The Hillsborough recorder., 1857-03-11
THE CORRUPTION CASES.

sentaiives did lis duty yesterday, near as il is
to the end Of this Congress, by expellng the
four men whose foal corruption has been
established. 1t is doubtless true that these
four are not the only guilty ones, but they
are all that have been found out. let them
be kicked out oi Congress, asa warning to all
others, SO that il possible the system OF bay
ng votes may be arrested.
An attempt was made TO screen them, even
before the Committee had presented its re-
ports. All sorts Of objections were made by
Messrs. Bennett and Grow, two of the lead
ers of their party, whs centeaded that the
committee had exceeded lis powers, and that
the accused had been tried without an op.
portunity of defeating themselves. But this
was Instantly dispruyed. The accused had
been present, had been examined themselves,
and allowed to examine other witnesses.
The Reports are very long, occupying ten
columns OF the Washington Union. The tes-
timony will probably il a small volume. The
following are the material facts:
the correspondent of the N. Y. Times,
(Slmonton,) on whose statements the inyesti-
cation was originally proposed. testified that
he personally aided in the passage Of the
ceiying certain compensation il the bill pas
sed but he : has no legal claim fnr such SER
vice, and has not received the fruit OF any
such iHterest." He also aided an old friend
of his IN passing private bill through the
Senate, ter which service he accepted small
compensation. He also swore that two mem
bets OF Congress had directly, and others
tadiectly, requested him to procure for them
anterests in particular measures named by
them. pending before the House. stating the
amounts which they desired to receive for
such aid as they should be able to give /; that
certain measures pending before Congress
ought to pay that the parties interested in
them had the means to pay; that they indiyi.
dually needed money and desired him speci-
hcally to arrange the matter in such way that
1t the measures passed, they should receive
pecuniary compensation.
He wauld net give the names Of these mem
bers. aud afterwards contradicted hlmseli
very emphaticaliy.
Ii was proved that man named Triplette
gave 500 by the following order:
:. The Clerk of the House Of Representa-.
tiyes will pay to J. R, Sweeney. out Of the
appropriation in behalf Of me. for certain
copies of my work on the pension. bounts
land, and other laws, passed at this Session
Of Congress. the sum OF fourteen thousand
five hundred dollars, (sl4, 500 for which this
shall BE- the receipt
F.F. c. TRIPLETT.
August, 1885,
This was TO pay Mr.. Gilbert, n. Y. mem
Der, and Mr.. WEIGH. Connecticut member.
for getting the appropriation passed, as per
agreement beforehand, made after long ne
gotiation.
witness swOre that Gilbert told him he
some stock, for his vote and influence in get.
ting the Iowa land bill passed.
friplett, under oath, replied as follows TO
question
:. suppose there is nobody who knows tile
organization Of Congress who expects to car
~ anything through il merely IRON love Of
justice.
BY Mr.. Orr. Is that the general repu-
t4tion Of Congress:
Witness. That is the general reputation
Of Congress
As 10 welch il was also proved that lie en-.
deayOred TO procure bribe Of " $50, or SO"
20 induce him to get favorable report lron
a committee of which he was member, on a
poor sidow's application for pension!
10 the case OF Mr.. Edwards OF y. Y. the
Hon. Robert Il. Paine Of North Carolina.
testified, in substance
That on Tuesday. the Esd day II Decem-
Der last. during the session of the House. Mr..
Edwards, after inviting him to take seat in
the place Of Mr Clinsman, which was vacant,
beside Mr. Edwards, inquired how Mr. Paine
was disposed towards the bills making grants
Of Iasds for railroad purposes. and was IN:
formed that Mr. PANE was altogether oppos.
ed 70 them that be believed them wrong in
priIeip'e and unjust. and that whenever he
had voted on the passage Of such bills he had
voted against them.
:. That Edwards then said that he fNr.
Edvsris) and rs Mr.. Paine thinks he also
said his brother owned or we're Interested
10 lands which would be greatly enhanced il
value By the passage oi the Minnesota bill il
the railroad should be run through them; aud
that 10 this declaration Of Sir. EdWards's
peculiar interest 10 this particular bill Mr.. /
Psine made no answer.
"Thst Mr.. Edwards then asked ifhe might
say something 10 air. Paine 10 confidence, +
and VS. informed that he might do 30.
!. Thar. having been Informed that he might !
talk eOEhdentiaily. be said that lie, Mr. I'd. /
wards, was authorized 10 say that fifteen
hundred dollars would be guaranteed Ior the
support u the VII, u il would be any induce.
meat WhereapoB Mr. Paine replied. instant.
". that fifteen million dollars woald be no
Ihdecemsnl Tor las vote. aud expressing has
Indignation. lie lslt tie seat" Il
alr. Edwards made statement aboat The /
conversation, but il does not materially dit. /
irr from Ir. PaiBe's, but IN tl,r main con.
firms il. though den,irg his guilt.
Nj. NatlesUn, smother v. Y. member, tried I
T. get a bribe VI fourth Of = factory, worth /
$4,000 u sSg, 900. Ibis belonged 10 W. q. /
Johnson. President ol an Iowa rail road CON.
pany, vi, h4d 5iIl before Congress lur near
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