Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-09-02
A Base InsinuatIou Repealed.

and by giving some oil the votes OF Mr.. Col
FIX Oh the various motions and resolutions
connected with these cases. and by emitting
other votes not suited to its purpose, seeks
to manufacture political capital against him.
We will briefly refer to the origination,
investigation, and termination ofthese cor
ruption cases." On the 9th of January,
1857, Mr.. Kelsey. Republican, of New
York, brought before the notice of the House
an article in the n Y Times charging that
corrupt combination existed between
members of the House for the purpose of
controlling legislation, and mentioning the
Minnesota Land Bill in that connection
Mr.. Paine of n c. also stated that mem
Der of the House had made proposition
in regard to the Minnesota Land Bill, and
"that s 500 would be given in considera
ton of vote for that BILL" Mr.. Kelsey
offered resolution chat committee con-
sisting of five members be appointed by the
Speaker" to investigate the charges. The
resolution was adopted, Mr.. CoJar voted
for Il, thus voting for an investigation
This vote Of Mr.. Colfax the Times is care
ful to omit. in the latter part of its article
it falsely charges that he voted to smother
down all investigation.
Speaker Banks Republican, appointed
on that Committee a minority of Republi-
cans, and made Mr.. Orr of S. O., an ultra
pro-slavery Democrat, its Chairman. Clhis
example of generosity, we regret to say,
was never initiated by Mr.. Orr as Speaker
during the last session Certain witnesses
were brought before the Committee, but
not being willing to testify to the extent
desired, bill to punish contumacious wit
nesseS and to compel them to disclose what-
erer knowledge might be in their possession.
1t is OH this bill that the Times first intro
duces the vote of Mr.. Colfax, to wit: that
he voted to refer the bill to the Judiciary
Committee. where it legtimately belonged,
and that he voted against the bill on Its II
nal passage. We have not room to give
the provisions of the bill, but the bill was
not simply an order Of the House, but was
designed for permanent law. MIR. G. voted
against it because some of Its provisions
deprived witnesses of rights guaranteed to
them by the laws Of the land and by the
Constitution. Mr.. Quitman of Miss, a
leading Democratic member of the House,
opposed and voted against the bill for the
same reason. After the passage of the bill
by the House it was sent to the Senate
where it also passed, and here it was op-
pose,l and voted againt by Senator Pugh
of Ohio. leaiins Dep1prat and distin-
guished jurist, who, as member of the Ju-
dietary to whom it was referred, reported
against it as infamous, destructive ofjustice,
and unconstitutional. His report will be
found in the Register of Feb. 3, 1857. We
presume the Times will not insinuate that
the votes of Messrs. Quitman and Pugh
were bought by land grants in Minnesota
So much for the Times first point against
Mr. Colfax.
The Committee reported charges against
! four members of the House-Gilbert, Ed
wards and Mattcson OF New York, and Mr.
Welsh of Connccticut-accompan by
resolutions for their expulsion. As MIR.
Gilbert resigned his seat, no vote was ia
ken on the resolution to expcl him; and the
Times makes no point in this case. Mat
teson was charged. not with receiving brides
or bribing any one, but with writing that
money would be necessary to get bills
!. through; and for asserting this the Com
nittce charged that he had detained the
character of the House." ami therefore they
reported three resolutions, the last one fol
his expulsion Matteson resigned his seat
anal after he had thus ceased to be mem
Der, motion was made to lay the resolu
tions on the table. which was rejected. MIR
iColfax voting in the affirmative. Ant
this is point Second in the Times article
Il similar motion was again made and a
gain rejected. MIR. {. again voting in tn
affirmative Point third of the Times
The vote was then taken on the first resolu
ton and carried in the affirmative. Mr. c
voting in the negative. Point fourth b,
the Times. The second resolution wa,
adopted, anu the third. expelling Matteson
was rejected; but the Times makes no points
, not giving the votes of MIR. c.
But it is necessary before going further
to explain why Matteson and Gilbert re
signed their seats. The Investigations o
the Committee, with Orr as Chairman. wer
secret and exparte. Witnesses Of bad an
, doubtful character were permitted to testi
fy against the accused. while the accuses
were refused the right of being present at al
of the examinations. of confronting the wit
: ncsses in all Of their testimony, and of max
: ing a defence. When the resolutions Q
: the Committee were reported to the House
the accused demanded a public trial, s.
that they could meet their accuscrs in ope
day, face to face. But this was refused
All discussion on this subject in the Hous
t was also refused And this is why Matte
son and Gilbert resigned.
But after Matteson's case was dispose
of, a more successful stand was taken,
long discussion cnsued, the testimony ia
a ken before the Committee was thorough
siftei, and the result was that. although tn
testimony against Welch was the same Z
against Gilbert, Mr.. Smith of Va, Dem
: ocrat, moved the adoption of the followin
!. substitute for the resolutions of the Com
: mittec affirming the guilt and expellin
Mr. WEIGH:
Resolced, That there has been 10 stuff
cient evidence elected by the Commit
having charge Of the subject and reporte
to the House in the case Of w. w. Welcl
: member from Connecticut, and that n
o further proceeding shall be had again.