The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-03-04
stt GFrom the a lbany Atlas.] H<-F 81
" THERE IS DEATH IN THE POT !''
The Revelations of Corruption at
Washington

Washington
Black sepublicanism Revealed.
We have given an outline of the de-
1 bate on the resolutions introduced into
Congress by the Investigating Commit.
tee, and a synopsis of the testimony
brought before them These disclosures
show that Judge Edwards, NJ. c., from
the Chautauque District of this State
offered fellow member, Mr.. Paine, Of
N. c., 81 500 to secure the passage of 8
land bill in which he, Edwards, and 9th
srs we're interested. 1t was upon this
charge, now fully proved, that the in.
Vestigation was based. The Committee
raised upon this accusation, extended
their inquiries farther; and found that
Mr. Triplett, a book publisher, had been
compelled to agree to pay Sl3, 800 to
Mr.. Gilbert, another. member of Con-
gress, from this State; and that the
same member received for his vote. and
services in procuring land grants, sev,
en- square miles of land and some stock
that Mr.. Welch, of Connecticut, had
charged $50 to help forward widows
pension bill, and had dabbled in the levy
of black mail in the book purchase; and
that O.. B. Matteson, of this State, had
required $4,000 in stock, in order, with
other arrangements, to secure the con-
irmation Of a land grant to the Des
Moins Navigation Company, and had
disclosed the existence of.an organiza-
.ion of members of Congress to exact
pay for their votes, of which he was be-
lieved to be the leader.
What is remarkable in the evidence
is the disclosure it affords of an organ
lied and systematic corruption. 1t is
not the frailty of an individual that is
tempted and gives way it is the com
bination and the mutual agreement of
many members, in system of extortion
and corruption and the courage and
confidence with which the purpose of
the organization is carried out, thai
makes this disclosure startling
Mr.. Matteson. of Oneida, declared
to parties intereste in bill, that $780,
900 was necessary to pass it; '.tor there
acre taoenty or thirty members of the
House, a0lto had assoca4ted themselves to-
get5ter and pledged each other not to Uote
for any bill or resolution granting mon
ey or lands unless they acere paid for
it," and when the agent for the Corpo-
ration to be benefited, refused to have
anything more to do with him, he wrote
to the President the following letter:
@ (PRIvATE.
-45 WASHINGTON, July Is, 1856.
Dear Sir-The Committee in our
House have agreed to report your reso-
luton on Minnesota to 272, 900 acres,
or as you wish it, but there is much
trouble in the way. Some outsiders
make mischief. Are you willing to let
your quarter of the factory to be cut up
and used to carry it through in addi-
ton to what Stryker arranged can
have some agent promise outsiders stock
in new factory. Let me know with
out fail by return mail as hess 81
a1s Truly,
(Sigued,) o. B. NJ.
To w. G. Johnson, Esq.
And in regard to the book -publica-
tion scheme of Mr.. Triplett, for which
sliding scale of prices to members had
been arranged ("if the book was taken
at.s1, ,35 per copy, he would give 81, 800,
if at ST. 40, $500 more; and at the same
rate up to $3.50 per copy,'') the follow
ing order was given as security for the
agreement
The Clerk Of the House of Represen-
tatives will pay to J. r. Sweeney, out
of the appropriation in behalf of me, for
certain copies of my work on the Pen
sion Bounty land and other laws, passed
at this session of Congress, the sum of
$14,5OO, for which this shall be the re-
ceipt.
(Signed,) T. F. G. TRIPLETT.
August, 1856. o.
The sum of $1,000 seems to have been
deposited with Horace Greeley, as it is
explained, for the use of one of these
members, or of some person operating
with them-Mr. Greeley's absense and
evasion of the process to appear and
testify, leaving US without clear expla-
nation.
1t is the existence of this com bination,
which is testified to, vaguely, by many
witnesses, and which, upon hearsay, it
is said to have established tariff of
from $50 to $4,000 for the vote Of each
of its members, and which is provided
by direct testimony to have acted upon
this system-it is this combination,
with its code of procedure and its
stipulations and contracts boldly put in
writing, this is calculated to alarm and
shock the public.
Such combination could not exist in
a representative body, which did not
deal largely in special legislation, in
grants to companies, and largesses to
,peculators It is the benefciaries of
Congress that employ the lobby and COL
.upt the members; and as long as MEM
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