Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-03-20

our columns, and we can only find room for the
conclusions arrived at by the COMMITTEES from
the testimony adduced. The COMMITTEES erepor-
ted unanimously exhonorating him from ell |
charges agsnst his official conduct, and the
House unanimously adopted the report. The
Committee reported as follows:
"The charges upon which tho resolution for
investigation is based were published in Sep /
teinber Last iu the Toledo Blade aud some other
newspapers in Ohio, and at the time, no doubt
were Intended to bear upon the canvass for re-
election in which Mr.. Ashley was then engaged.
The charges themselves rest exclusively upon
certain letters written by Mr.. Ashley to Mr..
Case and written contract executed by Mr..
Ashley and Case. The letters are Of a vague
and indefinite characier aud therefore impose
the duty upon your committee ofreducing them
to some tangible point upon which action can
be had. Your committee do not feel at liberty
to criticise or discuss the mere propriety or inn
propriety OF the conduct Of any member Of the
House except when il amounts TO that which is
unlawful or corrupt. Until this point Of illo-
gality or corruption In reached, your committee
Is Of the opinion, that the nets Of the represen-
tatiye are to be tried by his constituents, and
not by the House. In this view your commit
tee is Of opinion, that the publications IN the
newspapers referred TO embody but one charge
against NJ, Ashley of which We have any cog
Rizance. That charge is that no corrItpHg pro-
cured tho appointment Of H. N. Case az surveyor
general Of Colorado Territory for consideration
previously agreed upon. The evidence discloses
the fact that +. M. Case is the brother Of the
Hon. Charles Case member Of the Both Con-
gress. That Charles Case was representative
from the State Of Indiana, and f. NJ Case resi-
ded in Ohio, in the district represented by Mr..
Ashley. We have been unable TO learn what
were the very first steps taken to secure the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Case. but enough is contained
in the evidence to warrant the presumption that
the first overture came from Mr.. Case himself
for an appointment TO an office ofsOme kind and
that the subsequent letters and correspondence
were written by Mr.. Ashley in the prosecution
Of Mr.. Cases claims. To determine whether or
not there were any conditions made by Mr..
Ashley as the considerations for his influence
and efforts in behalf Of Mr.. Case it becomes ma
terial to compare the dates Of the letters, corre-
spondence, and written contract, with the dates
OF other transactions on the same subject.
The first in order is the written recommended
tion Of Mr.. Case for appointment. This recon-
mendatiOn is dated March 2, 1861, and signed by
twenty-six members of the 36th aud 37th Com
gress. This is the first action taken by Mr. Ash
ley and his friends to secure the appointment.
Before that time two of the letters only, from
Mr.. Ashley to Mr.. Case had been written-one,
dated December %, 1860. and which contains
nothing more than friendly expression of his
wishes for Mr.. Cases success; the other, dated
February 2, 1861. This letter, in addition to an
expression OF anxiety Tor Gases success, dweils
upon the importance and advantages of the Of
nee expresses the opinion that me gold mines
ana the racine rniiroad would enable the lneum-
nent OF tne once, good business man, to re,
aiize fortune OF nifty TO one hundred thousand
dollars. In this letter, ALSO he says: Il want my
brother 10 go with you as chief clerk There is
nothing in this letter, or that Of December that
nlnts az anything IKE an advance bargain with
Mr. Ease in reference 70 ms suoofdinatesor or sup
posed speeelations; nothing that raises the pre-
sumption that the influence OF Ashlay IS to be
secured oy any iavoraoie conditions Tor himself
or lrienos AZ rs IN TINS letter mat reference ls
nrss n'aae 10 the pace lrom which case should
nan: case nVe1 near the line between Ohloan
indiana' MS Drother, member of Congress
lro'n ih9iafa, represented the nnJoinihg uistrlct
over neline, ana as IL was presumed tnere would
De ialr DIVISION oi the omccs among the states,
u was supposed the appointment Of Cabinet
onlcer rom tne Siate oil indlana might nave
bearing against Mr case II ne haIed from that
STATE, OF Iaiiure 10 appoint a Caolnet ofhcer
rom mat o.ate, might leaVe an opening which
"ooid DC ni,ed oy the appointment OF sur
veyor gsheIai o. Ooioraao from Indiana. with
the proPriety Oh oaiahcing ehances IN This way
your committee nave nothing TO do. IL such
pracice Is wrong, IL is one mat mas prevailed al
most from the beginning oi me government un-
der every administration, and is political in its
character.
The next letter Is OF date March III, 1861, and
contains nothing except some instructions as to
procuring indorsemenis and recommendations
Inc next ana perhaps the most important let
Ter Is tnat dated March y, 1851. In that letter
Mr' Ashiey informs Mr. case that he had made
some progress aud that an order TO secure The IN
d.dnd defeg@,on df'd Senator Lane to operate on
n ll11<ll