The Nevada Democrat., 1859-08-17
From the Sacramento Bee. Aug. s.
Senator VIM. MI. Gvvfn.


This gentleman has often been accused of being
interested IN or retained by, the Pacific Mail Steam
shin Company. His steady and persistant opposi-
ton to the Pacific Railroad long since convinced us
personaly that he in the interests Of the Steam
ship Company, but we could not prove our convlc,
tons The people of this State have long believed
and often asserted that much, but until this time
there has never been, so far as we can remember,
any direct proof of the accusation. Now, however,
we learn, upon what we consider unquestonaole
authority, that Senator VIM. M. Gwin did receive
one bribe or retainer present, from that Company
of 500 .OO0 and how much more he has received
since, or how much he received before, our inform
ant saith not.
Il happened in this wise The contract for carry
ing the first ocean mail from Panama to Oregon and
California was for monthly service only. The con-
tract was made in lS47 or 48. In lS49 or 80 the
great rush Of people to this golden land made
sem-monthly mail desirable. George Law placed a
line of steamers on the New York and Chagres
route and offered to carry the mail, monthly, free
of charge to the Government; thus making wltn the
then existing contract semi-nonthly mail. How
land & Aspinwall of New York, being the mail con-
tractors on this SIDE saw Senator Gwn shortly af-
ter this proposition was made by Law, and it was
arranged among them that they, too, were to offer
TO carry the mail once each month without charge
To the Government which, with the monthly mail
for which they were paid, would give us semi
monthly postal conveyance between New \ ork ana
California; and Gwin was to use his influence at
future time to have the monthly mail contract IN
creased to semi-monthly, and to have the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company remunerated by Congress
for hack services rendered. in carrying the monthly
mail which they offered to carry free; and II Gwin
succeeded in this pan he was TO have $2O,OO0 IN
Pacific Mail Steamship Companys stock for his SER
vices So the matter rested
The Company made the offer-it was accepted
and in 1851 bill for semi-monthly mail from
Panama to Oregon and California was passed by
Congress- allowing for such service seventy-ve per
cent additional upon the original contract for the
monthly mail, and awarding the Company full pay
al this rate for back service! About that time the
name of VIM. M. Gwin, Senator from California,
appeared upon the Pacific Mail Steamship Compa-
nvss books as the owner of 800 900 in stock Some
of Gwins friends ascertaining this fact, said to him.
eIf your enemies in California or elsewhere, learn
that YOU are the owner of $780, 900 stock in this
Comnany they will use it to your disadvantage. II
does not look well, and you had better have your
name taken off their books, or cause the amount
held by you to be reduced"
Gwin took their advice, offered to dispose of hall
his interest in the Company, that stock was then
at par, if not above it, Rowland Aspinwall pur-
chased half of his $20 900 interest, and gave him
check on San Francisco banking house for $lO,-
000 This amount was paid to an agent chosen by
Gwn with instructions to invest 1t III available real
estate on the corner, near the corner, OF hearny
and jackson streets, San Francisco; which, we be-
lieve Mrs. Gwin holds until this day. We call the
attention of the National and Standard to this fact
and have only to say to them and the public, that
we have full reliance upon the correctness OF this
information, and that we have no doubt that the
matter can be fully proved if Senator Gwin dares de-
ny &!
Truly is he "dripping with corrupiton" We'll
might Broderiek charge him with being the paid
agent of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
What have the friends of the Cline Pointer to say
to this charge