American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-02-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
Corruption business I'm Congress,
Important Proceedings.

That during the progress of their in
vestigation, they had summoned as wit
nesses, James w. Simonton, the cor
respondent of the New York Times,
that among other questions the follow
ing was proposed to him:-You state
that certain members havo approached
and have desired to know if they could
not, through you, procure money for
their votes upon certain bills. Will
you state who these members were?-
And said Smonton made the following
response:--"I cannot without violation
of confidence, than which / would ra-
Their suffer any thing" In response
to other questions Of similar import,
he said: ''Two have made them direct;
others have indicated desire to talk
with me upon these subjects and l have
warded it off, not giving them an OPP
portunity to make distinct PROPOSE
ton" TO the question, what do un-
derstand you to mean when you say
these communications were made d.
rect? Mr.. Simonton replied:
81 mean that after having obtained
a promise Of secrecy from me in regard
to them, they then said to me that GER
tain measures pending before Con-
gress ought to pay; that the parties
interested in them had the means to
pay; that they, individually needed
money, and that they desired me to
specifically arrange matters in such
way that if the measures passed they
should receive pecuniary compensa-
ton"
The committee was impressed with
the materiality of tho testimony, with
held by the witness, as it embraced
the letter and spirit of the inquiry d.
rected by the House to be made, but
were anxious to avoid any controversy
with the witness. They consequently
rescinded the interrogatory that day to
give witness time for reflection on the
consequences of his refusal, and to af-
ford him an opportunity to look into
the law and practice of the House in
such cases, notifying him that he wo' d
on some subsequent day be recalled
This was ON the 18th day of January.
On Tuesday, the 22d inst. said ST.
monton was recalled, and the identical
question first referred to was again
propounded. After due notice to him
that if he declined, the committee wo'd
feel constrained to report his decina-
ton to the House, and ask that body
to enforce all its powers in the premis-
es to compel full and complete res
ponse to that interrogatory, he made
the following reply, and we give it in
full that no injustice may be done to
Mr.. Simonton in this report. He said
''Before stating the determination |
have come to on this subject, [ desire
to say that l do not here dispute the
power Of the committee, and | have not
heretofore declined to answer that
question upon any such grounds-have
all respect for the committee and the
House. l do not decline in order to
sc.vei. the members, my dcclination
was based upon my own convictions of
duty. Since was last before the COM
mittcc, in Difference to their Judgment
and wishes, | have examined the case
Of Anderson vs.. Dunn, to which they
referred me, and have considered very
fully what ought to DO in this decision,
as we'll rs in view Of other considera-
tons. The result of my deliberations
upon the subject has been to confirm
me in tho opinion that whatever penal
ty / may suffer, l cannot answer that
question.
81 beg the committee to understand
that | have no other motive whatever
in declining, but the simple one that
have stated before, that l cannot an
swer that question without dishonor-
able breach of confidence. The an
swer to the question can, by no posi-
bility, be supposed to reflect discredit
upon myself, and L presume that my
statement Of that motive, is corrobora-
ted by the facts as they appear before
the committee. / must insist upon
declining to answer that question"
The Committee recommend the a.
doption of the following resolution:
"That the Speaker issue his warrant
directed to the Sergeant at Arms, com.
handing bin to take into custody the
body of said Simonton, wherever he be
found, and the same forthwith have be-
fore said House, at the bar thereof, to
answer for q contempt of the authority
of this House."
Mr.. Orr not considering it necessa-
ry to say any thing in support Of the
resolution, merely asking that it be put
on its passage. This being done he
should report from the Committee, a
bill more efectually to enforce the at
tendance of witnesses on the summons