The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-03-04
8tpubIitau Gprruptiun
CORRUPTION IN CONGRESS
REPORT OF THE cOMmsTTEE.
Immediate ExPulsien OF four Re
pasiscan Memb bers OF Congress
Reeommended.

Recommended.
BeloWis given an abstract of the testimony
taken before the committee Of the House of Rep
resshlatires appointed to investigate certain
charges or bribery and corruption, and which
committee reported on Thursday, recOmmen-
ding Ghe expulsion Of four memHeEs-three
ftem New York and one fiom Connecticut:
ABSTRACT OF TESTIMONY.
The most important witness summoned at
The commencement of the proceedings by the
committee was James R. Sweeney an ex-mes
ssnger ofthe House of Representatives, wto, in
reply ts question by Mr.. Orr said he knew of
n case in which member Of Congress agreed to
gotta bill or project through the House for a
certain amount of money-a book relating to
tas pension and bounty land laws, by Captain
Triplett, of Washington, ......
lin stating the circumstances Of this case Mr..
Sweeney produced the following paper.
tsaThe Clerk of the House of Representatives,
will pay to j. r. Sweeney, out of the appropria-
tionEn behsifof me, for certain copies of my
work on the pension bounty land, and other
laws, passed at this session Of Congress, the sum
offoartecn thousand five hundred dollars, (Sl4,
50o) Tor which this shall be receipt"
August, 1856. F.F. C. TRIPLETr.
Tho witness, in answer to the question, what
wys obs done with this sum, after he had col
lcc;ed it from the clerk, said that there was a
misunderstanding upon that subject; and as he
supposed there would be conflicting testimony
upon,it, he desired to have the question postpo-
ned for the present. He said, however, that
this contract, not the written one, but the con-
tract was entered into in his presence, between
the author Of That work and the member of
Congress.
> He reluctantly answered that the name of
The member is Hon. VIM. A.. Gilbert of New
York. He further stated that the same mem
Der had said to him that he received "seven
sfsare miles of land and some little stock' in re-
ttrn for his vote and influence in the passage of
the Iowa land bill He also stated that Hon.
w. w. Welch had remarked to him that $50
or so might become necessary to make all right
IN connection with favorable report on pri-
vate bill of which the committee had Echarge.
This bill was one granting pension to Roxana
kinIN.l, '
Capt Tripett was questioned as to his hav
ing given to Sweeney an order on the clerk o1
the House for Slt 500 in the event of the pas
says Of resolution for the purchase of his book;
which amount, it appears, was to be used by
Sweeney Triplett mentioned the name Of
Hon. w. A. Gilbert, with whom he had q con-
varsation about this book, and that Sweeney
came to him generally upon the subject. He
knew all about the matter from the irst-thot
Sweeney waa friend Of this party, and that il
he paid him Sweeney it would be satisfactory
to the party. The witness further stated that
Mr.. Welch oonversed with him about the book
''shs tenor Of which was based upon the idea o
receiving part'' of the contract; and he reeol
iected that, on one occasion, the member asked
him, in the event Of their having to distribute
more money than they had contemplated,
whether he (Triplett) would not do what was
right, or something to that effect.
Mr. WEIGH subsequently defended himse
from the charge, stating that he re1orted the
private bill referred to solely upon its merits,
utterly denying the statements of Sweeney
AS to Trpiett's testimony he said he never un
derstood him or any other person that himself
eor any other member ofCongress would receive
any pecuniary benefit from the passage OF the
book resolution. No language used by him t.
Hapt. Triplett could have justified such an ap
piication.
q Mr.. Gilbert also made q statement, unde
oath, denying utterly the truth of Sweeney
testimony. He never stipulated for any guam
,tity Of land or any pecuniary consideration fo
his vote on any bill He would prove that HI
was not in the habit Of talking freely will
Sweeney, and had cautioned others not to d
aaos
81 Hon. Robert I. Paine testified ss to the in
ferenees he drew from a conversation with tn
lion. F. s. Edwards, who, he said, named tn
consideration of $3.50 for his vote on tn
Minnesota land BILL
& The Hon. Mr.. Walk testified that Mr.. Ed
wards had spoken to him on that subject sayin
that he or his brother owned considerable lam
near where the road would pass, and that
would be enhancing the value Of the land yer
much II that bid could have favorable vote
Mr.. Walk informed him that he would vote 70
or against the bill, as he thought just.
y Mr.. Edwards, under oath, explained the mat
Ger, saying he did not, in his conversation witt
mfr. Paine, offer or intend to be understood a
oifering any sum Of money either for himself o
8ahy other person orapersons, for his vote in IA
aSor any vote whatever. No person ever soil
cited him to offer or procure any consideration
dependent upon the passage Of this or any 9th
er bill before Congress. H s e
a James 81 Pike Gone Of the writers Of the New
York Tribune) testified that about tho time o
the passage Of the Wisconsin bill, Hon. O. B
aAfatteson made 10 him remark which led t
1tie impression that it was aa offer, which, if &C
acepted would have led to transaction. H
thought he meant something.
wm. @. johnson, Of Utica, N Y, presider
uFthe Drsuoines Navigation and Railroad Com
Tmny Of THE State Of Iowa. in the course Of th
examination alluded to note received by hir
from Mr.. Matteson, and which Henry A. Dan
ieis, Of Utica another witness subsequently, pre
cured, 5 follows;
WAsuISdTaN, July Is, 1856.
fPTiy te)--Dear Sir: The committee in on