Daily national Democrat., 1859-08-05
Latham's Defense--one More Letter.

/ The Bulletin contains the affidavit of J. r.
I Beard, and it would seem to be the most i'm
portant documentin Latham's favor. Its very
carefully worded, and although it may be
/ correct, il yet is calculated to mislead for it
really does not meet the particular point at
which we have been, in roundabout man
ner, trying to ARRIVE. Mr.. Beard says
"That this atIiant has been informed that it is
reported that Hon. Milton S. Latham approached
| this aiiiant some time IN 1850, and requested, or
/ endcavOred to procure him to obtain from tue
Hon. II. c. Murray late Chief Justice of the Su-
/ preme Court Of California decision IN certain
/ cause depending in the Supreme Court OF said
| Statc-in which one Davidson was concerned,
and also the steam vessel Underwater, the tue
| Of the case being Davidson as. GoFham -laYora-
ble to the said Davidson, and that a sum of mon
| ey was 10 be paid for the procurance OF sald de-
clson to this alliant for himself and said Murray
and others
"This affant states that the said Latham made
no such proposal or approach to HIM, nor did at
fiant ever make any such proposition to said
Murray"
Mr.. Beard is firing where there is no enc
my 1t has not been stated that Latham of.
fcred money to obtain a decision favorable
| to the said Davidson" but it has been limited
! that it was offered to obtain an advance
copy of the decision, such as the decision
might be.
Mr.. Beard proceeds:
"That he sa Latham, never directly or indi-
rcctly, intimaed to aiiant any wish desire on
his part that the said Murray, or the said Court,
should decide the said cause in favor of the said
Lathams client; nor did said Latham make or
hint at any such proposition to be made to said
Murray"
That may also be so.
"Aiiiant states that in no manner, shape, or
] e,tI T,4l, l
proposition to 6ri5e tie Supreme Court, or aay
BieD1bF thereof or in any manner to interfere
with, influence or control improperly, the action
of tie SdRle or any mcBtber thereof. That affiant
never made such proposition to the Judges, or
either one thereof, directly or indirectly, on be-
half Of Mr. Latham or otherwise; aid that, if
any statements to the contrary are made, the
same are wholly untounded."
No, not to bribe the Supreme Court or any
member thereof That may still be SO. Mr.
Beard says:
ON no manner, shape, or form, did said La
than make to him any proposition in
any manner to interfere WITH influence, or control
improperly the action Of the same (the Judges ,
or any member thereof"
Judge Ileydeufeldt says;
at is true that while the Supreme Court bench
was filled by Judges Murray, Bryan and myself
Judge Murray made the charge which has been
alluded to, founded, as he said, upon statement
/ of Mr. j. r. Beard then Clerk of the Court and
consulted me upon the subject In the consulta-
ten had with him, which was our second con-
versatlou, Judge Murray exprined fully and dis
tinctly that as he understood Beard it was not an
attempt to bribe him (Muray), but to 6ribe Board
70 obtaja Tie kao,cledge q u decision anterior to
/ }ts Pu6}lcatioo."
Mr. Beard speaks of the Judges, not Of
/ anything that occurred between Latham and
! himself; otherwise there is a fiat contradic-
tion between Murray and himself
Mr. Heydenfeldt goes on to say:
/ :NWhen we converscd again on the subject
brought it up by asking Murray what he was
going TO do about this charge against Latham. lie
answered that he could do nothing that he could
not prove anything that he had had subsequent
conversation with Beard, IN which Beard assured
him that he had entirely misunderstood him
that Beard had given him version of their pre-
vious conversation which was very different from
the way he had at first understood it, and it
amounted to nothing, and therefore the subject
would have to drop"
Yet, Mr. Boards affidavit would leave the
impression thet he had had no conversation
at all with Judge Murray on the subject of
the Underwater case
The dispatch to the Bulletin says:
'ie also read a statement of J. r. Mcconnell,
late Attorney General, to the effect that he was
never requested to prosecute Mr. Latham or to
prefer cearges agaiast him, as has been stated"
Mr.. Mcconnell was "requested' to bring
charges against the different persons men
/ TONED in connection with certain cases of at.
/ tempts TO Influence the Court by the use of
money. We have his word for that There
were three cases of the kind rumored at that
time. The Object was to free Murray's char
acter from the imputations which had been
Al I al.
mentioned to Mcconnell we know not How
ever, Judge Heydenfeldt says that Judge
/ Murray consulted as to the propriety Of pros
ecuting Latham.
All these things go to show that there may
be yet something behind which has thus far
been eyaded.
While the Senatorial election was panding,
Mr.. w. I. Williamson, warm and devoted
friend of Mr. Latham-a man in whose de-
yotion Latham manifested in the most un-
mistakable manner his confidence, heard of
the Iumors and Informed Mr.. Latham that
the report was doing him serious injury. On
that occasion Mr. Latham told him the his.
tory of the matter, and said he did not enter
tain any intention to influence the Court as
to the characte: of the decision, but that he
should receive fee of several thousand dol
lars in the case, let it result which way it
might, and that all he wished was decision
/ quickly and he was willing Ia pay with that
object in view Here is Mr.. Williamson's
/ letter:
SAN FRANcIsco, Aug. 2, 1850.
EDITOR NEws:- have read the letters OF Messrs
| Beatty and Terry also the card of Solomon Hey
denfet, and The affidavit Of j. Il. Beard. All
have to say is that the question has never been
properly put before the publicj aud l profess to
know something of the matter. There is con-
tradiction, as | understand the reading ofthe ar
ticles signed respectively by Heydenfedt and
Beard which reflects on my dead friend, IL. c..
Murray, and if there is no body else left to defend
him, Of all those he favored will, cost what it
may.
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 | can prove,
/ if he thinks necessary. | heard the Supreme
Court rumOr, and told him he ought to contra
dict it, for it was iujurng 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 lie said that he to receive fee of
several thousand dollars, let the case result as it
might, and all that he and his clients wanted was
a SPEEDY decision, and that he had told Mr.. Beard
lit may be- through third Iarty-that if he
would hurry up the Judge, or something to that
effect, he would pay him SO much money, or di-
vide the fee forget which. This is the substance
of what Mr.. Latham told me- and fit is thought
necessary, | will swear to the statement
Obed't.y yours, w. f. WILLIAMSON.
We think that Judge Baldwin knows more
about this matter than any other living man,
He was, we believe counsel in the Underwri.
ter case. We believe that he Is an upright
Judge, and if he would favor the public with
an unreserved explanation of a matter which