Daily national Democrat., 1859-08-06
Latham's Defense.
(LGthdm-loqait,T: J

NEUbtVW-tOYUHW y
1t is charged that caused to be purloined
letter which committed me to n certain
party from whom | wished to be released
No names were used but feel it in my bones
that Judge Tilford is the man from whose pa
pers am charged with causing to be abstrac-
ted the said alleged to-be purloned letter,
and l equally feel that Prindle is the man
who is meant as having been my agent in
stealing the letter. Now, bring forward
Judge Tilford, who states that the letter in
question was missing but afterwards found.
In addition, I state that Prindle was the man
who searched for the missing letter and found
it, Ofcourse it was impossible that Prindle
could have, in the first place, abstracted the
letter and replaced it at the time of finding
it No sensible man could entertain such an
idea for moment. True Judge Tilford might
have looked for the letter himself, being well
acquainted with the locality in which his pa
pers were deposited, but thought it neces-
sary to help him with Prindle, who verified
the accuracy of my judgment by immediate
ly finding the missing document l do assure
my friends solemnly that Prindle did not have
that letter in his coat sleeve at the time of
the searching.
1t is next charged upon me, that l assisted
w. l. Ferguson in getting up his Anti-Le-
compton Resolutions in the Senate. Gen.
eral McDougal will testify that never, to his
knowledge, did l ever meet or consult with
Ferguson on the subject, and Gen. McDougal
has seen me great many times in Sacramen-
to and elsewhere He does not think it pos
sible that l could have met with Ferguson
during the few weeks or months in which he
did not happen to be with me, as l generally
took McDougal with me whenever inten-
ded to do anything important. Joe Hoge
will also testify that he never heard me say
anything to Ferguson on the subject, and he
was with me frequently. He will also testi-
fly that he never saw me ecade through a mud
hole in Sacramento, at 2 or 3 o'clock at night,
or indeed at any other hour of the day or
night, with "a martial cloak around" me.
1t is next charged that attempted by bri
berry to obtain decision of the Supreme
Court can prove by Judge Heydenfeldt
that Judge Murray understood Joe Beard to
say that had made base proposition to
him, but afterwards stated that he had sub
sequently seen Joe Beard and Beard informed
him that he Murray, had misunderstood him
/ can also prove by Joe Beard, that did not
attempt to induce him to procure decision
in favor of Davidson in the case of Davidson
VS.. Gorham. 1t is true that nobody has sta
ted that did attempt to obtain decision in
tapOr Of Davidson, but then may as well
deny it, anyhow l can also prove by Joe
Beard, that l never attempted to influence
the decision of the Supreme Court in any
shape or manner. True, Beard does not once
say that did not attempt to influence him
to obtain speedy decision whatever it might
be, but take it for granted that he intended
to say so, and the omission was entirely acci
dental Mr.. Williamson says:
"At the time of the Senatorial election !
took an active part, in my humble way, in
helping Latham to be elected, and learned
many things that were hidden from others
He knows he had every confidence in me and
in my word, as l can prove, if he thinks ne
cessary. heard the Supreme Court rumor,
and told him he ought to contra dict it. for
it was injuring him. He told me all about
the matter, and SAID, to the effect, that he did
not attempt to influence the decision of the
Court He said that he was to receive fee
of several thousands of dollars, let the case
result as it might, and all that he and his
clients wanted ras speedy decision, and that
he had told Mr. Beard-it may be- through a
third party-thdt J'he woHd hurry up the
J,tdge. or something to that effect, he aco'lid
pay him so much money or diride the fee, |
forget which.
This is rather tight, must admit, but Mr..
Williamson is mistaken. After all, too, Will
hanson only charges me with acknowledging
that attempted to bribe the Clerk of the
Supreme Court, instead of the Judge, which
of course amounts to nothing