Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-07-05
The COvOde For.
nevis Testimony.

certain alleged corruptlons, has been made
TO the House of Representative, and is ac
companied by an immence mass of testi
mony. John w. Forney, Clerk of tht
House of Representatives, was examined
before the Committee June I1lh 1861
He is also the Editor of Tie Press, Phil
adelpha, and was President Buchanan.
right hand man before and during the Pres
ldential contest Of 1856. His testimony
therefore possesses unusual interest. Ii
rolls up the curtain on scenes not intended
for the public eye, and exhibits the chic
actor IN the most discreditable attitudes o.
duplicity and perfdy. Previous to Bu
chanan's election, Col. Forney's relations to
20 him had long been intimate and of a
confidential character, and Col +. in his
testimany says: "The separation is of the
most painful nature" His evidence is SC
long that we are compelled 10 omit the
questions and answers, but we copy the
most material part explaining his personal
and political connexenion with the Presi
dent before and after his elevation to tie
Chief Magistracy. Let all the people
"read and inwardly digest"
After the nomination of Mr.. Buchanan.
Il was at Cincinnati helping, with others,
10 secure that result,) l was taken very i'll,
and resided at Lancaster with my mother,
my wife being with me OF the time. 1t was
some time before | recovered sufficiently
to 60 to Philadelphia and resume my con-
nection with the campaign. One after
noon drove up to Wheatland, and found
Mr.. Buchanan sitting in front of his house,
on the lawn, in company with my wife,
who had preceded me : and he said to me
in his usual kind manner, (for we had
formed very close and intimate relations 10
each other, Il am very grateful to you for
what you have done at Cincinnati, and
during all your life, for me. shall he
elected easily" 1t was believed that
he would be elected easily; he was regar-
ded as a conservative man, and he was
confident himself of his election. Sand
now" said he, sin older 10 make your
mind easy upon the subject, l want to
tell you what my purposes in reference 10
yourself. l design that you shall go to
Washington 10 take charge of the organ
of my Administration, should be elected,
and TO take possession of the public print
ing. This offer is voluntarily made, in the
fullness of my heart, and l intend to stand
by it." | was, of course, gratifed and
surprised. | did not expect that he would
make such an offer, at least at that time,
and we parted. We frequently met after
wards. The campaign began with good
deal of excitement, and in short time the
contest assumed as aspect which made it ex
ceedingly doubtful whether he would be
elected. But the election passed over
We carried by a close vote the Democratic
ticket in October, and after the November
election he sent for me to Wheatland, and
said, 81 am sorry to inform you that l
cannot cali you to Washington" l ought
to say i'll this place that was for some
time the assistant editor of the organ of
Administration of General Pierce, aud
had a large interest in the public printing.
which was just about becoming valuable to
me, when Buchanan became a candidate
for the Presidency. l could not sustain
a double position TO these two candidates
-General Pierce and himself being in the
ield-and l threw up not only the partial
control Of tho newspaper. but whatever
interest had in the public printing under
him, and came back to Pennsylvania. at
Mr.. Bucbanan's requst to assume the di-
reclion of tho campaign. 81 am sorry,"
said Mr.. Buchanan, "tbat | cannct fulfill
my promise TO call you to Washington"
I.had my house here furnished-the house
now occupied by Senator Trumbull, and
owned by my wife, of whom Mr.. Buchan-
an is still the trustee-and !, of course, felt
very much shocked at this statement, and
demanded to know the reason. Said he,
"There are serious objections to you upon
the part of number of Southern men,"
| said, "You have surrendered me-" Said
he, 81 have been compelled TO do so; a
great trouble would take place in my Ad-
ministration if you came there, and l
should be compelled to make another ar
rangement. u said that however disagree
ablo the intelligence might be, it was con-
elusive; and he might rely upon it that he
would hear nothing from me in opposition
to the Administration, if he continued to
stand by the principles upon which he was
elected. He said, "There are many places
which you can take under me-" said,
''No it is utterly impossible that l can
bear at any official relation to your Admin
istraton hereafter; but l intend to give to
your Administration hearty and sincere
support"-for believed then that if there
was man on earth who would be true to
his pledges, it was himself. IL
Subsequently became the candi ate of
the Democratic party for United States
Senator. He recommended Inc to the
Legislature through friend, for that posi-
ton, which l thought was an ample con-
tradiction to the Objection which he had al
lowed to be successfully made against me !;
because if he was willing to put me into
the Senate, he certainly ought not to have
objected 10 having me, here as his news
papaper representative, so to speak. Twas
defeated for that place; and then a very
strong demonstration was made in many
quarters to put me before the Cabinet. 1
took occasion at once to tell him, that act
ing on the determination which had start
ed out with, l was not candidate for that
place. Indeed, went so far as to assure
many kind friends that their persistent sup
port of me for the Cabinet was disagreed
BILE 10 me and would produce trouble; that