Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-01-22
House Of Representatives.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1857.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1857.
The House passed twenty-one private
bills.
Charges of Corrmption-An Hvestiga-
| ton Ordered-Intense Ercitement. :.
| An adjournment was about being ef-
fected when Mr.. Kelsey, (rep.) of N. Y,
introduced subject which caused much
excitement. He presented it as question
of privilege; first causing to be read at
the Clerks table, an editorial. from the N.
Y. Times, of the 9th instant, which charg-
ed members of Congress and lobby agents
with gross corruption, mentioning the Min
nesota land bill in the connection and say
ing that evidence can be procured to carry
conviction to every honest heart and that
the criminals should be driven from the
high places which they have dishonored.
Mr. Kelsey remarked that the charges
contained in this article appeared to have
been based on letter from this city to the
Times. Under ordinary circumstances it
would be waste of time to notice articles
of this character, appearing in newspapers,
but the editor of the Times occupied po-
sition before the country which entitled
his sentiments to credit. If he is in po-
session of the facts he therein charges, he
should substantiate them before commit
tee of this House, that members who may
be guilty of such conduct shonld be known
to the country. As the case now stands
he Kelsey could neither vote for or against
a proposition without bringing himself di-
rectly under the charges of that article
If there exists such a combination as is
illegal he wanted to know it, and have the
facts go before the people. He concluded
by offering the following:
Whereas, certain statements have been
published charging the members of Con-
gress with entering into corrupt combin-
alton for the purpose of passing, and of
preventing the passing, of certain measures
now before Congress-therefore,
Resozved, That Committee of five
members be appointed by the Speaker,
with power to send for persons and papers,
to investigate said charges, and that the
committee report the evidence to be taken,
and what action in their Judgment is nee
essary, on the part of The House, without
unnecessary delay. s
Mr.. Paine, (dem) of N. C.-I scarcely
know whether | ought to say anything or
not. know nothing about that editor
nor his journal. l know nothing about
any communication made to it. l know
not how the editor obtained the information
l know not whether it is true or false, but
l do know there has been a proposition
made in the House by members of the
House on the subject. (Sensation, and
cries of ''who is ne :" "Expose him."
l shall not name the gentlemen, ferries of
"down in 'front.'" 'stand out of the aisles,"
''we can't see,") I shall mention no MEM
Der by name A voice-you ought to do
it.) 1t was with feelings of indignation I
heard the proposition. Impatient de-
mands of "what was it % 'eTell it.") The
reason why l did not announce it to the
House was, that pending the organization
of this body, when member rose in his
place and stated that fellow member had
made an attempt to tamper with him for
his vote for Speaker, the only credit he re-
ceived, was that he was laughed at, and it
was charged that he did not accept the
proffered bribe, because there was no such
profitable place to be had. say distinct
ly there is not want of truth in the ale
cation contained in the Times article. A
distinct proposition was made to me by
member Of this House in regard to the
Minnesota Land bill, and that fifteen hun
dred dollars would be given in considera-
ton Of vote for that bill. If the propo-
sed committee shall be raised, and 1 am
called upon as witness, / shall give my
evidence. -
Mr.. A. K. Marshall, (dem) of Ky.-II
am unwilling to base the action of the
House on charges made in any newspaper
of the day. l had determined to vote
against the resolution but now the position
of affairs are totally different. A member
has announced that there is truth in the
article. He states this of his own knowl-
edge, proposition having been made to
him. On this statement alone we should
base our action. I do not wish to bring
the New York papers into that sort of re-
spectability which our action on their con-
duct would bestow. Such contemplate
things should not be so honored.
Mr.. Phelps, (dem) of Mo-If under
stand correctly, the charges read from the
Times were made in the editorial columns
of that paper. I learn that the editor of
the Times was the Lieutenant Governor of
New York, and when gentlemen of such
standing make such charges, / ask wheth-
er it is not worth our while to make the
inquiry, especially after the statement of
the gentleman from N. G.
Mr.. Marshall, (resuming) III don't care
what character the editor had; don't care
whether he was Lieutenant Governor or
not. Partisan editors are influenced and
controlled by positions and interests which
we do know do not control men in other
pursuits. l ask whether it does not more
become our character and dignity to base
our action on the statement of one of our
own members rather than that of an ex-
Lieutenant Governor or Governor, or that
of an editor of a paper. There have been
other matters and intimation thrown out
besides this in editorial articles. A dis
tinct charge has been made as an attempt
to corrupt a member of this House. Let
the committee inquire into all the alleged
corruptions. I suppose the resolution is
sufficiently broad for that purpose.
Mr.. Campbell, (rep) of Ohio-During
the past eight years it has been my lot to
serve in this House, and have generally