New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-26

The Investigation BY the House into the alleged
corruption in the passage Of the Tariff Of 1857 has
been concluded, and the general result is before
the public. If one Congress may ever investigate
the alleged msdoings of preceding Congress, here
was clear case of necessity for such proceeding.
It was no wild, vague hunt after suspected niqui-
ties-nO inquiry into the truth Of charges resting
on rumOr or newspaper gossip for their authority
In the great IevusiOn of 1857, the eminent commits
sic house of Lawrence, Stone & Co., intimately
connected with and largely interested in the
Wooden Manufacture, became insOlyent. In rem
derng an account Of its liabilities aud assets to its
creditors, and especially to two or three great
Massachusetts, corporations whose fabrics were
sold through their house, AID whose affairs were
inextricaby involved By their failure, Messrs. Law
renee Stone & Co. set down a sum of 1000 as
having been expended by them in procuring, in the
Tariff Of 1857, modification of the duties on
Wool in the interest Of the Wooden Manufacture.
This statement of course became public-we
believe first through the columns of The
TRIBUNE and necessarily attracted gen.
eIal attention. For what was this money
paid! To whom was it paid How was it
earned were the inevitable Inquiries. MIR.
STANTON of Ohio called the attention Of the House
to the statement, and moved al Investigation OF the
matter by Select Committee. The House as
serteJ, and Mr.. Stanton was made Chairman of
that Committee, with Messrs. Purviance of Penn
sylysna, Wright of Georgia, Russell of New. York.
aud Moore of Alabama, as his associates. OF these,
the Chairman and Mr.. Purviance are Republicans,
the others Democrats; but We presume politics
never effected the action of the Committee, nor have
we ever heard that any difference Of views was
in single instance, manifested. The duty they had
undertaken to discharge was one nOwise related to
party politics, nor was reason for personal or
other difference presented by the scope Of the in
quiry. TIE Members knew their duty, and re-
solved to discharge it faithfully, without fear or
favor.
The fact that Messrs. Lawrence, Stone & Co.,
had made the $S7 900 statement, in rendering an
account to their credtors ard business associates
furnished ready clue 70 the information required
If they had paid any such sum or sums, they had
20 paid to some person or persons-who were they
Messrs. Lawrence, Stole ~ Co., were therefore
the fret wi,resses-thtr testimony indicated others
aid 20 On. In pursuing the Investigation, il ap.
reared that Mr.. John w. Walcott of Boston-till
rec, nily clerk, now partner with the late Gov
.Inor of Massachusetts, in the banking house of
Gardner, WslcOtt x CO.-was prominent actor
il the business Mr.. Walcott was accordingly
sun moned and, being questioned, admitted the
receipt # over 10000 from Lawrence, Stone
Il Co., of which be accounted for but
email part, peremptoriy refusing to say wha.
became of the balance. lie swore positively,
however, that he had paid none of it to
Members Of Congress, nor used any to cor.
rupt them IN any manner whatever. This, of
ceurse. was not satisfactory to the Committee who
brought Mr.. Wacott before the House, and hsd
him committed to prison for contempt. There be
Law some two or three months, his accommodations
not being Of the Incest; until the House foaly, on
motion of Mr.. Stephens of Georgia, admitted him
10 bail in the FUN Of 81 coo, which he furnished
ard disappeared. 1t is presumed that he will never
be REQUIRED TO stand his trial. The Committee
strenuouiy opposed bis Liberation, believing that he
might have been coerced 70 make furthsr and i'm
po1tsLt disclosures had be been retained iahsHi-
bly, in prison.
The following is the disposal maze Of Lawrence