Wilmington journal., 1869-02-12

| t2SASAl HtIikC f'dNlASut ~ Nth1''i" ~ IIA-
son was refused. Payment to numiers in
p1f9on was resumed Immediately upon the
/ ratification o. tho Joint resolution OF Aog.
! l'th--a .~aniu:ion which Indicated pur-
!, pose Ia lie General Assembly TO know the
reason 0i1E l,f. pruyD could draw money
! from the It"aSufet uN0u members war
rants pnrH!1Iscn ut discount. while mem
bera, 'pyo}n'5u I,e7.Son0," could obtain no
money tr"n IL" Treasury. The Treasurer
! t"StihGa t!nt Nj Pnlyn never proposed TO
| divide ;ho lsroti'~ with him
| It l. rrf0arkab!I that Mr. Pruvn. CT nv
| other gentleman. should have beeu per-
mit!cA 10 iutrrpose himself between The
representatives ii Abe people and the Ilta-
sury Department, and discountiug warrants
OF members ut > per cent, step right into
tho lreaHOrer'S office with them and re-
c0lye payment III fuii.
! l now invite the attention of the SENATE
to the latter branch CT this investigation
that relating to the bribery Of members Of
this General Assembly.
About the tlne this investigation was
1naugurated u Senator, In whom / have
great confidence, informed me- that he
could prove that g Senator had received
money for his services Senator. He
did not give me his name, neither did I
request it, because ! was fearful that q
knowledge OF tie name might affect the
discharge of what impressed itself upon
me as a high public duty. About the same
time [ aocidently saw draft for 81, 200,
made by Milton S. Lift efeld, upon Sout-
ter & Co., So William street, New York
City, dated August Goth, 1868, and paya-
BILE to the order of a. ". Stevens. None
hut the kindliest relations ever existed be-
tween Mr.. Stevens and myself, and those
personal considerations had to be over
come by controlling sense of duty to the
State.
4 1 knew the activity displayed by the
maker Of the draft in favor of Railroad ap.
preparation bills; an activity which secured
for him the facetious sobriquet of the
"Chairman of the Third House" / knew
that the payer of the draft had O short time
before filed his petition in bankruptcy, and
I knew that few weeks before l had on
dorsed his note TO enable him to borrow
$50, and knew that the draft was dated
just at time when Railroad bills were un-
der consideration, and I knew that the
maker of the draft had known Mr.. Stevens
but few weeks I was as well satisfied
that it was given in consideration for infu-
ence as member Of the Generrl Assem-
bly,, as if Alr. Stevens had frankly con-
fessed that it was thus given. The charges
| which l mate were based upon these two
| cases.
propose to analiZe the case of Mr.. A.
". Stevens. The analysis is designed to
develop the intent of the parties to the
$1,000 draft.
The testimony of Mr.. Seymour (see page
IS of report shows that Mr.. Stevens has
not such credit as would enable him to
borrow money on his own paper, without
endorsement, rs commercial transac-
ton. This initiates against the assump
| tion that it was an ordinary business tran
saction, which Stevens himself testiies it
| was.
In our capacity as Jurors. we must de-
termlne the degree OF credibllity to which
each witness is isentitled, and as circumstan
| tial evidence is sometimes stronger than
| direct ald positive, SO circumstantiai evi-
denee is frequently strong enough to over
come direct and positive statements made
under oath. Mr.. Stevens testiffes that he
gave his note for six months, at the time
he received the draft
The extent to which Mr.. Stevens is in
terested as person charged with serious
ofiense, is to be kept constantly in view.-
I anticipated that an attempt would be
made to give the transaction business
phase, but I reflected that the most glar-
ing case Of corruption could be treated in
the same way.
| presume that several Senators, shortly
| d1LtE LUlS lut0SG1ksdtlOn WIS
were told, at least | was, that Stevens now
tcsti6es that he gave his note for six
mouths, at the time.
| Since the report was made, p gentleman
of the Committee informed me that while
! Stevens was testifying to this effect he
| had 20 avert his face, for he believed, and
! his belief was founded upon his own per-
sonal knowledge, that Stevens swore to
falsehoood. His regard for friend in
duced him To with hold his information nn-
I'll the report WAS made.
Another circumstances lending 10 dis
! prove the assumption th"ti was g h6NU .f.L@
loan is the fact that i WIS not paid, bv
tie parties ia New York, upon whom it
Was made, buj j.. Lttiehet} himself, IL
Raleigh, in three iustalineutS, viz Cne IN
September, one in October and the third
in November. This draft was dated Aus.
20, 1868 The journal of tle Houso Of
Representatives. for the frat session shows
that the only Rallr0ad appropriation bill
for which 4. ". Stevens voted dnring that
session, was the act entitled IN act to
amend an ordinance TO Incorporate the
Northwestern n. c. f. II. Company. This
act appropriated about 100000 Of our
bonds Stevens voted for it. Il passed
Aug. -, 1868, aud the next day Stevens
got the draft for 81 200 On New York,
The Journal OF tno House OF Representa-
tives for this session shows that Stevens
haB been all unswerving supporter Of all
appropriation bills the current session.
Here then is the effect Of the draft, and it
constitutes another and very strong link
in the chain. The effect Of the transac-
ton, whether it is regarded as a gift or
loan, is such as would make it con-
stitute bribery. 4 member can be bribed
as well by a loan of money as by gift OF
money.
It is g remarkable fact that the eminent
historian Bancroft, while representing the
United States at the Court of st. James,
having been allowed access to several pub
lie offices in London for the purpose of
historic research, found the original man
: uscript of an officia! dispatch Of Arthur
! Dobbs. Governor of North Carolina, dated
December, 1717. In this dispatch to the
home government is curious record Of lin
the language of Gov. Dobbsj SIR. Starky
5 the Treasurer, who governs many in the
Assembly by Ioaning them money" Thus
| TI,o6h hrih l,