The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-02-28
Ths Repor. OF the Corruption COMMITTEES.


The select committee report that o. B. {
Matteson, member from New York, had in I
dacsd parties Gseply interested in the Des- 1
moines land grant. to supply themselves with (
and use large sums Of money and other con- 1
siderations corruptly, Tor the purpose OF pro- 1
curing the passage of favorable joint resolu-
ton through the House. That Matteson, in
stating that large number of members had
pledged themselves to each other not to vote |
for any bill, granting money or lands, without
being paid for it, had willfully desamed the
character oe the House, and was unworthy to
lie a member thereof and that he be expelled. |
The second resolution charges VIM. A..
Gilbert, another New York member, with
c,rruptly agreeing with Mr. Tnplett OF
Kentucky, to secure the purchase by Congress
OF certain copies Of a book of the said Tripiett,
and that Gilbert was to secure part OF tne
appropriations for the purchase OF said book.
That Gilbert also voted for the Iowa land bill
fora consideration Of seven square miles OF
land and some stick; expulsion rs recon-
7nended.
w. w. Welch, a member FROM connecticut;
Is also implicated with the aforesaid Gilbert IN
the book purchase, and charged with an NJ
tempt to procure money from Triplstt, through
Mr. Sweeney-which charge the folio wing
order wouldappcar to sustain--being produced
by Mr.. Sweeney, during his examination upon
that point, who says he paid the proceeds OF
the order to Gilbert, his name being used in
the order to secure Gilbert:
sThe c TX Of the Honso Of Representatives win pay
tJ r. Sweeney out Of The appropriation In behalf OF
for copies of WORK the ponson. boun
'y land aud other passed at this session ef Con
Eress, the OF fourteen thousand ave hundred dol
lara s(sA. .50), for which this shall be the receipt.
August, 1856. +. +. Z. fRiPLETT."
Mr.. Sweeney testifes to being present
and vas party to the agreement between
Triplett AMI others, by which Gilbert s. Co.
were to receive the amount OF the above order,
and Gilbert himself told him Of the bargain
Tor the seven miles square of land and other
considerations. Welch's expulsion was re-
commended forthwith.
The committee recommend the expulsion Of
Francis s. Edwards, Of New York, for hold
ing out pecuniary consideration to Mr.. Paine
ofNorth Carolina, to ipluce him to vote for
grant, to secure the appropriations Of land to
AID in the coDstruction Of o railroad in Min
-nessts, ..r
Tie testimony of Sweeney, Triplett and
others, before the committee, goes to establish
these charges against Gilbert and Welch be-
yond q doubt. Sweeney (who is an ex- mes
senger Of the House) was acting medium be-
tween Triplett and the two members in the
book purchase. Tripett stated in his testi-
money, that nobody who knew the organza-
? tion Of Congress, expected to carry anything
.L---,i- -, ...SIvry rom love vs jss,;ran In
reply to Mr. Orr he said that is the general
reputation Of Congress-"
Mr.. Paine testified to having been offered
$500 by Mr.. Edwards to vote for the Min.
nesota land BILL Mr. Walk of New York,
also testified to having been approached by
Mr.. Edwards on the same subject, but that
he replied to his overtures by telling him that
his "vote upon that measure would be con
trolled entirely by the merits of the bill"
Mr.. VIM. c. johnson, President Of the Des
MONIES Navigation Company. Of the State
Iowa, testifes to receiving note from y. u
Matteson signed O. Bell, suggesting the appll
ance of pecuniary aid in the passage Of larg'
>land Appropriations to the aforesaid Company
H.A. Daniels presented the note referred
to by Mr.. Johnson:
. iPrvste.l wAsmseros. July Is. 1856.
DEAR Sis-rhe committee In our House have agree,
TO report your reso uuon in Mnnesota TO 30 900 acres
way some oatsdsrs maze w,.sns 1e1o,e 10 "a
to let your fourth Of the factory be up used
Through In addition To what Stryker gcd
can have some agent promise Outsiders stocks in
new factory. Let me know without fail by rie retur
mail. Truly, o. BELL
VIC Jonssos, Esq.
Reverdy johnson Counsel for the Demoine
Navigation and Railroad Company testife,
to the statement of Mr.. Matteson, that ther
were some twenty or thirty members of tn
House. who were pledged to each other, no
to vote for any land or money appropriation
without being paid for it; and that Mr.. John
son, President Of the above Company, mus
have on the spot 100000 to get his b:l
through, etc.
Gen. Stryker of Rome, New York, and