, 1869-05-01
Letter from Eons j. n. Ashley, Gov.
ernor OF Montana,

=
My attention has Just beeu called to an article.
which Is credited to the Times, IN which am I'm,
Justly assailed and q great wrong done ne. I.
therefore, ask you to permit rlc TO reply,
!. n no Public speech OF letter dtd ever ear
mat II Mas In Possession Of proof that An;lrew
JGhnSon Wns an 2cenmpltcc Of the assasslns ol
such charge, either before the judiciary CoE,.
m1ttee or The Assassination Committee, aby thn
Introduction Of suborneI Witnessed" The nubc
records Of the two coumittces are the nest Ell.
dence Of this fact. I am confident that no mem.
oer ol either Of said committees, whether for or
neaihst impeachment, has ever made such q
2 have never "becn convicted Of, nor hare l
eser confessed T., any act o.on?clal corruption.
and nhat ~ lar fnorc Important 10 me anu inine I
hare the concIousness OF beng gulF Of 40 oct. of
hclM or otherwise. during Inv fern Of seryics In
GoEgIcss, inconsistent with the character Of o
Representative.
The leading men OF the nation with whom 1
nave been Intimately associated for the past ten
yenIs, and who arr better acquainted with nc
than my nskatlants have, orcr and over alu, vol
uAtafly teat1hed TO this TACT and are Icaiy to do
80 aEntn. W
Whatever Interpretation from the "corruptIon.,
hase e IA ne 70 NJ
!espondcnce, readsln the light Of the testimony OF
he only Ia5ties fu!!y cognzant Of al Inc 1scss.
60 far AZ know this has been the result. almost
without exception, With nli Who have given The
matter N !mFaFtiaI examination
Intelligent anu honorable KcpubIIeans Of nv oii
Congressional District; and In spite OF the fact Of
nc Usual tendency, among those who have
lhsulucleht means OF knowing, to preju}ce A
public man nron charges made against hi3 o(fi-
cial Integrity have teen unanImonsly renouipat-
= ,te fe4r nmes 4 TIC spaDlisaa pary q the
tton In 1862 made direct issue Gu those letters
To e.. scEs extent e. they were used aatn In 1874. II
discussion during either canvass.
A1tcF my Reelection tn 1862 | mixed tho 1ynnza
o. REPRESENTATIVES to appoint committee 70 Ia.
sestlgnte nc eha1gcs made against nc III rhat
nittec appointed consisted VI Harrison q. Biape.
ol Ohio. and ]. +: {. snankst u IndIau1, IL,
and Judge John ". Socl, ct Hissonri .ni IIoa VI.
warl tsnigh!, Of SeN York, Democrats. The cam.
mittee gave the matter committed 10 them as
and unanimously declared that had done no IN.
pto1er act give the concluding paragraph or
me e 1TfhnoFf, r. tfa,s d1aMn BY Judse Noel:
hehce, Which Ia herewith subtnItteii. nothing
showing tl'at there Was condition precedent Do
snanasd 1r1ln = ~. Case 70. bis appointment as
i9r the appointment Of any o! his sutoriilatea hy
uon ]. 81. ashley, aud Til: evidence cuncu-IyeIy
sao~.nS no Illegal or cof.urt acts On the 1sr1 Of
salu ASHLEY touching said appointments, ask to he
ject" ~ 49, 'n'
:, During the Investigation lid not appear either
IN person or ~ an attorney before the cq1tulltcc
10 defend myself from the charges II mr. assaii
ants, as now know from experience 1trht r.
@ nase uone. Knowing that intended to do no Ia1.
proper net, ! submitted the whole matter to the
Committee without an cGurt on MY part ut ,ic.
lence, and only came before the coniuistec when
sent lot to Ike examined
- iaf from aiT ''lnotion having lceu made to
Etnlsn of eensnIS nc, as charged In the article
@ Nnen Sou PUBLISH. 10 such mouon VIA made
either ln the committee or In the uouse of R"nr,.
EcntatiTts. AS the EicorIs Will show,
served ten years az member OF the Committee
tS on Territories eishs ysara As Chairman. During
70 Wit: dakota, Colorado, Nevada Artzona i,iasn'
Montana an,l wyoming, and two ne:v Htatcs. Se,,
sana ana Nehfaska, we're admitted Into the Cniou.
ample for securing Iands d. Of near The prs,ss..
t!se cities and towns in a these rcw Trfr,fOti,1s
Had been 20 disposed could have ,loac so, npt
~ Wv ~ FHfeanfhs Ut the government price, but
The fact that never did purchase m acre, nor
Any one 1or me, and that | never permitted "a
FIJI, snd that do not now and have never owDei.
dirccty OF Indirectly, an interest in 1.uls or tuw,
Iots enS of the Territories, to The value Of dol
!nf ta the best evidence can olIer that have not
IN The Territories.
j., As x gnbl!c man hare been deeply Interested
u the development Of our national territories.
anu nave gwen much time anl thought 10 he
subject @ IN 1sfs ! travelled over the continent
1tnho md washington, and what Is now WON.
Ing. Gentlemen at aii familiar with new coun.
t!'es Know how easily q person In the position
N'AA AIa4 Iolu HafE HEeu :" 1ut In to ali The
paper city schemes he desired, and on his own
hs H. 10 thG face Of my repeated endorselaents
~ ths RenabGean pasTy 1t home; in the face Of IN
of M ,ngesSa1,on u fully and completely exon
men q the highest character Who Know ne In.
IlnalelE, ntn Charged as pnb!lc man with franI
enn corruption, and a1saigned aud branded a. a
felon u sonr laper.
can only add In conclusion, aud as m e,r,t,t
o. oi What Tste, that II any man ean show 6y /
esiaenee which will sst!sfy any special committee
. eNGer house Of Congress that / hare ever be-
~ @ TO the h!skcy ing. tho laaian ring
,s,! - aa! Hac Organized to tlefraul Q. make |
'si nepSy %n1 Ct he gossrnment Of ,ha; eys: e.
~ satst ulleay or Indirectly In buytug WHISKY or
tnto 9ut!ng my term Of service IN the House! NJ
1a 1as y eser male dollar because OF any Vote
s.. ,sse soaere IS: or that ever obtained con
ts ~ fop v sntas. The during the VA Or
Sp!sa a. E1ft any iansls or town lots IN s,r nf
he Territories: or that, during my entire term nf
eiSlee IA Congress, eyeE DID aay Improper o9
ot!,, on, aet m - REPRESENTATIVE, viii rcstSn TIC
1sa 1ssaou % 70 Hhlch have been appointed as Gov
snoE o. AontaEa-a position witch / prnfer n !
nF IN The G1i1 Of the President fo !"
Respectfully, I'M asu,vr
WASHINGTON C11f. April 81. lsaa.