Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1854-04-05

ssss for indemnity f,r tuSSkccw befV4us ~
~. that Garlilsr Ind sNl a hins kN Nh
g. II ssais sls;9s ltys faf ISsssss sast III
s,s',, siss g 8, s.''l M NM ' z
4 = atless IN " ash.naton had 1 4in
4 w procq ss sshas
Mr. Fillmore, saying that Parrott bad yeen
Porte. who promised to put in writing what
he had said to The PARROTS. In this. commu-
picaion Mr.. Curtis also stated that he had
been engaged as counsel in Gardeners cause
by Gen. Waddy Thompson. The latter. when
examined as a witness before the House Of
Representatives., denied this Mr. Curtis
shortly after went to Saratoga, where VIM s
Parrott wrote to him saying, that though Porte
had promised to give him the paper, he had
moi done so. In July. Parrott wrote a second
letter reatiirming Porte's Statement, and add
ing that Porte had declined to put in writing
the language of Gardiner, az he had promised
tAt Of which Mr.. Curtis communicated to the
President, who then directed the District At.
torney Mr. Fendall to bring the matter before
the Grand Jury. when he denied, positively,
Chat he had ever made any such statements
aud declared that he knew no;hing about the
fraudulent character Of GARDENERS claim. 9th
er witnesses, however, were found ia Washing
ton ho were sufficiently informed upon mat
1els relating to the fraud, upon which tes'i-
Ancny the Indictment was found upon which
kardner was convicted on Friday last. We
Tow return to the process of development.
Mr. George w Slocum was at this time in
exco. He was engaged in some investiga
slis there, and AZ the instance of Gov Letcher
kted States Minister at Mexico, with whom
Government had communicated on the
biect, proceeded to investigate the matter of
ltke Gardiner claim. He was prevailed on by
Gov. Letcher to go to San Luis Potosi. and
Ahere make locai inquiry upon TIE subject -
He examined the archive,.acq quired all possible
to suustaniiate the fraud, perform.
I'd his duty with fidelity, and made most sat
ksfactory report. He brought witnesses from
Mexico. upon whose testimony the second in
Die melt for forgery was found.
1t may be remembered with what pertinacity
Ill these proceedings were assaied by Gar
diner and his advisers; and the position they
still occupied was such as to render doubtful
the result Of prosecution under existing cir.
cumstances.. At this time the Mexican Com.
mission was determined upon by the Govern.
sAent, President Fillmore declaring his pur
pose to expend every dollar in the Treasury
that he could constitutionally command to
bring the matter u q fair and thorough judicial
investigati0n Mr. Crittenden a. Attorney Gen.
lerol being spp lied to, furnished an opinion
| r, the cunstruction Of Law, which justified the
I P1G1al 16mlpi issiOn. A committee cf Congress-
4 aut6Qsised IL, and 1t the instance of the com,
nitso Henry May Esq. now a member OF
Congress Rom Baltimore, was named at the
head Of the Commission. having been already
called into the case by President Fillmore. Mr.
May objected to the appointment, but accept
ing it At the urgent solicitation of Mr. Fillmore
4 The other members Of the Commission were
Capt VIM w Hunter, of the Navy, and res
olute and persevering man; james K Partridge
Esq, OF the Baltimore bar, very able young
man, and a master ot the spanish language;
Abner Doubleday, Of the U s Army, an eff
cient member Of the Commission, and Mr..
Buckingham Smith, formerly Secretary OF the
y Legation in Mexico.
81 In this matter the determination and per
Of President Fillmore were most ef
fectaaly seconded BY the energy and zeal Of
Mr. Conrad, Secretary Of War, who anticipated
the wants and consulted the wishes OF the
j Commission in every respect.
The commission proceeded TO Mexico, visi
Id San Luis Potosi, explored the whole OF the
(cinity in which the mine Of Gardiner was
yid to be located. They examined rccord-,
5,ining titles, persons, places and used all pos
bible diligence to discover the vacated silver
Inine, but in vain. They succeeded in dis
covering the Mexican accompice Of Mears and
3Gardiner, and while there obtained the CORES.
1pondence, which, it is alleged, transpired be-
I tween Gardiner and his brother, and their
/ Mexican accomplice. The commission was
empowered TO bring witnesses back with them
upon such terms as they deemed expedient.
The Commission returned with evidence
a enough, apparently to carry conviction home
to every unprejudiced mind. 1t was presen.
ted at the trial of .he case, which soon after.
4 ward came on. Much Of it was ruled out and
i all of it was so adroitly assailei by the de-
fence that the jury did not yield their convic
! tions to what was brought before them. They
Il failed TO agree and it was understood that nine
were for acquitaL, and three. who fortunately
stood firm to their belief; were for conviction.
i A new trial was necessary. And, in the in
4 terim another commission was ordered to
Mexico under MAJOR Mordecai The result oi
their investigation substan iated the facts as
serted by the first in every particular. They
bad, moreover. the attested location Of the
mine, as ELECTED from witnesses on the first
lfrial,. which was alleged to be ten miles
4 south Of Lagunillos. No mine was found
I there, nor was there any knowledge o
i one The nearest mines in that direction were
/ fifty miles south Of Lagunillos, observations
having been made by Cppt. Barry, valuable
and scientific member of the Commission, and
conclusive testimony advanced by him as Il
the fact;
Mr. Charles b. Bowes, an American artist
who was dispatched to Mexico after the returl
of the last commission to procure the bounda
res of San Louis Potosi, returned with thu
most decisive proof, that the location Of III,
mines In question were in Que.eto. and not il
San Louis Potpsi This commission also vi,i
ted the location Of Mear's Quicksilver mine -
1t was discovered--a hole fifteen feet deep
dug to order since the award Of s SO, 900! Th
hole was a concession to the Hberaliiy of th
United s ates, and token Of respect frou
Mears to the outraged dignity of his dupe.-
But Gardiner did not even offer the pretence O
4 q broken turf
4 The commission learned while in Mexic,
that Mears hao received from Gardiner the as
euraDce Of success. That ..Gen Pierce has
keen elected to the Presidency of the Unitet
tates aud his affairs were now brighter thar
yer, as he had friends who could nfuenc
e new President We suppose Gen. Pierc
hardly need protection against such com
ment as this. 1t is due him, however. T.
that he has used all HE influence and con
tnsional authority TO enable the prosectioi
n Apro luce the legal testimony available in ih
c&se; and much Is also due to the public spir
III 0f the Hon. JEFF Davis, Secretary of War
: We should leave undone an important par
1 Lsf ons duty 10 the public VI We omitted to re
!, n "A tho late trial This was conducted b,
le same counsel - fhe preceding; on the par
q ths prosecution by Phillip r Fendall. Esq
Il Qoited 6sases District Attorney, and the Ho
tHalty Mr.. These Gentlemen have been in
n tinstely and lsboriouly assoc lated with tn
60 from IL earliest develoments.
~ Nay = has been already stated, bad tn