The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-30

Mr.. Baker is our nominee for the Office Of
Secretary of State, and we desire to stand by
him, if he is worthy, which should be the pre-.
sumption, and refute all false statements made
for electioneering purposes; but if he is unwor-
thy, we would not support him. Your knowl-
edge will enable you to set us right in the mat
ter, which trust you will do at the earliest
moment, and very much oblige many who in
these perilous times desire to look before We
leap.
In Freedom's cause, yours truly.
(Signed) ORRIN DINSMORE.
CINCINNATI, September 5, 1859.
o. DINsMoRE, Esv.. Red Wing:
SIR The extract from the report of the
Ohio Treasury Investigating Commission which
you enclose to me with yours of the Sd inst,
and which you say you cut from the PIONEER
AND DEMOCRAT, ,cas ere'y ,cord ,oritten by me,
and ibid then, and do nc,c, most solemnly believe
ere,y ,cord to be true and must add, that as
Trustees of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust
Company, Ihare since seen much to confirm, and
nothing. to take a,cay, any bad impression pre-.
v,ously had Of James H. Baker.
You sign yourself ''in Freedoms cause yours
truly" and accept your salutation; and espe-
cially, because you say in your letter, that you
will not support unworthy men though nomina.
ted.-a determination which the friends ofliberty
should never violate.
Most respectfully yours,
(Signed) CHAS. REEMELIN.
In the face of the testimony we have pro-
duced, and of the statement of Hon. Mr..
REEMEL1N, made to Minnesota Republi.
can, who was anxious to ascertain the
truth or fa!sehood of the charge against
BAKER in the face of these proofs, we do
not believe single honest citizen, aware
of the facts, and who is a sincere friend of
Minnesota, or who is anxious for the
triumph of honesty, and the overthrow of
rascality, can vote to place JAMES III.
BAKER in the high official position for which
heis candidate. To elect him, would be a
tribute to his eminent qualities as scoun-
drel, and putting premium upon corrup-
ton, bribery and perjury in office.
Let us briefly review the testimony.
While Secretary of State, and by law one
of the Fund Commissioners of the State of
Ohio, BAKER visited New York, to nego-
tiate loan of S2,4OO,OOO while there he
was bribed by one LUDLOW, to give H. A.
JOHNSTON & Co., superior advantages in
bidding for the loan. In support of this
statement, we give the testimony of Hon.
STANLEY MATTHEWS, United States Dis
trict Attorney for the Southern District of
Ohio. He says, in giving to the Commits.
sion an account of his conversation with LUD-
LOW, that he Ludlow stated that
"the Ohio loan negotiated in the fall of 1856,
was given to H. A. johnson & Co.; that he,
ludlow was partner with johnson in that
transactions and that by an arrangement be.
tween himself. Ludlow, and F. NJ. Wright and
Mr.. BAKER, these two latter gentlemen were
to participate with him in the profits upon
his share; and that .as an advance on &C
count OF the profits expected to be realized,
he had paid to those gentlemen $4,000, and ia.
ken the ncte referred to. He did not state
where it was executed. The note so far Yas
l recollect, was not written on Trust Comp.
any blank note, but upon piece of white writ.
ing paper. Iasked him, on that state of facts
how he could claim that they owed him the
money. He said, in reply, that the original un-
derstandng was, that they were to get nothing
except out of the profits when realized, and
that he took the note because he had advanced
in anticipation; and that his State stocks having
been so sacrificed, there had been a loss instead
of profit, and they were entitled to nothing
of ha frs nd
the money. He asked me what he should do
with the note. l told him to give it to the as.
signees; and he afterwards told me that he
had given it to Mr.. Broadwell. "-[Testimony
Investigating Committee, page 523.
Mr.. BRoADwELL, one of the assignees of
the Ohio Life and Trust Company, produced
the note. We quote from his testimony,
page SIG:
THE following is a copy of the note above
referred to:
On demand, we promise to pay Edwin Lud-
low, or order, four thousand dollars, for value
received.
(Signed) F. NJ. WRIGHT,
j. H. BAKER.
The above note is endorsed Edwin Lud-
low S. j. BROADWELL."
The consequences of the award made by
BAKER, and which he was bribed to make,
are all portrayed in the Report of the Com
mission, by Mr.. REEMEL1N. Speaking of
the measures adopted to secure II. A..
JOHNSON an advantage in bidding, Mr..
REEMELIN says:
Thus bids were checked from substantial
men at home and abroad. Besides, it was
sort Of public secret among moneyed men in
New York, that there was to be some foul play
in the awarding of the loan, and that johnson
and Ludlow had inside opportunities denied to
others. All these matters, to wit superficial
law, inexperienced negotiators, the procrasti.
nation of the General Assembly and the Fund
Commissioners in bringing the loan forward, a
suspected place to negotiate in, controlled and
surrounded as it was by suspected men-these
are the causes which aeterred real capitalists
from coming forward, and which threw the
loan into irresponsible hands, and made Ohio
State Stock fall from 100, at which figure they
stood In January, 1856, to 1888, difference of
81, or Sl32,OOO on the s. 100000. And that was
the penalty the State paid for ceasing to occu-
Ply that high and strong financial positions
which was pre- eminently accorded to it among
So BAKERS scoundrelism robbed the
people of Ohio, according to Mr.. REEMEL1N,
Of $4,000. Dear bought experience.
Will the people Of Minnesota pay as much
Mr.. WRIGHT was opposed to awarding
the loan to H. A. JOHNSON, deeming his