The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-17
A la SKA.
More About the Charge of Bribery
Against the Washington Lobby and
Newspaper Correspondents.

Newspaper Correspondents.
From the Worcester Spy, Dec. 10.
Our Washington correspondent, by his state
IN that m city in regard S to the manner In Wnicn
some of the Alaska purchase money was
appropriated, has made something of stir
among the newspapers. The New York EUen-
ing Post considers Mr. Baldwin the author of
these stories, and demands Congressional
to disclose the sources of his information. IL is
somewhat singular that the spy should have
all the credit OF putting these reports In clrcu-
latlon, when they or very similar ones, per-
haps little less definite, had appeared In
several newspapers and beena common subject
of conversation for more than week before
our correspondent, observer" thought it best
TO mention them. He was careful to speak of
them then as merely rumors, aud to dlsavow
any personal knowledge as TO their truth or
fslSty.
There were reasons sufficiently obvious for
believing that the reports, as he gave them,
were incorrect, among which is the improbable
lity Of the transactions being conducted with
SO little secrecy as would appear from these
rumors to have been the case. Tue drafts on
the Treasury alleged to have been issued must
appear on the books of the department, and
allow the whole affair TO be disclosed on the
most cursory examination. 1t would be dlth.
McCulloch, Treasurer Spinner, and Mr., Riggs,
the banker, had combined to organize a gtgan
VIC fraud upon our own Government and that
of Russia.
The whole story probably grew out of the tact
that remittance OF million pounds sterling
$4,000 000) was made from London to 81 Peters
burg some time ago. IL being assumed, net
unnaturally, that this large amount was part
OF the Alaska purchase money, IL is not strange
that some seekers after knowledge should be
curious to know what had become of the resi-
of 1t. There are plenty of men In Washington
whose long practice at investi legations into
every thing movable has qualified them TO
answer sny question at sight, and of course an
inquiry of this kind could not be above to go
about asking in vain for response. The temp
tation to make q sensational story full of
attractive scandal was too great, and the inge-
nuity required really very little. IL was only
necessary TO think of somebody who would be
willing to accept a handsome sum OF money 1T
offered without returning an equivalent. and
persons of that character, we suppose, are not
more rare in Washington than elsewhere. AS
soon as one name was mentioned in connection
with the affair Others would be suggested with
equal probability, and the story rapidly as
sumed its present definite and complete propor-
tions. We do not mean TO attribute to our cor
respondent any share in tnVenLing these re-
norris He probably heard them as others did
and when they had assumed form and sub
stance and become general subject of CONVEX
sation in the city, he transmitted them to US, as
other correspondents had previously done to
the papers they represent.
The House OF Representatives have, it seems
so far acted upon the EUening Posts suggestion
as to adopt resolution, on motion of Fernando
Wood, for q committee OF investigation on
those statements whlch appeared la our col
umns. This is not the first time that the Sou
has figured in Congressional proceedings, and
on the last occasion of the kind it was SHOWN,
on explanation, 10 have rendered the country q
substantial service. We have no fears that we
shall not emerge from the present investigation
without discreuit.
The New York T.n,es of yesterday has an arti.
Gle on the subject, in which, alter designating
Mr.. Baldwin as the writer OF the letter IN ques-
ton, 1T proceeds to make some statements
which, ii true as they probably are, since
the writer speaks as If he had personal know
ledge of the fscts. put an entirely different
face upon the matter, removing the foundation
of all the sensational rumOrs which have been
in circulation in reference to the Alaslk lka money.
The Times says that the So 0O00 900 remittance
to st. Petersburg had nothing to do with the
Alaska purchase, but related TO recent Russi IN
railway negotiations in London. 1t further
says that the So 000,000 were advanced by the
Barings to the Russian Govern meet last spring,
on the faith Of the Alaska negotiation, when IL
was supposed that The appropriation Nigh not
be voted in Congress until the present session;
and that early in August the warrant of the
Treasury for S72000,O00 was drawn to Baron
Stoeckl, the Russian Minister at Washington,
on the New York Sub-Treasury, and the whole
amount paid over in gold, on his order, to S. q.
u q. q. Ward, the New York agents of the
Barings.
This statement. by proving the incorrectness
will, we presume be fatal to the whole story
and the Congressional investigation viii prOba.
bly, elicit nothing to sustain the anonym Ous
charges against journalists or members of Coz.
gress. At any rate, IL Will not be likely to OBTAIN
any valuable in formation on the subject from
Mr.. Bald win, who, 1t is necessary to say to our
readers, did not write the letter in question,
and la less in the way of knowing about Jobs of
the kind supposed than Mr.. Wood himself
whose Virtuods indignation at the bare sug-
gestion that any member OF Congress could be
Influenced by pecuniary considerations Is very
gratifying II genuine.