New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-03-07

standing debts think it was not until 1851
or 1852, that had final settlement with
Mr.. Lincoln, which resulted in my purchas.
ing considerable amount of real estate, and
there being defect in the titles, was kept
in occasional correspondence with him up to
1854 or 1855. About this time Mr.. Lincoln
connected himself with what was known as
the Texas land grant, and formed one of
many of large company that conceived the
idea of making a railroad to the Pacific coast
J About this time Congress had under consider
alton the same subject. This brought Mr..
; Lincoln to Washington each session thcreaf-
ter as regularly as Congress met. 1t so hap
pcned that was one of = special committee
of nine raised IN the Senate on two Occa.ions
to consider and report upon some plan or route
of railroad to the Pacific. This again brought
me in communication with Mr.. Lincoln.
Seldom week passed that he did not visit me
at my house. l was always glad to see him ;
and whenever and wherever we mat. | recog-
nized and treated him as friend and gen
tleman. | may here add that Thomas b.
Lincoln is we'll and favorably knewn in his
native city Of Philadelphia, and in the COM
munity in which live He is knowN to m my
of the citizens of Washington, and very well
known to most of the Senators and Represen.
tatives whe were in the enterprise have
mentioned. l never heard aught alleged
against his honesty. integrity, or loyalty,
until heard of his arrest in the city OF Cn-
cinnati, in Jn'y or August last, on suspicion
mere suspic'cn-of being IN completely with
the Southern rebellion. There wese found i'll
his possession, among his papers two letters
written by me and, if he had had his busi-
ness budget with him, there would no doubt,
! L. E.. 4 1,,n 4, &c lok%n frpv,
running back during the last twenty-three or
| twenty four years. Having read one letter
which was found with MIR. Lncola, | now
| read the other:
WASHINGTON, June 27t, 1860.
DEAR SIR: take pleasure in introducing
to YOU an old and valued friend. Mr.. Thomas
B. Lincoln. Hc has proposition to make
| to YOU, connected with kind OF machine he
| understands you are using in the public ina
provements under your control. commend
him to you as reliable gentleman. in every
sense of the word, and bespeak for him your
kind consideration.
Truly yours, ID. BRIGHT.
Mark you this letter forms no part of the
! accusation against me. 1t has been certified
| to here bv the officer who has the custody of
il. for the purpose. suppose, of showing
that had been in the habit of corresponding
| with Mr.. Lincoln l am glad it has been
| done. It enables me- from the face of differ
cnt papcrs, penned at different periods to
show what my relations were with Mr. Lin
coin. and nv opinion of him, long before
even the thought of dsunion was expressed.
The Seaator from Maine. Mr.. MoRsILL.
in his assault upon me, laid great stress o..
the cordiality of feeling expressed in my let
ter of the 1st OF March. both toward the per-
son to whom it was addressed and toward the
person in whose behalfit was written and
| volunteered the opinion that it sounded like
the language ola courtier. have none eth
er than a nero nassing acquaintance with
that Senator and his total ignorance OF my
character is disclosed by venturing to make
such an imputation upon it. 1.-The knew ME
better he would have known that, whatever
be nv defects, this was not one ofthem. With
more sycophantie smiles, and fewer looks and
tones Of defiance. since this prosecution com.
menced can scarcely doubt that ! should
have lessened the number of my prosecutors,
and abated the venom Of their attacks ; but
with entire confidence iu my innocence and
integrity. all ask. or have asked, is justice.
Mr.. McDOUGAL rose
THE PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the
Senator from Indiana give way to the Senator
from California?
Mr.. BRIGHT Very emphatically] will
not wish to make my statement unlnterrupt-
ed. am not in pursuit of votes to shield me
from the blow that the honorable Senator
from New York (Mr. HARRIs,) has just an
nounced it has already been agreed shall be
struck. intend TO state facts for the ear of
an impartial public, indifferent alike as to
the votes or opipions of those here, who have
prejudgcd this case.
Mr.. McDOUGAL Mr. President.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sena-
tor frum Indiana has the floor, and must not
be interrupted.
MIR. BRIGHT. wish now to call the at
tention of the Senate to the similitude of Ian
guase in each of these letters. When the
lir.t was written Twas chairman of the Com
mite on Public Buildings and Grounds. Cap
tain Franklin, to whom it was addressed.
was in charge of the Capitol extension, and
to some extent under its direction. This
brought me in daily communication with Cap.
tain (now Gcneral Franklin. No doubt MIR.
Lincoln knew this and solicited the letter,
stating what his object was. have been in
the almost daily habit of giving letters of in
PRODUCTION to friends and acuuaintances tor
> years past, as matter of course, and Us |
presume most members of Congress have,
particularly those who may be in sympathy
with the party in power at this time. In the
letter to Captain Franklin, stated what Mr..
Lincoln's business was:
::He has proposition to make to yon con-
nected with kind of machine he understands
you are Using in the public Improvements un-
der your control"
! further sand:
II commend him TO you as reliable gen.
tlcman in every sense OF the word, and bespeak
for him your kind consideration
In writing such letters, my mind. and |
presume that of others, dwells almost entire
iy on the relation the person asking it bears
to me. and have no recollection of but sin.
Gle case in which ever refused letter ol