The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-28
rae r4RIFS lsEEsr1ArgG COMMITTEE


made is, that leading manufacturers IN New England,
and their agents elsewhere occupying high social and
commercial positions, found mixed up with these
transactions in that involves the deepest
Election upon their honor and good faith While profess
ing to in concert with tariff interests and affect
ing community of cause, they were actually negotia
ting with the lobby scayengers about Washington for
corrupt combinations with any party faction, or in
terest promote their selfish schemes and TO sacr
flee the prosperity of Pennsylvania. Lawrence, Stone
Co, have attaneda bad eminenoe in this transaction,
which be explained removed and Mr. Stone,
who very nice in regard to the expenditure of
money is proved by his hand writing, and by the
evidence, TO have mads conditional engagements which
were afterwards fulfilled with Corbin and Wolcott.
Another humiliating feature In this business is the
tive agency of leading New York poiticans-who al
ways to be on hand where money is distributed
who hired sold out their influence to fill their
pockets and Who like the vrtuous Mafteson their
thy colaborer in many other schemes of mutual profit
were only moved by the most patriotic motives and in
spired by zeal for the cause 1t is shown by the
mittee that about 500 900 collected and expended
of which has not been traced for various
The release Of Wocot damaged the whole investigation
and for that the House directly responsible TO the
country
The testimony shows that John w Wolcott was sent
to Washington authorized to pledge any amount of
money, and TO any means however corrupt 10 in-
the desired change in the tariff Soon after the add
ournnent Of the last session and during the month OF
March, 1857 STA 900 paid to him, exclusively for
this purpose as follows:
First paymenl by draf, drawn by the Boston house
Second payment made ON ish March, BY Mr. stone
negotiable paper and cheek upon the Metropolitan
payment BY stone checks on he of
Fourth payment BY Mr. sadr, on = day Of March, in Bos
tol with .......!.... .... ls 900 90
"a, 600 90
OF this sum, $l3, 645 70 in commercial paper en-
dorsed in blank, and negotiable by delivery Wocot
paid Geo Ashmun, exmember of Congress- "a 900 for
aiding the passage of the bill At least the latter
while the former swcars he paid money Tor that
object. further of So, 600 paid through Nj
Ezra Lincoln, OF Boston, to Mr. 1hurlow Weed OF Alba
NY for his valuable aid in collecting statistics and the
like in this Mr. Lincoln then the editor of
the Boston Atlas He spent the winter here before this
scheme carried but not examined by the
mittee which is regretted. And the of S.
III 06 paid by the New York house to various per-
sons in comparatively small sums, viz
NJ stone editor of the Journal Of Commerce 500 90
N Reynolds, president American councils which passed
resolutions iavoring the policy. 1870 90
A. r. Corbn, clerk committee Of claims Washington 1000 90
The balance was paid for travelling expenses, pamph
let's &c These various sums make up the aggregate of
s87 III o. which is charged the books of Lawrence
Stone K Co. to the tariff of 1857
In addition to this it is proved by the testimony of
Mr. Sade, partner in the firm that the of Sl2 900
Sl3 600 collected which also dsbu,sed but in
what mode is mot ascertaned, he examined in
Philadelphia and had to the books and papers
in Boston The committee believe that Wolcott appro
priated the bulk of the money he received, and that it
forms part of the banking capital of Gardiner
Wolcott, & Co.
From New Herald, May 28th.l
Mr.. w. W. Stone further testifes that the cash ac-
counts in Boston, of this manufacturing firm show on
account of moneys spent to influence legislation in be-
half of the tariff bill of 81 deficiency of $50 900
From the information before the looseness and reck
essness of this firm in regard to this lobby
fund passes all comprehension under the rules of
mon With regard to Matteson, (Orsamus Benaah
Mr.. Stone brought plump to the point Matteson
does not mince the matter beat about the bsh but
straight up to the mark. Mr. Stone says that in
conversation with Mr. Matteson that gentleman remarked
that there Twenty-Five ps IN Tho House that could be
aueuced through their friends " and when asked what he
wanted the trm to do with the money indicated by Mat
teson, s25, 000,) Mr. Matteson replied, Pit the
hands Of Mr.. Greeley In other words, the money was
be put into Greeleys hands for the benefit of Matte
son. the with that draft of the
Des Mones Improvement Company. Poor Greeley
what catspaw they make of him!
Next, the Chevaier Webb the right royal and spot
less Chevalier Webbfgurcs upon the carpet large
life. Listen. Mr.. Stone testihes: " do not remember
receipig any letter from Neo York EDITOR but one and that
.cas from Gen Webb. He ta he daaisdly in
favor of re1ag The duty mater us thai he coming
Washington ead the ,citer, and Intended take house
andHa trds disposed TO bear the additional e1pense he
wod be undr he ood take pans 10 inple members Of
[ngress him, and explain 70 them c and aryu
n,as for adopting the measure" There's Jeremy Diddlcr
for you dsdJie! There's fnssy ackdaw robbed of
his peacocks feathers What flood of light il here
thrown upon the whole brood of the Peter Funks of
lobby and their mpudent devices for fleeing greenorr
however for the Chevalier Webb, the firm Of Lawrence
Stone, s. Co. .'had funds to dispose Of thai uuy
Cannot the Chevalicr Webb give us a copy of that
begging letter. and tell Installing in this tariff expert
ment--how he contrved to make that house pay ex-
penses2 'He in favor of repeating the duty
material" Generous Cheyaler Webb ''Hc was COM
ing to Washington to spend the winter. Magnanimous
Chevalier Webb '.He intended to take u house.
High and mighty Chevaier Webb! If the company
would pay the rent the oysters oanvas-backs cham
pagne and cigars he would invite the members Of Con-
gress his house, dine them and wine them and con-
vince them of the wisdom of repeating the duties on
those materials Oh the modest selfsacrfcing and
ncorruptibe Chevaler Webb 1t is a great pity but
since that $4,000 United States Bank operation
the Chevaier Webb has been entirely too big for his
breeches HE intended to take house. " and to hold
his nightly Hastings and carousals grand SCALE if
Lawrence, Stone, Co. would only consent to foot the
bills. But they had money to dispose of in that
way Oh, the unfortunate Chcvalier Webb
Next Mr. N. p. Banks comes in for note Of 800, of
the nature of which Mr. Stone could give precise in
formation but the Hon Timothy Davis is down for an
admitted tariff item of Sl06, remaining unsettled on the
books.
Next passing the curious information given the
committee by Wocott and Corbn, for the present and
also, the refreshing innocence and simplicity of Hon.
Massa Greeley and the laboed explanations Of Matteson
we come to Hon George Ashm'm, member of Con-
gess from Massachusetts, who confesses the corn to the
extent of little tariff lobby fee Of 81, 900 Then comes
the poor unfortunate Chevaer Webb who with tears In
his eyes, protests that he got dollar of all this
lobby money, badly as he wanted sop. We close up
present exhibit with Thurow Weed He confesses to
the So 900 from Ezra Lincoln, but says that part Of
Corruptv In nvouotinu tho massage