The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-03-25
Sprague not lnculpated.
fudge Underwooa's SchcminE.
BIDS FOR RADICAL NOMINATIONS.

RIcHMoNp, March 81, 1865.
Efi;Jr DiSlrttct AS various statemen Is
have been made concerning Judge l Underwood,
the Executive Committed, and myself, II seems
10 he necessary for me 10 state Inc E'ets. ms
especially becomes proper for me after the
card of Edward Underwood, and The COM
mentS OF various newspapers thereon. some
ten DAYS ago ] made 4 statement, WHICH WIS
submit ;ed TO Judge Underwood, VINO was I'M
willing that il should be published, ana salQ
the matter should be dropped; 10 which
agreed Since that time his son has written Il
c.trd in reply to the many inquiries ulade ny
the different newspapers; which card 40 not
accept as correct. =,
Sometime in March, 1857, the State Central
Committee held n meeting, and called what Is
known rs the April Convention, ana III the
same time appointed Il subcommittee 10 20
North TO solicit funds with when 10 organize
the party OF the State. was one OF ln;t'
committee, and shortly after called on Judge
Underwood for letters OF Introduction III be
used in aid of the work.
These he refused 10 give me, ana Sald liie
money must be raised III the state that he
knew of two men that would give 4 thousand
dollars each if they could be nominated for
| Congress and there would be many other good
| offices 20 be filled that were wanted by men
that We're able TO pay, ana we must raise the
money with which 10 organize the party from
this source. l dISSen ted from the plan, rs the
men that were able TO pay might not be the
men that the people wanted neither dld L
| think the Republican party had entrust-
| ed me with its aitairs-to dispose OF the Offices
| sultation at Washington, l did not 20
North 1T that time. Shortly afterWard,
while in Judge Underwoods office, he
or his drew up subscription
PAPER for the benefit OF the committee, the
| Judge subscribing TWO hundred and his son
one hundred dollars, saying that he had an
office and his was II young man, and
would want one, and wished me 10 take the
paper and see how much / could get sub
| scrlbed. ! received the paper, but never at
tempted to collect Il cent or get another sub
scriber. Sometime after this l received an
| invitation 10 meet Judge Underwood III his
| office 1T o'clock Ill the evening; Went accord,
| iugly found three persons with him. For
some time the subject Of ways and means for
| the Republican party We're discussed, when
Judge Underwood said, - We can have mo-
new enough if we are in favor of 4 certain man
| for President" silence Of few moment is
| was broken By some one asking who that man
was. Judge Underwood replied Chase. That
| he had no money, but Sprague had and would
give one hundred thousand dollars for the use
| OF the party in the State. l 90 not think any
one expressed assent or dissent. After short,
embarrassed silence, and Il still more embur-
raised attempt 1T conversation, the company
broke up.
l was afterward told that il was unders TODD
that if Chase should become President Judge
Underwood was 10 take his place AS Chief
Justice. In reference 10 Edward Underwood,
| the author of the late card. he may have been
present at the first interview he certainly
was 1T the second, but was not II the last, il
being after office hours. l do not remem Der
that ChaSes name was ever men TONED i'll con-
nection with our money matters certainly not
prominently until the last interview No
| offer was ever made TO the committee of
which ! was chairman, that ! am aware of.
| These facts We're not regarded rs Sc
cret by me. There was mention
| made of secrecy. l felt chagrined aud
| indignant At Underwood's persistent efforts
to embarrasS the committee unless used in ac-
| cordance with his wishes. named the facts
TO different members Of the committee and
other friends of the cause, but l never sane
TONED its publication, nor should now do so
had not l.. Underwood given publicity 10 them
in 4 shape which renders it necessary that
should correct them. With all justice 10 Oh ief
Justice Chase and Senator SpraSue, ! will here
state that was never satisfied that they knew
anything of this offer, believing rather that IL
came from the inordnate ambition of Judge
Underwood, who thought TO recommend him
self TO the good graceS of Chase, and in this way
might possibly get the nomination 10 the Sc
nate for Chief Justice, or at least continue
his almost unlimited control of Federal ap-
pon tments in Virginia.
JOHN HAwXHCRsT.