Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-03-02
CONGRESS.

harbor.
The Senate adopted the amendment author
| izlng the Postmaster General TO contract for
the conveyance of the entire letter mails from
Mississippi to San Francisco in four horse
coaches The bill was passed, and the Senate
adjourned.
Notes.-The House resumed the consider
alton Of the resolution for the expulsion of
Mr.. Gilbert
Mr.. Purvance of Pennsylvania, offered as
substitute that the House forthwith proceed
I with the trial
The resolu ion of Mr.. Puryiance was re-
JecIed by y0te of 81 against l09
Mr.. Gilbert rose to speak, al the members
gatheied1n front of him. lie remarked that
he rose with an unusual degree of emotion,
but telt III his own conscience that he was net
condemned- Although he had been placed
thus before this assemblage, and his name
spread broadcast over the land he was con.
WINGED OF his own innocence. He stood here
VOID OF offence. He submitted to gentlemen
OF intelligence, lawyers. whether on such ev.
ldenee they, sitting as a jury, would enforce
judgment III civil suit against him. On
that testimony he had been arraigned, and
serious charges had been preferred against
HIM, which, if true, would affix upon his
name an enduring stigma. HIS position in
Ire was well known, and he cha llenoed any
man to say aught against MS personal or off.
clai conduct. Ii he had been the corrupt
obnoxious man represented, very likely it
would be known where he was best known
Forty years he had lived, and until the pres.
ehi time never had such charge been laid at
his door. lie did not fear the result. Those
dearest to him had said :-"Sus tain your Dig
nlty' let the result be as it may-do no mean
act, and 1t your pursuers follow YOU there,
nHE ptit fyIlr
lie had two daughters growing up-if he was
alone in the world he should feel free as air
out he knew his responsibility. This attempt
TO hx stigma ON his good name was unpre-
cedehted, aud he charged the House with
gross injustice towards han, his family, friends,
constituents, and the world, in depriving him
OF fair hearing. He felt confident that on
trial he should come out unscathed. There
was history connected with Sweeney, vet
secret Sweeney hns been home since he tes,i-
hed. lie has been associated with men who
nave used HIM as a tool, according to his
(Gliberts) honest belief and he thought ne
could be sustained. There are men high in
authority who dare not cross Sweeney's path,
II the House had gone into trial, some as
t~nisht.s 1~--l-lao,,,e ,pnmld have pa.n
made He was prepared, if a trial had Been
accorded, to yindicate himself Mir. Gilbert
then sent up paper, which was read In it
he states that the committee have refused him
far hearings and reported garbled er payte
testimony, with a view to convict him. He
concludes by saying from this moment he has
resigned his seat as member, and has mott
he'd the Governor Of the fact
The House was evidently taken by surprise
at this announcement, and Mr.. Gllbe1t i'm.
mediately left his seat
The resolutions OF the Committee in the
case of Mr.. Gilbert were tabled by 1856 against
S.
Mr.. Morgan sent up letter from Mr.. Mat
teson, addressed to the Speaker, to the effect
that he had, under the resolution previously
adopted, filed his reasons for refusing to sub
nit to the usurpat on of the Committee; as a
trial had been denied To Mr. Gilbert, he had
no right to expect that any larger measure of
justice would be accorded to him He deem
ed it his duty to forthwith to resign his seat as
member OF the House.
Mr.. Bennett of New York moved to table
the Committees resolution respecting Mr.
Matteson.
The House disagreed to the motion by 90
against l02.
MIR. MAtteson was not present during the
proceedings.
Mr. Warner of Georgia having the floor.
proceeded to refer to the testimony in Mr.
Mdtesnn's case, saying that Mr.. Matteson adj
mi ted that the giving of one fourth of a fac
tory, and having here 800 900 to be given to
outsiders, IN order to carry the Des Moines
| bill through, the bill was legitimate. If
such be the moral standard of Mr. Matfeson.
| he should like to know who upheld sucb nm
opinion, and hence wished a vote on the res.
oluuons. Mateson denied that he had COM
miIted an offence on the House, as the money
was not proposed to be used to influence mem.
bers, but referred to legal documents.
| Mr.. Orr of south Carolina made a brief
speech in defence of the Committee.
The first resolution against Nc. Matteson
was adopted by a vote OF l45 against II.
The members who voted III the negative
were Messrs. Albright and Bennett of New
York, Burlingame, Campbell of Ohio, Chat
fee, Clatk OF New York, Colax, Davis of
Massachusetts, Dickson, Granger, Holloway,
Miller OF New York, Morgan Murray, Oliver
of New York, WaIbridge, and Woodruff.
The second resolution was adopted, and the
third was tabled.
Mr.. Davis of Maryland called up Mr..
WEIGHS case.
| Mr.. Stanton said that the House was here
engaged in serious business not affecting alone
the rights OF the member on the floor now
and in the future.
| In reviewing the testimony of Sweeney.
| AZ oAoh'bh p"iN ~ vas uuldilHeuly ialSG on
| its face. During the examination, Sweeney
had manifested deeply settled purpose to
injure Mr. WEIGH, and was STEPPED in perjury
to the very lips. The testimony of Mr.. Inn
lett showed that he had nothing but vague.
loose, and indefinite suspicious.
| Mr.. Walker said his rule was that where a
member OF the House was SO lost to common
sense, so iorgetful OF his own personal dignity,
so regardless of his position as to allow any
man to approach him tor the purpose of brib.
ing him, he not only deserved to be expelled
but he should be kicked out of doors by the
Sergeant AIMS
Mr.. Seward had examined the testimony of
Mr., rriplett aud Mt. Sweeny, and stated that
when they were asked by the Committee
whether they knew of any member who had
expressed expectations TO receive any com.
pensation, they unqualiiiedly answered-No
On the first day OF their examination thew
implicated no member, and the record shows
that they voluntarily came before the Com.
mittoe. He would scorn 60 convict any one
on such testimony. Let Mr. WEIGH 90 with
his fair fame aud character, Tor there was
nothing against him.
Mr. Smith OF Virginia had come to the con.
clusion that the report Of the committee in thia
case ought not to be adopted The conduct
Of Mr.. WEIGH had been manly lie had not
attempted to escape the judgment Of bis peers,
and the testimony against him was altogether
insufficient.
| Mr., Dean merely bore testimony to tho ir-
n. II. a "A. a