Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-03-17
From the Washington Union
The Investigation of Frauds.

1t was wise in MIR. Stanton, chairman OF Inc judi
cary Committee in the Hous., to propose a wider
scope of investigation than that designated by the
resolution under which the Gardiner fraud was re-
ferred 10 the Judiciary Committee for examination
It wise and patriotic in the House to accede
promptly to his proposition and to direct the lnVesti
CATION to embrace all the cases which were settled
and paid by the board which allowed and paid DR..
Gardeners claim This was due to all the parties
concerned in any shape in those awards. Assuming
that the commissioners acted honestly and faithfully
in the discharge of their duties, they cannot but be
gratihed at movement which is intended to mete
out handed Justice in regard to TRANSACTIONS
which have acquired painful nooriety from the
startling Developments of crime and fraud which have
given so much interest to the trial and conviction
and suicide of DR.. Gardiner The very fact that one
case of so much turpitude allowed by the board
ha suggested a ready suspicion that it might not
have been the only that originated and was con-
summated in crime. 1t is due to those who had hon
est claims, and who sustained them by honest means,
that all suspicion should be removed from their cases
by thorough Investigation and all who are thus
connected with the action of the board will thank the
members of the Louise for giving to them the oppor-
tunty to vndicate their characters from all un ust
mputatons If there be other cases which, like
that of Gardiner, conceived and consummaed
by crimes of the deepest dye, the guilty parties
should be exposed and pursued. Gentlemen who
have been professionally connected with the several
claims before the board cannot fail to dice that the
House has enlarged the field for examination OF
its judiciary Committee as to enable them to vindi-
cate their association with the cases from all I'M url-
Gus suspicious. 1t may not be that the investigation
in its more extensive range will result in restoring
to the treasury any of the money supposed to be
pIundered from it. We sincerely hope that when the
thoroughly sited it will be found that the
fraud Of Gardiner stands solitary and alone. The
money expended on the investigation would be we'll
appropriated with such result. But are graft
fled at the movement, not so much with any expec-
tation of recovering the money Illegally obtained as
because the earnestness and energy with which ii has
been commenced and prosecuted cannot fail to exert
happy moral influence upon the public mind II
cannot fail TO result in the announcement and euc
dation of principles connected with the purity of Of
fetal conduct which will induce the people to repose
increased confidence in their public servants and en-
able these public servants, to whom the federal leg
isaton of the country intrused, to exhibit theil
devotion 10 official as we'll as private virtue.
The following is the vote by which the Homestead bill
was l07 yeas, to II nays.
YEAsSMessrs ,Abercrombie, Jas Allen, Willis Allen
bell Carpenter Caruthers Chamberlain, Chandler Chase
Chrisman, Churchwell. Clark, Cobb, Cook Corwn Cox
Eastman Edgeon Elicit Ellison English Ewing FarIeT
Florence Gamble Goodrich Green, Greenwood, Grey,
Johnson jones' jones' jones' s0T Knox si Lane
I.indey Lindsay, McCulloeh MeMulen, Macy, Maxwell
dds Andrew Oliver Oliver Peckham Pennington
Phelps Preston Png Ready, Richardson Thos Ritchey
VIM r Smith, stanton, r H Stanton, H L Stevens
Stratton, Stuart, L Taylor, Thurson Trout Tweed
| Vail, Vansant, Wabridge, Warren, Washburne
Wentworth, T Wentworth, Wesbrook, Wheeler.H
/ Wright, Yates, and Zollcoffer-lO7
I NAYs-Messrs Aiken, Appleton Ashe, T H Bayly Banks
dale Becher, Benson, Rocock, Boyce, Brooks Caskie
Chastain Clngman, COqut, Craige, Croker, Cumming
Cutting, Tbs Davies, Dent, Dewitt Dickinson Dowde ia
mOnds Edmundson, Faulkner Franklin, Fuller, Goode
Hamilton s W Harris, w Harris, Hastings, Haven, ITbb
Ktredge Kurtz, Letcher, McDougal, Mcqueen Mateson
May, Meaeham Miller Millson, Morrison, Perkins,
Sabin, Seward, Seymour, Shaw Smith, W smith SmitI
Snodg Tracy. Upham, Washbum, and H Wright