New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-21
YuE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION.
TESTlM ONY
o. kEsSRs. SWEENEY, TRIPLETT, CHASE, W.
c. JOHNSON AND STMOyTOy.

We JekEEUby puDuebcV th' P'ioN'Ph P'iuSo va
tho testimony taken before the Investigating CON-
aSke, as received by telegraph the night before.
bast evening we received the official report Of the
sniue testimony from which we take the following
ysrtiops, which, taken with what We have already
ysbhsbed, contains everything Of much importance
brought before the Committee;
THURSDAY, Jan. -, 1857.
JAMES W. SIMONrON, CORRESPONDENT OF THE
DAILY TINES ON THE STAND.
James w. SimontOn, sw orn-I am the regular cor
respondent Ct The Ner. York Times, over the sigma
ture Of IS"
By M Orr-Do yeu know Of any organization OF
Mem bere of Congress, with other persons or with them
selves, existing, or that has existed, SINCE tne
commencement Of the last session 10 secure e pas
ssge or defeat Of any bIs for money or any other con-
Wrness-I don't know Of my kno Wedge, by
legal evidence of sny such organization; have been
satisfied, from evidence conclusive TO my own Judg-
sent that il did exist have never protested 10 Know
any such fact of my own hnowledge on the contrary
Ne letters and the editorial articles In NE sne',
mon which suppose these questions are based, have
sarefully and with purpose abstained from ssying
Nat we knew anything OF oar own knoTleoge II has
been the settled purpose from the tegnning not to
male Ourselves responsible, as public ioiefmers, 70
fxIpish legal evi dence to establish these facts.
By Mr. Rchie-Stafe the facts and circumstances
which though not legal evidence, hsve produced in
ysur mind the conviction that such combination exists
Rinessl have been Satisfied III the h'st place that
there were members of Congress who desired 20 sell
their votes and knowing OF my own knowledge that
sueh was the fact, have given heed IN my ewn lnnd
10 great many rumors have known parties outsid;
70 profess to have control the votes OF members,
and have seen these psrties in frequent comuun aton
apparently confidential, with members OF Congress on
The Aoer Of the House at the time the vote was being
taken upon measures pending before me House;
have seen one OF these men-Alr. George W. Chase an
ex-Member of Congress communication with
especially one member OF Congress, evidently rejoicing
at the apparent defeat Of measure on the primary
vote, and III q subsequent time, when II w4s sup
posed that the would come up Mr. Chase
has appe AIRED upon the floor of the House. and has called
snt by from twenty totnirty members, whisper
ed csnfdentay in their ears and sent them bsck 10
their seats and they have voted the reverse OF lner
previous vote satisfied that tue only reason why
do not know these facts of my kno ledge, l. be
eanse have given parties ready to avail heuse!vee OF
such means, 10 Understand inst could be party 10
no such transactions; Members OF Congress, more
than one have come 10 M ana asked private inter
view stating that they had something OF importance TO
ray 10 me; they have asked me whether they could
talk 10 NE with q perfect resuoe my good faith.
and whether would agree under no circumstances to
reveal their names in my profession such questions
SIC put almost every day; do not know whether
the party desires to communicate public documents or
news OF interest and slways unless have some
especial for supposrg that the particular midi
ua has improper proposal to make accept tner
confidence and give my unqualified promise not to
reveal their nses; having thus entered INTO tue inter
view Win tDtu, NtulUtTS Vi SOuS uoNo iciucotSu
me TO procure for them interests in particular measures
named by them penang before the House, stat0g the
amounts which they oesre 10 receive for such AID as
they should be able TO give, have IN every case
suetly dropped the matter with the suggestion tnst 1t
would bot do for to be mixed up VITA anything OF
the sort that pubic Iumor attached suspicion enough
to gentlemen connected with tue press a. ashiugton,
without drawing further suspicion unnecessarily upon
them.
ByMr. Davis-Have you any other fact to state
tending to show corrupt combination between that
member and Mr.. Chase! Witness-l have no other
evidence of the fact.
ByMr Wmner-Will you state how many Members
Of Congress have made these confidential cOmmunca'
tons 10 you whose names you do not itel prepared 10
reveal Witnees-Two have made them dnect; others
have indicated desire TO talk with me upon those sub
cts al have warded it OIL not giving then an oP'
pntupity TO make sn explicit proposition.
BY MIR. Warrer-Whst 90 understand you to mean
when YOU say that these communications wee mace
Direct Witness-I mean that after having ob aimed
nv Dr. mise of secrecy in regard 10 them, they have
SAID that certain measures pending before Con
gIess ought to pay that the parties lneesled IN them
mad the means to psy; that they individually needed
fbe money, and desired me specifically TO arrange the
ma {. in such way that if the measure passed they
should receive pecuniary compensation.
BY Mir. Davis-Can you gnste any Oh lhese
messurtsi Witness-I do not think can, and 1t |
could do not think ought because might FURNISH
indirectly the very information which decline 70 give,
that "a, the names of the parties .. ,e.-
,.,,ps II SWEENEY A HOsSE MESSENGER, on
TuE STAND.
James X. Sweeney, sworn-i was one OF tue Nee
sengers of the House OF Representatives,, employed by
the Doorkeeper from the organization OF the present
Hence up TO the 30th Of November last.
BY MIR. OT-Do you know of your own knowledge
Of any attempt Of any Member OF Congress TO obtain
compensation for votes given or to be gwen upon any
measure penong, or that has been penang during
the preeent Congress IL go, state 1t.
Witness-I know of in which member
agreed to get bill or project for the purchase Of
book relating TO the Pension and Bounty Land isT
through the House for a certain amount OF money
hold writing given by Mr. Tnpett, The author oil me
book, for q certain sum OF money .
The witness then exhibited paper OF which the sol'
lowing is q copy: 80
"Tne Clerk of the House Of Representatives viii
pay 70 j. X. Sweeney out et the appropriation IN be-
half Of me- for certain copies OF my Work on the Fen
sion Bounty Land and other laws passed at this
sion OF Congress, the OF fourteen thousand i've
hundred dollars ell, SOO Tor which this shs be the
receipt-Aucust 1856. +. L. Z. TRIPLErT.'
Winess-No portion of the amount covered by that
paper was 10 be paid TO for any service OF NINE,
bat wuh it to be distinctly understood that ! make
no further disclaimer; this coaract-not the written
enc but the conrsct-was entered INTO III my presence
between the author of that work snd the Member oil
Congress; az the time, no writing was made hgunng
was done ct subsequent day was requested TO pro
cure that writing from Mr.. Tripett was requested by
che member TO take II in my own name.
By Mr.. 0rr-Who was the member With whom this
soDiIsct was entered into in your presence Witness
The Hon. William A. Gilbert.
By Mr.. 0rI-Sta,e as nearly as yea can remember
che cany ersaton 10 which you listened between Mr..
Gilbert and Captain Tnplet.
WitpessI cannot pretend to give the Language
used ON that occasion, and do not know that caa
even give the substance; as ear as can remember,
Mr.. Triplett proposed that the book was taken 81
Al IS copy he would give 8 100; if at IL ~, he
would increase $500 aud at the same rate up 70
81 80 per cepy; beyond that there Is some m,suneec
standing in relston 10 II. my impression vas that all
above : ceytsin amount was TO 90 for the benefit OF
sfhsr narties beside the author OF the book; be