North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1868-10-28
ALLISON,S CAREER,

ALLISON'S CAREER.
In pamphlet enclosed to US and pro
badly to many others in this Cong. Dis
!. trict, we find large-capital heading il
variety of display, and the following as
founding talk of our present member
1t is Republican statement and not ours
We may continue the subject in tho inside
of the issue.
The whole history Of republics proves
that when any party becomes very 90 yer.
tul 1t becomes corrupt. Its best men
retire from the front and surrender the
leadership to the selfish and dishonest
Operating through the idle and yiscjous
demagogues and scoundrels control eau.
cusses and conventions, obtain Office. and
prey upon the people. For this reason
Jefferson maintained that the safety OF
our republican institutions depends upon
the existence Of different political PARTIES.
and the nearer equal those parties are, in
power and intlnencc, the better. Then
each is vigilant in watching the other.
The honest masses become Interested
good men take the lead; and. to ensure
success, the best men are placed in nomi-
nation for Office.
Has not the republican party in this
congressional district become too power
full? Has it not allowed corrupt faction
to control its nominations? Has it not
elevated to power man Wholly destitute
of moral princi plea man who. in six
years, by means Of his position, has
amassed large fortune-who betrays. for
gain, the best interests of the people-and
who rewards not the good and faithful of
his party, but only lis tools and sv.
cuphants? These questions are asked
with no personal hostility towards Mr..
Allison. lie has been charged with abet-
tins fraud; with violating solemn pied gcs ;
with accepting bribes; with treaehery to
his district and the government; with
violating his oath as an attorney and as Il
member OF congress; with corresponding g
with rebels in arms against his country,
and, for private gain, saving their properly
from contiscation. These are serious and
startling charges; but they have been
made over and over again. openly and
publicly, orally and in print, by some of
the best men in the country. Should we
not pause, before voting for man labor
ing under them, until they are answered ?
SO far as we can learn, he has never even
attempted to answer but ONE of them. II
they are false, he is q much injured man.
and why does he not seek redress through
the legal tribunals? Those who have
accused him are men Of wealth, some who
have been honored with high position
Is not this opposition s:rong prima facie
evidence against him? Is it reasonable to
suppose that so many men would accuse
him falsely? Where there is much smoke
there must be some fire. Now, if it can be
shown that there are reasonable grounds
for believing these charges to be true, it
would be folly and crime to again send
Mr.. Allison to congress. Better. Il thous.
and times better, for the republican party
to suffer defeat, than elect a candidate
stained with crime, his Golfers filled with
public plunder, and his h ,nds reeking
with corruption. Better defeat with
honor, than victory with disgrace. We
are told in Holy Writ, "If thy right Eye
offend thee, p!ack it out and cast it from
thee and will republicans hesitate to
remove from his high position an un-
worthy member who has betrayed his
public trust? There can be no danger in
this Congress is overwhelmingly re-
publican. The senate cannat be changed
for many years. There is no possibility
oe the house Of representatives becoming
democratic in the next two years. Let us
pause, then, before we decide. But let us
not condemn without proof. With the
spiri. of fairness and candor, with desire
to be perfectly just. with no disposition to
Judge without evidence, or to ''sct down
aught in malice," let us examine Mr.. Al
lisons record.
Allison connected uiM JFhisky Faods-
He acts as attorney for Plaintiff and
Defendant at the same time.
In the spring of 1865, the distiliely of
}. "A. Rhomberg 4 Co., at Dubuqu,, was
seized for defrauding the government.
The matter was eventually compromised.
but there was such strong evidence ef
fraud in the settlement, that the senate,
on the 18th of December, 1865, passed
resolution calling on the secretary of the
treasury for report of al the proceed
ings in the case. a report was according
y made printed but so damaging to Mr.
Allison were its revelations, that, it ap-
pears, nearly every copy was destroyed.
So careful and thorough to their work Of
destruction had beeu Mir. Allison and his
| friends, that though an eminent lawyer
long connected with public aGairs in
Washing gton, repeatedly searched the pub
| lie archives for this document, it was many
months before Il copy could be found, and
| then by mere accident, in one Of the COM
mttee rooms. 1t was published Oct. 9th,
1866, in the Dubuque HERALD, and, were
it not so lengthy, would be repuhished IN
these pages. From that report, and from
the admissions of Ehomberg and ALI
son themselves, we learn the following
| facts
Rhomberg confessed the fraud.
| The amount of tax out of which the
government had been defraaded was
el6l ,l56.
The value o. the property seized was
1912 900, all of which became forfeited
under the law.
After the seizure the distillery was run
for some time by the United States, to the
great profit of Rhomberg Il Co., to whom
the liquor manufactured was transferred
with the other property, at the time OF
settlement.
BY the whole operation the government
lost upwards of two hundred thousand
dollars.
The loss was effected through VIM. 3.
Allison. He was Rho,nberss attorney !,
went on to Washington, and by means Of
his position as member Of congress, sue
ceeded in getting the distillery released.
In thus aiding to defraud the govern
ment, was he performing the part Of a
good citizen? As a member of congress,
sworn to be true to his country, was he
not violating his official oath? Is it righ
for an officer of the government to aid il
defrauding the government? If it is, ther
is Allison justified. If not, then is h
| condemned.
But the worst is to come. At the vcr,
time he was acting for Rhomherg, he wa
employed by the government to prosecut