Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-01

in connection with the Fort Smelling Reserve
p Ist and prospective.
All who have attentively read the testimony
taken before the committee are perfectly aware
that the conclusions of the majority are contra
dicted palpably by nine tenths of il, (the evil
dence, )-leaving them (tbe majority nothing
to stand on in hoping TO be sustained by the
House but their confidence in the virulence
and unscrupulousness of the spirit of Congress
sional opposition of the times; a sentiment in
which, We are happy to be able to say, We by
no means share. In reviewing the remarks
made by the Baltimore Patriot in the case, the
Petersburg SONthSidc Democrat exposes the
entire want of basis for the report Of the ma
jority, with a masterhand-saying
more unblushing arrav Of falsehoods than
the Baltimore Patriot pasades in its issue of Sat
urday last, on the Fort Smelling sale, it has not
been our evil fortune to meet since our connection
with the press. Fasehoods, too, which cannot
be excused on the plea of ignorance or inaccessi-
bility of information, but vet so obvious in
their malignlty that an enlightened commu-
nifty Will do injustice to itself should II restrain
the contempt, disgust and adherence they cannot
but excite against their perpetrators. When po.
htlcai opposition descends to such meanness IL
cannot fail of its just reward.
The Baltimore Patriot knows--because the tes
tlInony In the very report it quotes from shows
II, that the extravagant estimates of its good au-
fAorHy, OF the value of the Fort Smelling prop
erty, was utterly repudiated and ridiculed bv the
testimony Of more than twenty nine th;rtieths of
the witnesses summoned by the majority of the
committee-that more than four ifths of the wit
nesses stated that the property was sold for IL,
full value, that the majority thought the sale
above It's value, and that since the Investigation
closed, nay within the past ten DAYS. Il memorial
has been placed before Congress, signed by more
red eif Of
Governor, the Attorney General, the Judges and
the members of Congress from that State expli-
city declaring that the sale was fair and the
price full value.
The Patriot knows that it was proved beyond
the shadow Of a doubt that the sale was made to
Mr. Steele alone, and that no other person was In
any shape or manner known, understood, be-
lieved or limited to have connection with him at
or before his purchase, and yet il declares the
falsehood that Steele, with ''Graham and several
other favorites of the Democracy" were per-
United to buy it,
The Patriot knows the commissioners were
fully instructed in writing, and declare on oath
that they never bad further commaucst on with
the Secretary, before after acceptinp Sterl.,s
proposition. And vet this unscrutiulo,Is libeller
outrases decencies Of the press the common re-
spect due itself of at least keeping its shame from
the public gaze, by declaring that cit would not
seem improbable" that the sale was under an
agreement to share profits in the speculation with
Gov. Floyd.
The Patriot knows that part of this very same
public auction, after having been advertised in
all the Northwestern papers, and far the most
valuable part, and that peel lators ay allied them
selves OF fraudulent combinations t. buy II fur
81 - per acre, not an acre selling Tor more. And
yet this conscientious Journal so fierce on [, aud
never raised its voice, but quotes from and pre-
tends 10 rely on, as true. the evidence of the men
VINO were parties to the frauds, and whose evil
dence is obviously the result of modification that
the sagacity of the Secretary's management de-
fedtfd their plans of further plumber
The Patriot knows that the subject of the sale
OF the reserve was brough lat TO the attention Of the
secretary by the member Of Minnesota, and re-
ferred, as was invariably the case, to the uarter-
master General, who reported IN favor of the
sale that, moreover, the entire subject has been
lard before an Army Board Of high character,
which unanimously reported that the post was
useless for military purposes and yet the Patriot
AYERS that Fort Smelling was absolutely wanted
All this Is on par with the trans parent folly
ahd nonsense that an eBdorsation rebuking a re-
port put on file was intended to cover the trans
action with daIkaess-The- only difference is,
thai where the latter is folly the former is un.
blushing falsehood
But the transparent outrage on decency and
ProPrletv Is, that at this day journal, published
IN Southern state, should take Black Repub-
ncdn report, and without investie alton consent
10 put before its readers the gdrbled facts and out
Ta9eous insinuations with which unscrupu-
lous set OF landsbaTks and swindlers have tiled
to blacken the reputation of a member of the Adj
ministration because he defeated their scheme
OF plumber, and secured for the government the
oHty SuIe " IdHd - tter made UhlcA JOTitU
OF the Ot:"es,eS declare to hare been adequate in
price.
A VERY SMALL BUsINEss.-We hear on sat-
lsfactory authority of very extraordinary and
reprehensible act of Mr.. Jno. B. Haskin, the
chairman of the committee to investigate GER
tain allegations Of fraud connected with the
sale of the Willett's Point property to the gov
ernment. One Of the parties involved in those
charges is Mr.. Schell, Collector of Customs
In New York city, and therefore his conduct in
connection with II becme a legitimate subject
Of inqairy with the Committee; though moth
ing derogatcry to his reput ation was elected
Tho President recently sent Mr.. Schell's ap-
pointment to the Senate for confirmation, and
IN consequence of his alleged completely with
the matter before the House investigating COM
mittee, the latter was called upon by the SEN
ate Committee on Commerce, for a statement
as to the bearing Of the testimony in the case
alluded to upon the propriety of his confirma.
tion VI course the communication was made
through the chairman OF the Senate committee.
Mr.. Clay, and addressed to the chairman of
the House committee, Mr. Haskin. The latter
accordingly wrote out reply, which he signed
as chairman of the committee. and forwarded
to Mr. Clay without submitting it to his fellow
members.
This reply is said to comprise miserably
garbled and unfair statement of the evidence
concerning Mr.. Schell, we'll calculated to de-
ieat his confirmation, coming as if apparently
did from the investigating committee of the
House. Mr.. Schell was informed Of its pur-
port, when he Immediately sought an audience
with members of the House committee and in
qured their motives for treating him so unjus-
tfabiy. Imagine his astonishment on discov-
ering that four out of the FIVE members of the
committee knew nothing whatever of the COM
and that the whole was the work
Of the chairman.
The attention of the committee being thus
attracted to the matter, they withdrew the
statement of Mr.. H., and found it wholly at
variance with the testimony-one they could
in nowse endorse. 1t is stated that Mr.. II.