Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-02-28


Representatives made report today.
ABSTRACT OF TESTIMONY.
The testimony is very voluminous, and
hence precludes anything Ike a fair abstract.
1t appears, however, that the most in,por-
tant witness summoned at the CONNIE nee
n,ent of the proceedings by the Committee,
was JAS. b. Sweeney, an ex- messenger OF
tie House of Representatives. who, in reply
TO question by Mr.. Orr, said he knew of
Il case in which member Of Congress a.
creed TO get bill or project through the
House, tor Il certain amount of nianey-a
book relating to Pension and Bounty Land
laws, ly Capt Triplett. Of ashington.-
lie reluctantly answered that the name of
the member is Hon. VIM \ Gilbert, of n.
Y. He further stated that the same men,
Der had said to him, that be received ''sevon
square miles of land, and some little stock, !"
IN return for his vote and influence in the
passage Of the Iowa Land Bill. He also
stated that Hon ". w. Welch had remark
cd to him that $50 or so might become ne
cessary to make all right in connection with
Il favorable report on private bill Of which
the Committee had charge
Capt. Triplett was questioned as to his
having given to Sweeney All order on the
Clerk Of the House. for $l4, 500, in the
event of the passage of a resolution for tie
purchase of his bool; which amount, it APP
pears. was to be used by Sweeney. Trip
lett mentioned the name Of Hon W. A. Gil
iert. with whom lie had conversation about
his hook, & said that Sweeney came to him
generally upon the subject lie knew all
] about the matter from the 6rst---thought
Sweeney was friend of this party, and that
il he paid him Sweeney it would be salts
factory TO, the larty. The witness further
stated that Mr. Weleh conversed with him
about the book, ''the tenor of which wa.
based upon the idea of his receiving part
Of the contract; and he recollcctcd that, on
a1e occasion. the member asked him, i'll the
event CT their having to distribute mere
money than they had contemplated, whether
he (feipleti) would not DO what was right,
IL something 10 that effect
Mr. Welcli subsequently defended him-
eelf iram the charge, stating that he report
cd the private till referred To, solely upon
Is merits, utterly denying the statements Of
sweeney. As to Trip,ptt's testimony, he
said he never understood him or any other
person, that himself or any other member Of
Congress would receive any reenaiafy hcn
eft from the passage oi the book resolution
NJ language used by him to Capt. Triplett
could have justified such an implication.
Mr.. Gilbert also made statement, under
oath. denying utterly the truth Of Sweeney :
testimony. lie never stipulated for any
quantity Of land or for any pecuniary coz
sideratoa for his vote on any bill He would
PROVE tbat he was hot in the habit Of talk
Ig fire., y with Sweeney, and had caution
ed others not to do so.
Hon Robert 7. Paine testified as to the
differences which he drew from CONVERSE
ton with Hon. +. S. Edwards, who he
said, named the consideration of 81 500 ior
his vote on the Minnesota Land Bill.
Hon. Mr.. Walk testified that Mr.. Ed
wards had spoken to him on that subject
saying that he or his brother owned consid-
cradle land near where the road would pass,
and that il would be enhancing the value o.
the land very much if that bin could have Il
favorable vote. Mr.. Walk informed him
that he would vote for or against tie bill
as he thought just.
Mr.. Edwards under cath explained the
matter saying, he did not, Ia his CONVERSE
ton with Mr.. Paine, offer, or intend to be
understood as Offering any sum of money
either for himself, or any other person on
persons, for his vote i'll favor of any bill
whatever. No person ever solicited him to
offer OF procure any consideration dependent
upon the passage OF this or any other bill
lcforc Congress.
james =. Pike, Gone of the writer's for
the New York Tribune, } testified that about
the tire Of the passage of the Wisconsin
bill, Hon. q. b. Alatteson made to him Il
remark which led to the impression that it
was an offer, which, if accepted, would have
led to transaction, lie thought he meant
something
VIM. G. johnson, Of Utica, n. y, Pres
dent Of the Des Monies Navigation and
Railroad Company Of the State of Iowa, in
the course of the examination, alluded to a
note received hy him from Mr. Matteson,
and which Henry A. Daniels of Utica. an-
other witness, subsequently produced, as
follows:
WASHINGTON, July -, 1886
(Private) Dear Sir The Committee
in our House have agreed to report your re-
solution in iowa, $4,000 acres, or as you
wished it, there is much trouble in the way.
Some outsiders make mischief. Are you
willing to let your ! of the factory be cut
up and used to carry it through, in addition
to what Stryker arranged. can have sone
agent promise outsiders stocks in new fac
tory. Let me know without fail by return
mail Truly, .. b. NJ,
W. G. JOHNSON, Esq,
Hon Reverdy johnson detailed a CONVEX
sation he had with Mr.. Matteson, who, a.
mong other things, said chat either twenty
or thirty members had associated them
selves together. and pledged each to the
other not to vote fer any law or resolution
Granting money or lands unless they were
paid for it. johnson told him that he could
not believe it. Mattesan remarked "they
are Il set os d---d scol,ndrels, but there they
were, and nobody could get anything Of the
sort through without them; that w, {.
johnson. President of the Company, must
have here 500, 900 to carry this bill .
1t appears from the testimony Of john
| Stryker, of Rome New York. (of the Nav
igation aud Railroad CompanyD that h.
made draft OF $1,000 in favor OF Horace