The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1854-04-15

THE GARDINER FRAuD.--The Union" states
that the President is determined to prosecute
every person connected with the Gardiner
fraud, and ada;
"lhc guilty who may be within reach Of
the law may rest assured that they will be
dragged into the light Of day, No position
shall shield them from, no past services rescue
them. and no corrupt influences can bc invoked
to shield from the fate they have merited.---
When men coolly plot the dishopor Of their
country, they, in advance, part with all claims
upon her mercy They are, in their own
minds condemned, aud the Executive only in
llie,s the sentence which they have pronounc-
cd upon themselves"
Tho New Orleans Delta says, in relation to
the Gardiner fraud, by which tho Government
was swindled out Of some 1927 900, the un-
fortunate parsonage in the affair has removed
himself from the reach Of criticism and con-
dcmnation, but there arc others who are living
amid wealth and honors, who haye not this
shield. into whose conduct and connection with
this fraud n thorough and sitting scrutiny
should be made. The Delta states and CON-
nents upon the case very pertinently, m fol-
laws.
Gardiner obtained $i2s 900 Of the Board
of Mexican claims, as tho amount of damage
sustained during the Mexican war. The Board
consisted OF George Evans, Of Maine. Robert
T. Paine, Of North Carolina, Caleb j. Smith,
of Indiana Gardiner had been volunteer
Assistant Surgeon IN the Mexican war, and
previous TO that, travelling dentist Such
q source ought to have awakened suspicion
and inquiry, Butt does not appear that tie
4Dard Of Commissioners troubled themselves
much about the matter, but very readily yield
cd TO the madc-up testimony Of Gardiner, and
granted tho amount claimed.
This was strange in such shrcwd and able
lawyers as George Evans and Caleb j. Smith.
But Gardiner appears to havo played his part
very adroitly in employing proper COUNSEL
First, he secures Major Lally, son.in-law of
Evans, with contingent Of $4,000 next
Thomas Corwin, tho particular friend and las.
very large fee, which, when appointed Secrc.
tary of the Treasury, no sold for $4,000, to
George Law, and lastly, Gen. Waddy Thomp-
son, OF South Carolina, for his knowledge of
Spanish, his acquaintance with Mexico, is &C.
cured to supcrntcnd the case and prepare tho
proof
Now, MS lawyers must necessarily be In tho
secrets of NIL cases which they prosecute, and
as their skill and knowledge were required in
tho preparation Of tho necessary proofs, we
think that tho gentlemen referred 10 arc placed
in situation which demands one Of two alter
natives, either tho surrender Of the money
obtained by them through the fraud Of apethcr
or such strong and satisfactory exhibit as
| will clear their skirts Of all complicity and
conpection with tho gigantic fraud. & is
impossible to believe that a mere dentist could
concoct SO ingenious web as that which tho
shrowd Commissioners wcro immeshed, with
out tho aid Of experienced and skillfnl astor-
neys. Who are these attorneys, becomes an
interesting inquiry TO the whole country
Such inquiry may bc useful, not only In ex-
posing tho moaks cgsran,si of this fraud, but
also Of many other similar ones, by which tho
Government has been robbed, and system Of
| chichanery, corruption and fraudulent imposi-
capitol