The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-14

The House Committee Of Investigation into
the alleged briberies and corruptiOns OF the
Washington lobby, have determined, 1t appears,
to prosecute their examination OF witnesses with
| closed doors. In this dilemma the committee,
| to some extent, will lose the benefit Of those
daily suggestions and those daily items of infOr
nation which, with their proceedings conducted
with open doors, we should be enabled to give
| them from day to day. This is their loss not
ours but still, considering our Immediate re-
sources, the committee shall not enter upon their
duties wholly at fsult with regard to witnesses
| and the spt cificatiops upon which to examine
Them First we take the liberty of laying before
| he committee the following corrected list OF
weIl-ntormed geutemen upOn the mysteries Of
| lobby neutrality-suspicious. whose testimony
| will be worth having. from the high character
which they enjoy at home and abroad, for in
tegrity ncorrupsibility and chivalry, to witt
Hon. ". II Kelsey New Yors, Chairman Committee OF
Hon f B Morgan New York, Chairman on Patents.
Hou ChrAiopher Morgan, tx member or Congress,
New York
Hon Henry Bsppe,,. New York, Chairman on PablLc
| Lands.
| Hon Guy Peh,u, New York city.
| Hon B. Msttes0c, New Yorx, Dau'ot business.
|
| York
| Hon On vile Robinson New York
| Hon Russell SAGE, Sssw York.
| Hon. Mr.. EnwardS, New York.
| Mr. Thurlow Weed az Albany JOurna,, f|ew York.
| Gen. James Watson Webb, Of Coursr"und Enquirer,
New YORK
| Hon george A.hmua member Of Congress. MassA-
| chp.etts.
Mr. Michael Bright brother Of Sen.icr stight Indiana
| Gen. James. Rnooe island, and Gen. James Of Wall
| FIX Governor Boutwell, of Massachusetts.
CO.. Lincoln of boston AtLds, Aass achusetts
Hen Mr.. Chase, enber Of Congress, New York.
Hon Eihu WAshburn. OF Illinois.
! Mr. Sch ,oIcraft, OF Albany.
| Mr. Horace a. Day. Of New York, lndis rubber man
Captain George " Gatel Chief Of Police, New York
| Hr McKeiiar hu cflcial clerk.
hon. Mr. Penning.eo New Jersey, Chairman Forsi Ign
Hon W. H Seward, New YORK, retail liquor trade,
spbur-.
Mr. Abram wakenap, New York city.
"Hrpest Farmer Abell," of Genesee county New
George Harrington, Of Massachusetts, Treasury De-
/ Mr. Cook, ex member Of Congress. of Iowa.
| Gel Jot W. Fcrney, Of Penneyivanis.
| Ron Mr.. Rice delegate from Minnesota
Hon. A. j. Raymond, Lieutenant Governor Of New
M Wesley, OF Wall street, proprietor New York
Mr. J W smonton, Washington CORES pondent Of do
Mr. Douglass wallsck, editor Eus''in9 Star, Washing
Cod. A O. P. Nicholson, Washington Union.
| d. Bailey, National Era Washington, and 'last
Mr. Sidney WEBSTER private secretary of his Excellen
cy Brssder General Franklin Pierce, President OF the
United States Of America.
These gentlemen are all men of business,
men of character observation, means, (more
or less) and possessing large experience f
men and thipgs-al kinds Of men and all sorts
OF thip2s-in reference to the inside and outside
influences operating upon Congress Further
more il may be said in regard to this catalogue
Of distinguished and competent witnesses, that
quite fair proportion of them are church mem
bers, high church and low church, and a good
many Of no church, perhaps Having said this
much in behalf of our cloud of witnesses, we will
suggest TO the committee an examination or two
| Call Hon. o. b. MattiesOn to the stand, for ex-
ample, and ark him the following questiOns:-
Do you know any ibirg Of the raroad oompauies or
rdivupals inerethd IN the Peoita Railroad scheme Of
tie Bouse COMMITTEE. on Public Lands, remaining ov,r
among The M finished buslneep OF the last serso0g II
please rsme The laid railroad companies and pdviduss
| 20 the committee.
state, 10 the extent Of your knowledge the plan aud
TINS OF orgrn Zsih OF these railroad companies and
aivtuss TO tic esd Of procuring the passage toroug,
ineih,r net the lobby influences 30 called conpre
tenoed IN behalf CT the raid railroad scheme eIs
ss or s,s uts OF rlocks cash or land. TO any sn.
Der or nbers OF Congress- to any editors
reIorteis or correspondents, or 10 any pretty woman
~ pretty women supposed to possess FERROUS tnu
Having thoroughly examined Mr. Mattieson
Mr.. Weed Mr.. Schoolcraft, Mr.. Corning, Mr..
Morgan, Mr.. Henry Bennett, Mr.. Michael
Bright, MIR. Edwards Mr.. Russell Sege, Mr..
George Asbmun, His Excellency Ex-Governor
Boutwell,, Mr.. Eiihu Washburn Mr.. Webb and
others, upon this Pacific read, call Gen. James
Watson Webb to testify concerning the tactics,
agents and resources Of the lobby for the extern
sion OF the patent of McCormcks reaper, and
then Try Mr.. Thurlow Weed in addition to Gen.
Webb, upon the lobby arrangements and fnanc'a
expectations ito the extent Of their knowledge)
concerning the scheme for refunding certain du-
ties upon railroad iron, the scheme for the re-
peal OF the duties on wool, and the scheme for re-
funding certain duties to merchants on account
81 losses by fire.
Neat, If he can he found, let Mr. James W. ST.
n onton be called before the committee, and slb-
saDtially LET the following series Of interrogato
ries he put TO him. to witt
Bsve any kno~ledge Of al application by the par
TEE concerned, for the cxierson by special act Of Con
ere,s Of Vie peteut monopoly Of an Invention known ~
he Woodwor,h planning machlntf
Have you any know led ge OF the lobby Influences
,p,s 30 called, employ ed In behalf Of this paIent
tensonY
Did peren by he name OF Wilson, or Brown, or any
other pertos, at any time last winter or spring,
operators ausng the newspaper gentlemen mere
by en- initiation fee to all ~ko would H.
turored collars per head ard can you. Nc slmonoa,
give u' the name Of any ore or more newspaper cores
poboents a. o pocseted said feef
Do you know Of any nevtpsper correspondent who en-
tered INTO any written cootact at the last session vi
any member OF for alleged services In be aa
~hst 10 known o. "rsuroad land punder," aud GO 20
know tina, any such correspondent. making any sach
ooutrac went out West during he W look arier
toe land thur conveyed him, AMI Who, on his return
alned that be bad been cheated D. the paresYn
no you know " sny nev spsper CORR pendent sho
abuses bis situation usng for the purpose Of punbz
or black mailing members Of Congress. measures
pendtg before Conyrts, aIo whose tfees range from
Owe dollars 70 any other tee that cupdsy may oonmsnc
or tim'oit, tocccoe -
After having, through some such course Of
ques;oniDes as the above, elected all the valua-
bic circumstantsl lobby information supposed 70