Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-05-20
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, May 10.
Report of Senate Judiciary Committee
on Alleged Corruption OF Senators.


The report of the Senate judiciary Com
mittee on the alleged corruption of Senators,
in relation to the Georgia bill, states that
they first examined Jas. Hughes of Indiana,
who testified that on the 2lst of March,
Lewis Porter, clerk in the city post office,
| called on him and asked him if he controlled
the vote of Senator Carpenter. Porter said
that $4,000 in railroad bonds endorsed by
by the State OF Georgia, could be put up to
secure Carpenters vote against the Bingham
amendment, and in the event of that being
done, would be divided between them, Porter
and Hughes. Hughes told him that he could
have nothing to do with such transaction,
and subsequently met Senator Carpenter, who
said he would vote for the amendment and
against the bill Mr. Hughes then mentioned
to him the matter, and suggested that perhaps
il was due to himself that he should bring it
to the attention of the Senate. He laughed,
and replied that he had done nothing in the
matter, and did not so purpose, that in the
state of public feeling, he did not desire the
notoriety of having it known that even any
person had held him so cheap, as to suppose
that his vote could be bought.
The Committee next examined Porter who
denied on oath having any knowledge of an
attempt on the part Of any one to influence
the vote
Mr.. Avery, Dircclor in the Brunswick,
Albany ana Georgia Railroad, admitted OF
having gone 10 see Mr.. Porter, and that he
went to New York to obtain people to write
latters to Senators, and had asked twenty men
to write to Senators Conking and Fenton, and
that it had cost money.
w. c.. Boston, of Riggs and Co.'S Bank,
testified that the Bank had cashed drafts
drawn by Gov. Bullock, in favor of Sykes,
Chadwick and Co., on the Georgia National
Bank, amounting to $4,000 and $1,000.
John Klein, Cashier of the Hotel kept by
Sykes, Chadwick and Co, testified that after
paying Gov. Bullock's hotel bill, $500 was
placed in the Governors hands.
w. S. Huntington, Cashier of the First Ma
lional Bank, testified that they paid $500 to
To ID. {. Forney, publisher OF the Daily Morn
ing Chronicle, on draft drawn by Gov. Bull
lock. on the Georgia Natl Bank, payable to
the order of Eorney and endorsed by him.
d. c. Forney testified that that all the
transactions with Bullock were purely of a
business character, and exhibited his books
showing the transactions between them were
for printing pamphlets and publishing speech
es, and other matters.
Geo. A. Bailey, practicel printer, testified
that the prices paid Forney for printing were
exorbitant, and that one-third OF the sum paid
for the printing would have heen fair price.
The committee sum up their investigation
in the following conclusion: That 7. j.
Avery both attempted and used improper
means TO influence Senators to vote against
the Bingham amendment; and that Lewis
Porter as an officer of the government, acted
improperly in undertaking for pay TO aid him
in his purpose. That X. =. Bullock, in pay
ing ID. c. Forney, publisher of the Chronicle,
and having the patronage of the government
triple prices for printing pamphlets, and in
sorting in his paper articles and speeches on
the Georgia question; and Forney in pub
fishing said articles and speeches, with edl-
torials concealing the fact that he was over
paid for some, double and triple prices, did
use improper means to influence the votes of
Senators on the Georgia question. There is
no evidence that any Senator was influenced,
but it is not unreasonable to suppose that a
newspaper in the position of the Chronicle,
enjoying to some extent the confidence of the
administration and of the dominant party in
Congress, would have an influence with Sem
ators, while assuming to act independent by
and from a sense of duty which it could not
possess, if it were known that the insertion of
many of the articles it published bearing on
n pending question, was paid for at extrava-
giant prices, by a person having an interest to
produce particular request.
Custom Receipts.
The custom receipts for the week ending
May l4th, were, at New York, s2.4S4, 1882;
at Boston, S3Gl,7l6,72; at Philadelphia,
Sl7s,526 81; at Baltimore, Sl57, 1855: at
New Orleans for the week ending the 7th
inst, s27S, 1921 90; at San Frar cisco to the
same week, S25l, 1879. fetal, S3,7l2,562.-
Ca
The Internal Revenue Office has modified
certain rulings, to the extent that every man
who prepares or compounds bitters, using in
their preparation rectiied spirits, on which
Tux has been paid, and who prefers 70 be