lidiiy OF the claim, aud informed the
President tina, certain j. A. Porte. a
Frenchman. who had resided in Mexico,
and an intimate friend OF Gardner, had
stated TO WINS Parrot and his brother
John Parros. who hsd also been claim
ants Tor indemnify for tobacco. before
the Board, that Gardinef had told hin
(Por:e) on the eve of his departure for
England. that he had managed to pose
on the Government fraudulent claims,
aud that a member of The Mexican le.
CATION in Washington had assisted him
(GardineD by procuring from Mexico
the stamped paper that was necessary
for the forgeries.
Soon afterwards, Mr.. Curtis again
wrote TO Mr.. Fillmore, saying that Par.
roil had seen Porte, who promised to
put in writing what he had said to The
PARROTS. La this communication. Mr..
Curtis also stated tirat he had been en-
gagged as counsel in Gardiner's case by
General Waddy Thompson. The lat.
ter, when examined as witness before
the House OF Representatives denied
this. MIR. Curtis shortly afterwards
went TO Saratoga, where VIM. s. Par
rott wrote to him, saying that though
Porte had promised TO give the paper. he
had not done SO. In July Parrou wrote
Il second letter reaffirming Porte's state.
men,. and adding lha. Porte had declined
to put in the writing The language of
Gardiner, as he had promised. All Of
which Mr.. Curtis communicated 10 the
President. who then directed the district
attorney, Mr.. Fendall, to bring the mat
lie. before the grand jury. Porte was
then brought by process before the grand
jury, when be denied, positively, that he
had ever made any such statements. aud
declared that he knew nothing about the
fraudulent character Of Gardeners claim
Other Witnesses, however. were found
in Washington who were sufficiently in.
formed upon other matters relating to the
fraud. upon whose testimony the indict.
ment was found upon which Gardner
was convicted on Friday last. We now
return to the process Of Development.
Mr.. George w. Slacum was a, this
time in Mexico. He was engaged in
come investigations there, and at The in.
stance of Governor I.etcher, u. S. Min
lister, at Mexico. with whom our govern
ment had communicated on the subject,
proceeded to investigate the matter OF The
Gardiner claim. He was prevailed on
by Governor Leicher to 60 to Sar Louis
Po,osi and there make local inquiry
upon the subject. He examined the ar
chleves. acquired all possible information
TO subs.an,ia,e the fraud. performed his
duty with fidelity, and made most sat
isfaciory report. He brought witnesses
from Mexico, upon whose testimony The
second indictment for forgery was
found.
II may be remembered with wha, per-
tinaci.y all these proceedings were as
sailed by Gardiner and his advisers; and
the position they still occupied was such
as TO render doubtful the result Of pros.
ecu.ion under the existing circums,an.
ces. AT this time the Mexican commis.
sion was determined upon by the gov
ernment. Presiden, Fillmore declaring
his purpose to expend every dollar in
the Treasury that he could constitution.
ally command to bring the matter 10 a
fair and thorough JUDICIAL invesdva,ion.
MIR. Crittenden as Attorney General. be.
ing applied TO, furnished an opinion on
the construction of the law, which ius.i
fed the special commission. A commit
tee OF Congress authorized il, and at The
instance OF committee Henry May,
Esq, now a member Of Congress. from
Baltimore. was named a. he head Of the
Commission. having been already called
into the case by President Fillmore.-
Mr.. May objected 10 the appointment,
but accepted il at the urgen. solicitation
of Mr.. Fillmore. The other members
Of the commission were Capt. WIN. w.
Hunter, of the navy. a resolu.e aud per.
severing man; James r. Partridge, Esq.,
of the Baltimore bar, very able young
man, and master Of Spanish language;
Abner Doubleday, of The United States
Army, on efficient member OF the COM
mission, and MIR. Buckingham Smith,
formerly Secretary of Legation in Mex.
leo. g94 &a8h4 sa4 .sairE aS.
In THE matter the determination and
perseverance of President Fillmore were