Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-10-23
From the Madison Journal
MORE LIGHT WANTED.

] d
Gov. Barstow was one of the principal
conspirators. THIS we believe, and the
| evidence which our belief rests is so
/ convincing that we are unable to doubt
on the subject At the same time we are
open to conviction 1t is very important
that all these facts should be known. as
Gov Barstos Is a candidate for re-elec-
ton, aud 10 honest man would ike to
vote for swind!er knowingly
The Barstow State Central Committee
| for rather Geo b Smith, the chairman)
/ have prepared defence of the Lunatic
| Asylum contract, which has been pub
| lished in the Argus. and subsequently,. by
instructions of said committee, or chair
man, copied into all the Barstow papers
in the State. The source from whence it
eliminates teing directly interested in the
defence will not command general conf
dence and after diligent perusal we re-
greet to say that it entirely fails to estab-
lish what it attempts-that the contract
was in accordance with the law, that it
was highly favorable to the State. and that
Governor Barstow had nothing to do with
it whatever.
There are number of important omis-
/ S.OuS VI oNUUftSStO'SS III luiS Dt-cDCC "
which we call your attention. We trust
that Mr.. Geo. Is. Smith will get out re-
vised edition, with the corrections, forth
with
|. The defence" neglects to state
that the law providing for the Asylum de-
clared that the cost of such building
should not exceed S22, 800
2 1t neglects to state that by the terms
of the Proudfit contract it would have cost
/ S452.I4l,4l in other words. OVER
S429,0O0 MORE THAN THE COST
OF THE STRUCTURE AUTHOR
lied BY THE LEGISLATURE
5. 1t neglects to call attention to the
fact that G. vernon Barstow, In appoint
ing the officers to superintend the cree
ton of the Asylum from among the men,
bers of the Legislature, which crcQtelt
those offices, prior to the expiration of
their terms of Office, was guilty of gross
and palpable violation of Sec II Art "
of the constitution, which declares that
IN member of the Legislature shall, du-
/ ring the term for which he was elected,
! be APPOINTED or elected to any civil Of
fee in the State, which shall have b. en-
! created. or the emolumcnts of which shall
/ have been Increased. during the term for
hIch he was elected.
4. The significant fact that Proudit's
! bid was dated at Waupun, Oct. 18th
EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THE PLANS AND SPEC
lFIcATIoNs, which was prepared by an
eastern architect. REACHED THIS PLACE
BY EXPRESS FROM THE EAST, is altogether
I SUPPRESSED
5 The fact that DR. McLane. the Su.
perintendent advertised. inviting propos-
ais for building the Asylum to be o}oe7lez
on the 20th day Of Octo5er.' and that the
plans aud specifications were to be exhib-
tied at bis Office this place, on anil at.
ter tie 20th Of Septent6er. to enable bid
ders to examine them, and prepare their
bids and that, In accor lance with that
invitation, numerous mechanics and mas
ter builders, who swear that they intend
cd to bid, called at Dr. McLane's Office
repeatedly, at divers times, after the goth
of September and prior to the 25th of
! October to see the plans, and were in
! formed that they had not beer received
I is SUPPRESSED!
! 6. Alden Sanborn. one of the commits
/ s:oncrs under oath testihes that the propo-
/ sal of Andrew ProuG6t ''wAs OPENED No
vEMBER lst, AT ABOUT II oCLoCK AT
NIGHT" and DR. McLane, that ''the con-
/ tract with Mr. Ploudft was entered into
WITH THE ADVICE and consent of the Gov
/ ernor. WHO WAS PRESENT WHEN THE BID
WAS OPENED. as was also Geo B Smith :"
aud yet this very important point is
+ SUPPRESSED
/ 7. The fact that Gov Rarstow, In his
message vetoing the bill to repudiate the
/ fraud ulent contract made tie following
/ statements
/ The fact that the commissioners have
contracted for the erection of a MORE Ex-
TESsIvE AND COSTLY BUILDING THAN Is
| deemed erpeltiet By the legislature, AF-
IFORDS NO REASON IN My JUDO
MENT FOR THE REPEAL OF
/ THIS LAW.
1T was with this understanding THAT
/ the Legislature would sell the Swamp
Lands aud apply the proceeds that the
/ Commissioners adopted the plan for the
/ Lunatic Asylum. admitted by all who
/ have examined it to be admirably adapt
cd to the end in view III Tire same IN
/ derStaadlng and entertaining the same
confluence, | APPROVE OF THE
PLAN PROPOSED BY THEM. and
set forth In their reports to the Legisla-
, ture, is not only SJPPRESSE in this
so called "Defence," but there is actually
an attempt made to show that Gov. Bar
stow was not In any way connected with
/ the fraud Il
g. The Barstow papers that have cop
led this Defence" from the Argus anil
Democ7n have all SUPPRESSED the
fact that Proudft, the contractor, pur-
chased that sheet Immediately after the
investigation of the Asylum matter was
begun, and that he has owned it since
that time "A very important point.
which. if generally known, might be to
some, satisfactory explanation OF many
of the above mentioned suppressions
All the above facts need explanation
before honest men can vote for Barstow
Give US light. We have had enough
of lodges and evasions The people Of
Wisconsin are too intelligent to be deceiv
ed by any such humbug as the Defense
put forth, which omits all reference to The