New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-31
1aT CASE OF ALEX. CUMMINGS.
The Investigating Committees Response
EcN OF Mr.. PAW L 81

u
There was 10 OhjeCti0A.
Nv. D4wKs-Mf. Speaker, on the 18th Of De-
-sber list, tbe COMMITTEE appointed by this House
- he subject Of Government contracts nude re-
- 70 the House, in witch they called attention 10
a. manner in which person by the name II Alex
.tier Cummings hHJ been expanding certain m"ney
s,r,,siifs in Now-NOrk subject IT, bis or(er, base1
u,on the testimony furnished by that gentleman 10
tie COnniltee on the Gin Oi September lsi' ina'
r. ort IVES before the House without houee no"
;rs. gentleman until the 6tn day of toe riesen'
yynIh, d peiiod of about three mouths, wteu = =,
hsiyened that every member OF TIE COMMITTEE "eu,
ovo-dor Of the House. al scented tnsen non, 'ro Vi
Sr l.schsrge q his duty. Then, "a 10 .',dor
avsrv member cf the Committee, this hr ,,Ia
Cufpmlpgs through his representative VIC 49,
nan from Peunsylvauia Mr. Kelley Iu' s on o'I
sd. Of tho House charges ag'insi Tie iT,Ton''
character and integrity Of mat Cosi"'''' " 80
Jops ia the sbsence Of The Comniitee' iheIe "",e
- f-acnsnt illusions these CHARGE IA TIE toi'
- finns ~ the press throughout tie ecu ty,
Tvcbed in suca particular snd siull ar iai 9uaB- as
= cave no doubt OF their couo'on origin. ew usls
since there appeared al editorial IN ore OF raS
= ,srs Of the Ciy OF Ne"-fork, before any uenoe,
q he COnrli. tee aad yet arrived III tie Cry of
" .slingou, calling particular aIteihl VI to tue ia''
shat # 6sd made no answer in the House g. fhese
.ecsi0ns and that sherefore they most lie taken q"
confessed. The Uouse Will therefore eAcu-e '"e
Committee for embracing this the hiet moment aver
d If return TO this city IL askng lie inou'eence'
,bile they re.pond 10 these charges ag'hns' htl'
,a-aousI irteurj,y lie Commute 90 rot r0l Ose
90 lake up The time OF the House, 70 eigro.eru y.
aber subjects, with shy SOFT OF Ion OF I'd.
.-rneufs aud reasons u oythiug IL this document
NV be called arguments and reasont-oheTrs os
n. Gentleman In Justification OF bis course. lie!
Sri lei su he has offered his OWn defense sihL1
nv che side OF his own siory told under cath oo The
sh of September last, and Only desire o'ail ,he al
Cention OF tue House 10 the grouods aud eva, nee
upor vbich lie saw 6t, III the stseIee OF the Com
sIes to attack then Integrity. Ihese chaI,es we're
made "a the 9th day of March. ana ~ she couIee OF
Susiness aimee transacted III tie HOUSE, Trey Lave
5onbtlCs raised out Of the minds Ui I'LL eA,e tofe
Interested ia tue nat ire 81 these charges They are
h, brief and in substance as iOOws: That TIE Con-
r1ittee after having examined him aud pftpJeu
sber report 10 be made 10 HE House ielOreu lin,
90 It's appication, the permission 10 have tNainieG
before the Committee 4 geDtl' mHn wn0 "Ouid -x-
pam sll matter confirmed IN & at reIort rejecting
opOn his expenditure Of that money; iht ihey re-
fused % have presented 20 he Con.Diee aud IL ca
tnlue into ths furnished 10y hirn thhI would
sxplzin ell of those TRANSACTIONS That tie com.
llllee ALEC. i'll pursuance of It's rnro"'e, "l'-i'd
,nd fIqfed the record testimony furnished 10y Inn
n tbs Committee; ARD that To, cid all OF hs Will
frv ana yerverseiy, ard for TIE purOse OF 'fealIns
.ei sAion In tie House and before the country az
BIZ expense, and OF couvcti"g tim ii c!'s'ge. wllch
the Committee knew ere false ere, IN cub
stance are the grave charges III the CoCUpe ct pre-
pnted by the gentleman from Penn ,an,s, Fl. Id
by Mr. Cummings, and u Is To thGse charge, rnd
dose aloue If tie llVuse will permit ne lea mo-
nlents hat deeiie TO call attention. Tist dosu.
r,snt, occupying some a. ht Ia.ts OF IA pamphlet,
he's been iadustr Ously circulated tbrcul DOT tie
country; auG have The honor 10 aCk' ~ eu.e my
seli toe receipt of copy IRON lie onht TIL ed
setilsmsr LIS beauty std for, AID irutn oI "
Se entirely appreciated by being ooIBy~ied ,hd
su connection wi lie sworn testimony Ci tlir eon-
!euso before lbe CvDuiitse GA tie Il oa, ii D. :
TENDER hast ard occupying IS Isges 81 tie pIin ed
look OF testimony, be, inning on gage $50. Ar
etluOt believe thh, tie gentleman would swear
Giseiy whatever no nay cay III sny document not
sworn TO- hin con ptlieu TO tAanii q l. f~urt ur-
amory IN connection with tbir payer tosho~ ~tere.
