The New York herald., 1869-02-27
TIE ALASKA PURCHASE.

Report Of tho Committee ON Public Expendi.
tnres in Relasion to Bribery Investigation.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 1869.
The following report has been prepared by Mr..
Calvin I. Hulburd, chairman Of the Committee ON
Public Expenditures in relation to the Alaska
bribery Investigations
In the prosecution OF this investigation the CON-
mtee have used what diligence they could In calling
to testify before them all such persons by
OF Official position or for any other reason were be-
leved able to throw light upon any branch Of the
subject matter committed to them The The testimony
Of MIR. Riggs. the banker, agent OF the Russian
Minister in checking out and receiving the purchase
money agreed upon for Alaska, concur in establish
ing the following facts dates and figures pertaining
to the first movements Of this money:-That the
warrant the Treasurer payable to Baron Stoeckl,
Russian Minister, was on the 1st day OF August,
1865 drawn for $7.200000 IN coin and by endorse
ment was assigned to George w. Riggs, banker.
He ths LIST aay q 4 9oE ian eSs
The remaining 100000 being left some days in the
Treasury, subject to Mr.. Riggs check, was not all
the further or other destination OF the purchase
money or any part thereof the Treasurer seemed to
Mr.. Riggs corroborated the statement Of Mr.. Spin
ner, with the additional statement that he imme-
diately transmitted to the agent OF Messrs Barring
commission OF onetwentieth or one per
cent. OF this, by direction OF the Russian
checks to the Russian Minister in person, In the
months Of August and September. Mr.. Riggs dis
claimed any other knowledge OF the distribution or
use OF said purchase money or any part thereof
The Secretary Of State Mr.. Seward on request
came before the committee, and IN the most en-
phatIc manner denied all knowledge whatever OF
any payments or distribution OF any part OF said
money other than to the representative OF the Rus
trim srns sums FOR printing pSrcnssns and GistriOu.
ting documents by or from the State Department
pertaining to AlasKas
he was called upon by Baron Stocckl and employed
as counsel for the Russian government to aid In
the passage OF the Alaska appropriation. His
the passage Of the appropriation this amount seems
10 have been increased to about S26. 900 In He
further nss az oS II
stated that some weeks alter the passage Of the
that the Daiiv Cnronicle published In washington,
having rendered valuable services by opening its
columns TO editorials and communications In further
ance OF the Alaska purchase and appropriation
without compensation or previous expectation
thereof, ought to be recognized and rewarded
IN IN m sh 3 Toneg n Ss paper m sO
Ing TO receive anything. fie also testified that,
az counsel otherwise he never paid or offered to
pay. or suggested there should be paid on account
or the Alaska treaty purchase or appropriation, any
other sum Of money to any other person or press ex-
cept as already stated; that he had no knowledge
ana did not believe dollar OF said purchase money
had directly or indirectly, been paid TO any member
nec,ed g,s with iiS the United STATES government.
Mr.. +. p stanton testified that he was employed
as associate counsel as stated by Mr.. Walker; that
his business rs such was to explain and set forth
the merits OF the Alaska purchase to members OF
Congrcss that In so doing ne did not use or offer to
use money 10 induce conviction or action, and did
not know or believe money had been used with
members or with the press other than stated by Mr..
walker; that his own retainer Of $4,000 In green.
backs came direct from Mr.. Walker; that he never
Legation on the subject OF the treaty purchase OF
Alaska, or the appropriation for the payment
1t appeared IN the testimony that q Mr.. Noah. con.
nected with the press in California after the pur.
bacss from tIo Russian Minister in Consideration, Il
was alleged, OF services rendered In the way OF infor
nation transactions. statistics, &c, touching Rus
sian laws, Alaska territory, It's topography. products
Although very great latitude was given to wit
nesses the foregoing embraces summary ol OIL tht
evidence the committee have been able 10 obtain al
TO the Of money In the negotationsfor the acqui
stion OF Alaska the OF money pending legislation
consequent upon the treaty for s purchase and the
use OF money subsequent TO the payment OF the pur
chase money TO the Russian Minister. The commit
tee called before them Mr.. X. J. Hinton, the author
spv referred to in the House resolution. lie
disavowed all personal knowledge whatever OF the
that he had heard such rumors, and that he had
known to tue public" Perhaps i Is no, the pre-
morality OF proceeding which, for sensational pur
poses or to cater TO morbid curiosity, couples the
names OF public men or private citizens with the
ciandestine receipt OF large sums OF money IN con
nectlon with votes or influences upon the supp0s
ton that for such consideration they have or VIII
advance or retard important measures OF legisla.
ton In this instance the witness entirely failed 70
iortiiy or even At all TO justify the Worcester
Spp article beyond that IL was $50 talked among
newspaper men," and that II was their impres.
sion there was something In II. Several oi
the newspaper men named by Mr. Hinton
were called before the committee, but one and oil
dtsclaimed any personal knowledge in the premises,
and had no knowledge OF any person, fact or cir.
cuIlstance that could throw light upon the subject
matter OF the committees investigation. The COM
mittee called before them Mr.. Martin, with con-
siderable expectation OF deriving from him imp0rt-
ant and specific Information ~ to persons and sums
OF money, . list Qf which he was reputed to have
repeatedly exhibned, connected with the acquisition
OF Aasks but IN this, as In most previous instances,
large expectstions,n with the dissipation q
the nebulous gossip seemingly attendant upon all
the phases of The Investigation, little of substance
and moment remained to be CLEANED. II Is perhaps
tue nerest Justice TO say OF the different
presses and proprietors and correspondents
thereof which at one time and another have been
somewhat loosely mentioned In connection With the
..l.tf1 .t.N