The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-03-18
THE COLORADO "swiNDLEv,
Investigating Committees Report

ConducI of Hon. J. NJ. Ashley, made
the following Report:
The Select Committee, to whom was referred res
olution Of the House Of Representatives OF De-
cember 4, 1862 directing an investigation into
the official conduct Of the Hon. j. NJ. Ashley, in
procuring the appointment Of F. NJ. Case as Sur
vcyor General Of Colorado Territory, have had
the same under consideration, and have instruct
ed me to report as follows
The charges upon which the resolution for in
vestigation is based were published in September
la st in the Toledo Blade, and some other news
papers in Ohio, and at the time, no doubt, were
Intended bear upon the canvass for reelection
In which Mr.. Ashley was then engaged. The
charges themselves rest exclusively upon certain
letters, written by Mr.. Ashley TO Mr. Case, and a
written contract executed by Alr. Ashley and Case
The letters are Of vague and indefinite char
actcr, and therefore impose the duty upon your
committee of reducing them to some tangible point
upon which action can be had. Your committee
do not feel at liberty To criticise discuss the
mere propricty or improperly of the conduct Of
any member Of the House, except when il amounts
to that which IL unlawful or corrupt. Until this
point of illegally or corruption is reached, your
committee is Of the opinion that the acts of the rep
resenatvc are to be tried by his constituents, and
| not by the House. In this view your committee is
of opinion, that the publications in the newspapers
referred 10 embOdy but one charge against Mr. Ash
| ley of which we have any cOguzance. That
| charge is that he corruptly procured tho appoint
ment of +. NJ. Case as surveyor general of Colo
RADIO Territory, for consideration previously
| agreed upon The evidence discloscs tho fact
that f. NJ Case is the brother OF the Hon. Charles
| Case, u member of the 36h Congress. That
| Charles Case was 4 representative from the State
of Indiana aud +. NJ. Case resided in Ohio, in the
district represented by Mr.. Ashley. We have been
unable to learn what the very first steps taken
| To secure the appointment Of Mr.. Case, but enough
il contained in the evidence to warrant the presump
ton that the first overture came iror, Mr.. Case
! himself for an appointment to an Office of some
kind and that the subsequent letters and cores
pondencc were written by Mr.. Ashley in the prose
cutiOn OF Mr.. Cases claims. TO determine whether
| or not there were any conditions made by Mr., Ash.
lev as the considerations for his influence and efforts
| in behalf of Mr.. Case, II becomes material to com.
pare the datcs of the letters, correspondence, and
written contract with the dates Of other transactions
on the same subject.
The first in order is the written recommendation
of Mr.. Case for appointment. This recommends
ton is dated March 2, 1861 and signed by twenty
six members of the 36th and 37th Congress. This
is the first action taken by MIR. Ashley and his
friends to secure the appointment. Before thai
time two Of the letters only, from Mr.. Ashley to MIR
Case had been writtun-One, dated December 29
1860, and which contains nothing more than 4
friendly expression of his wishes for Mr.. Cases
success; the other dated February 2, 1861. This
letter, in addition to expression of anxiety fol
Cases success, dwclls upon the Importance and
advantages of the Office expresses the opinion thai
the gold mines and .he Pacific railroad would cna
blc the incumbent Of the office, if good business
man, to realize fortune of fifty to cne hundred
thousand dollars, In this letter, also he says
4" want my brother to go with you as chic
clerk" There is nothing i'll this letter, ol
, that of December, that hints ut anything
like an advance bargain with Mr.. Case ii
reference to his subordnatcs or supposed spec
ulations; nothing that raises the presumption tha
the influence of Ashley IS to be secured by any
fayurable conditions for himself or his friends. [
is in this letter that reference IS FIRST made Q thC
rlaor from which Case should hail. Case lived
near the line between Ohio and Indiana, His broth
I cr II member OF Congress from Indiana, represent
ed the adjoining district over the line, and as i
WAS presumed there would be u fair division, O
the Offices among the States, il was supposed tn,
appointment Of Cahuyt officer from the State Of In
diana l,ighl halo hrarIng against Mr. Case il ht
hailed tium that State, or Il failure m appoin
A cabinet officer from tINt state, might leave al
| nrpning which would b. filed by the appointment
of A surveyor general of Colorado from Indiana
, With the bruprirly OF balancing chances in th
. way your committee hare goih,H. W du. 1t suQl
mIr.c Is wrong, it Is Qllh that SS prevailed al
mos. from the beginning Of the government, undG
every administration, and Is political in its charac
ter.
The next letter is ofdatc March II, 1861, s;,,
contains nothing except instructions as to pro
curing ipdoyspment4 and rccomn,endations
The uext, Ngd perhaps the most Important, let
| t-ttl
Ashley iuturuls Mr, Case that hc had made SOM
progress and that ld order 10 secure the Indiana
delegation and Senator Lame to operate ON Smith
he had promised that the sub appointments shoul
be made Jointly, he giving them their first choice
He asks for Il letter authorizing him ~ make sue
pledge. lie also says, in this letter, that he W&Ii
To unite with him as full partNe ia All land spec
aons aud towua sites. This letter is dated ten day
+ after Mr. Ashley had in c0nncxion with twenty -iv
, other members made formal application for til
appointment of Mr. Case, and ii shows cOnclusivel
that at that date no bargain or agrtcV,eM had bee
Eate ci,her with loclenoc W subordinate app0in
y ulents or with references IL SpocuattonS In Color
ado The speculations have no reference wha
r over to any o1icd transactions, but aS must bc il
frrrrd from the circumstances and evidence, Tela
Is to the purchasc of such valuable Lands as a ma
residing at the place would have an opportunity
70 purchase as a private citizen. There is nothing
all the evidence that looks To any othey ki,d
" specNlgt;UH (unr -AA,atteu Ia not aware oi al
rul, that excludes memhers OF CougrcSs from bu
Id ing and selling 5thvr men, or from availing then
selves of such means of information in relation
such purchases may be accessible e. tAc..
to all the world. Your cowmHoo doos not hold Il
= negotiations among public men, In regard to fllir
v public offices 10y their political friends, rs being
subject for investigations except in SO far
such negotiations may bc IN violation Of la
1t is we'll known that among all political pSf,icS
g. this country systulh Of dlvIdpS the Offices amo
y. the host men qualified to Ill the places las prova
IL ed and that each man holding public position us
As all the influence hc can bring TO bear egitimatcy
to help his friends. This may BE- political wron
IL but it is not subject to correction by your
ID mittec
The committee, therefore, indiGs flo,,, ,lc =,
o' dc,se, Vhch ,-he,erltn submitted, nothing shO,
H. ing that there Was condition precedent demand
from +. ~ Case for his appointment as survey
s general of the Territory Of Colorado, or for the
- pointment of any OF his Subordiuatcs, by the Hu
j. NJ. Ashley, aud the evidence concluSivey sho,
y ing illegal or corrupt acts on the rGTt aa,d A.
r. ley touching said Gloipt,Ao asEidhe disohaTg
:: IRON tho further consideration of the subject
Il All of which is respectfully submitted.
Y II. Il. BLAKE,
JOHN Z. &. SHANKS
:. l.. CASEY
f. $50. W. NOELL.
EDWARD HAlGHT,