IL tie TWO nav differ, III OrCer q at ~ ni kbow
how much reliance and Truth ueie may d. Ia TIE
griuen statement pow mace To- tie Hoose Though
TIE cent i.man from Ienitylvalia lie geit lenar
saIts cut III LIS Iami biet Nih al aeeiiiOi Of il'
l0rt: c
be- ooLveBed hsaug gf'tty I" ny 'Sif'i'' tti", 5h
heed that the leporl The CoEiui about 20 BE- usoe
,ortaned statements injuDU y tbectins ~ '"PusiiHt
earn Washington FROM s'cs oeo sc""'' ne esFn'' go
a. al u5xiri.r ailh vieS OF 'hr Il
IL ,onils- to GscrTiriu po-.ibss "nst Oh" qses
a. u any her mind IL ,lsii - to "a, uA".se''"r'
Re is iabOring iB tie outset under a ai4i.he. Tue
sestlsmau ALLEGED that lOiofe b. came L. thing
ton The report Of tie Commute. coi.iaGed ,lair-
1ents iDluliOusly afec Ing LII rel1'~'iou. ",
woen he came TO Washington tLer; tai ben no IT.
Port nace " this House, aud 40 relofI u, Ais'ence
which could cOntsin such stsienerts. lie 'ame to
September mad been printed, and CO.'S OF tie proof
sheets OF that testimony had, by c'ufte.y o tie
Committee been PLACED IA the LaIds Of tie late Sec
Rotary Of War III consequence Of be III r,ssiou
bis printed testimony III proUi-sLee. usae 0iOu The
hit Secretary uf War IN reference to tie uaIIer ia
which be had eSpel ued portion vi III" OyO, CJ0
n The request Of the late Secretary Of Wa o,d 10
bis credit II New-lOrk, sr. CuulaiAge cane to
Washington. Tie testimony hr. Gum iD.s gave
o. the 9Th day OF September, after /, had b taken
- sf.a fflzrA
VA written OFT by TIA. clerk, s,d places ia The
hands If Mr Cummings for ie1 I,ioii, hnd was keIt
By Mr. Cummings iOr tour Gays, ara uutil b. became
t-rely saLisiied VIII tie pO,itiO. 10 Which be lett
tinfeh IN that testimony. lie retained { 10 lie
Clerk Of The Committee with such aIlenoaticLH and
stesii0ne ~ he dseired to make, aId he ie in,eh
upon tLo record Jost precisely Le de,iu to b, ei
there he rested comfortably aud sa.t,ltG from tie
Sh day Of September until D.eem. ~, wien d COY
o. the proOisheets wss placed - have said la lie
bands Of the late Secretary OF War. Tie ,e,,imon,
sfu tie late Secretary OF War fvety me Ell 1,
fTOn tie impression 1t mace npOo "a. Cus.l ia,t
AID consequently, MIR. CumMia.s cane 10 Wa,1
hytOu IN ha3te 70 ese what could Lone. NeItl4 r
Re tie Late Secretary VI Var, uor any o,ios Ii,
ny mad had 81 that tine beard VIA tng tGtu igi
The report contained st4eairL Lie iol liu, .im, Le.
Cause III tbst time report hi1 letL ~. IL y a.
Committee. lie Says tbi,, fnOial o.t l. loot, BE-
,eLt trisbtwoy 60 kcT-York or TIE lCArlau.an
~no could exp ain IN Of tue InaItoGs uDOut which
tleis was Guy trouble. sad that ie rc4rt.t.q the
Co4nnt,te y yermi. tia gentleman 80 .. edr De.
i,ie Il "lla bis voucher but Tut the Conn itto o
TuIn,e-siy iH the word he uses, AID eiLuny "a
kno.her psce, tent on creating eSaA,ion. refused
70 ieiDls his Wlnsss 10 b. eXzu4ined au Ae VOdtl-
ere, which lie bad in liz posres~ion' To- be oreo,d.
Now, lcif, iabout What var this witnt,s to IL ~.
med, ana about hat wos be 10 ro iee ,oueneis
There rad been placed Ia tae h,u /, Of t,,ee oi.
.ns llshed and aplgl' eeutlel-eu Of N,w-iosk C,ty
t<yVOWU antJsct 10 lDe ofcer II al ..ta..f l,,r,
urgs, without stint or zee licii IA. ~, t,o e.,
pehled al indefinite, and, 10 tie Coanj.,,-. hi,
un-e;tsin SUN, out OF that s. 100000 ano be Con-