The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-20


light no facts which will startle men familiar
with the tactics Of political parties in this
country. 1t may not be aattering to our
national pride, to know that immense sums
of money are expended to influence elections
some portions of it legitimate'y, but a
large amount corruptly-yet such is the
fact In every closely contested election,
as iu hostile contests between nations, money
is regarded as the sinews of war; and
whether it is properly expended to enlighten
the minds of electors, or to corrupt them by
bribery, depends to great extent upon the
honesty of the politicians to whom its dis
bursement is entrusted. We believe no
party can claim to be exempt from just
censure on this ground. The attempt,
therefore, Of the Black Republican journals
to make political buncombe out of the fact,
that Democrats, in exciting and important
contests, have been prodigal in their expen-
ditures, has simply resulted in bringing to
light the completely Of their own party in
OUTLAWS for like purposes.
The only facts brought out, rejecting
upon the Democracy, so far as we can ascer.
tain from a perusal of the testimony pub
lished, is that a portion of the profits of the
public printing, were expended by mir.
CORNELIUS WENDELL in 1853, in certain
States, to aid in the election of number of
representatives in Congress, from closely
contested districts. Whether the money
was expended to corrupt the people, or in
payments sanctioned as legitimate, is not
known. In 1856, it also appears that Mr.
AUGUSTUS ScHELL, impressed with the impor
lance of the defeat of the Sectionalists, raised
in the city Of New York, forty or fifty thou
sand dollars, which was transmitted to
Pennsylvania, and expended in that State.
This money was probably disbursed in
more honest manner than the FREMONT fund
in the same State, which, it has been prevent
was mainly used in buying up FILLMORE
papers, in order to break down the FILLMORE
movement, and thus unite the opposition on
the Republican candidate. The action of
Messrs. SCHELL and WENDELL is the sole
basis for the howl about Democratic cor
ruption," which has been raised by the Re-
publicans, and we think it compares favora-
bly, with the facts elected in reference to the
political financiering Of the Republicans. 1t
was proven before the House printing inquis-
ition, that FORD, the House printer, prom
Used to divide his profits with various indi-
viduals, to secure his election. His own
words. when approached were that he
would take care of the wounded" DEGREES,
who was first nominated for printer, 10 the
Republican caucus, but failed of an election,
submitted proposition to the caucus, which
was accepted, binding himself to contribute
one half of the profits of the public printing
to be used in influencing elections in Penn
sylvania, New Jersey, Indiana and Illinois.
After submitting this proposition, be was
nominated, but could not get American
votes sufficient to elect him. WENDELLs
contributions in aid of the Democracy were
voluntary; they we're not exacted by eau
Gus arrangement, as proposed in the case
of DEGREES.
In Rhode Island, since the election, Pa
DLEFoRD, the Republican candidate for Gov
ernor, has been implicated in direct bribery,
and in an attempt by the corrupt use of
money, to disfranchise whole township Of
voters. The evidence against him is direct
and positive. PADLEFoRDs clerk, in bis
presence and within bis hearing, consumma-
ted the arrangement and paid over the
money.
The late State Treasurer of Maine, PECK,
who is defaulter to a large amount, &C.
knowledges that portion Of the money he
plundered from the State, was used in pro-
noting the election of SoMEs and FRENCH,
two Republican Congressman from that
State.
In our own State, last fall, the Republi.
cans expended large sums of money, and in
some instances resorted to direct bribery.
Senator WILKINSON, on the day of his elec-
ton as U. s. Senator, was called upon by
the present Executive of this State, to pay
over to the Republican Executive Commit
tee, five hundred dollars, as a portion only
of the amount which was expected of the sue
cessful aspirant for the Senatorship, to meet
obligations incurred for election purposes.
We believe he has since been called upon
for another five hundred. The idea that this
amount of money-and it was only the con-
tribution of one man-was used to defray
legitimate expenses, is absurd. 1t was part
Of the Republican corruption fund.
If the Congressional Committees by
their investigation, or by any measures they
may suggest, can put stop to this growing
evil, they will do good service to the coun-
try. But no result can be anticipated from
their action, when it has no higher basis
than desire to manufacture political capt.
tai.