Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-04-16


ungcncrous, unfounded and malicious ~
ing, without the shadow Of an apc!csy.
have another statement To make,
which | shall do as concisely n5 possible.
When ! arrived at Chicago did not meet
Mr.. Wilson, aud found that | should not
for some weeks. AT the earnest 'oIicita-
ton Of my friend, DIR. Train, ] was IN
duced to make a flying trip to Nebraska,
expecting to be absent some three weeks;
On arriving in Nebraska, made several
investments, which delayed me much lon
ger than | expected. Just as had COM
pletcd my arrangements TO return, ! was
applied to by a number OF the best men,
aud highest in position in the Terrhory'
TO 90 up the Platte river, on the north
side, and select a site for the Capitol of
the Territory, as a large majority of the
people desired It's removal declined
the proposition; but | ultimately conscnt-
cd TO remain a few weeks longer, they
agreeing that the effort should be made IN
favor of the town of Douglas, on the south
side, # which | was a part owner.-Thls
movement was and is popular in all parts
of the Territory, except the present Cap
itol. 1t was found from the very begin
ming, that the Speakers Of both houses,
and more than two thirds Of bo'h houses
Of the Legislature, were i'll favor of the
removal. The bill was passed by the
Legislature, but was vetoed by the Gov
ernor. Two Of the friends of the remo-
val were VIGOROUSLY bribcd and our two
thirds vote thereby destroyed in one of the
houses, and thus the bill was lost. Dur
ing the passage of the bill, the excitement
was intense, the Omaha mob over-awlng
the Legislature to an extent that compell-
ed them to call on the Governor for three
hundren armed men TO protect them. The
more prominent and determined members
and myself were threatened with the mob,
I, with assassination, &C., and called al
sorts of ugly names. During ali this time
| remained quietly in my room, not visit
ing the legislative halls. But in my room
r gave to the friends of the bill the bene-
t fit of whatever Legislative experience ]
S possessed. This is the sum of my often
E ding-the whole Of it.. Who is there thai
would not have aided to place the capitol
. of the territory on his property! 1t was
: lnsinuated broadly, (for no acts were ever
| charged-only words of vulgar abuse
5 that | had bribed the Legislature. IL
bribe an official under the present regime
is regarded merely in the light Of a COM
mon and rather clever pecadillo, and
scarcely more 10 be bribed. But | declare
that the intimation in my case Is utterly
false. | never gave or sold n lot, OF
. gave one cent in any form TO any mem
I Ter of the Legislature for tina! or any pur'
pose. But, on the contrary, | hold nov
> every lot | ever owned in Douglas City
;, or can show to whom | sold them. ontsidt
:, the Legislature, for fair prices-and thu
$ can all be proven, were II necessary.
1t has also been said, tina, having tried
to wrong Omaha, | was about tc turn OF
my friends, Bowen and Strickland, anC
J swindle them. Mssrs. Bowen and Strick
land, in the next issue of their paper, Sc
this foolish Islander right, by declarin:
truly, that | had never had any dealing
: with them to the amount Of one cen. Tn
y fact is, that, while | have been charge
Of with abandoning my family, ! have bee
of most laboriously and successfully strugg
n ling for their welfare, by means to wlic
none can object.
As to my course in Nebraska, | can re
fer to Col. Parker (of Virginia, } and Co
Gilmore of tn Land Office, Chief Ju;
ic. tice Ferguson, Peter A. Sarpy, the grei
let Indian Trader, and Mr.. Allan, head
nd the Bellevue Mission. All Of them me
at of the most unimpeachablc honor aad il
We tcgrity in the Territory, and who are n
or only acquainted with my whole cour:
We while there, but with my motives and O.
Sc lects. ! refer, indeed, to every man
". the Territory, who will speak from h
". own knowledge and is not a liir.
he Having said this much, | leave the bat
' slanderers, who started these rumors,
tc, enjoy whatever of fendiSh qualification
L. may give them. | will only add in CO
aE- clusion, that having found in That gre;
m grand country-Nebraska-al land that
Ir. fers me much greater inducements, TIL
20, where ! now reside, | shall resign Il
| position | hold, and remove 10 Nebrasl
to uninAuenced 10 this course by anythil
er, but a determination TO better the conC
ton Of myself and family.
ri Very truly, Sc,
in. Il. w. McCOMAS