The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-16
ALBANY, March Is, 1872.


senator James Wood, OF the Thlrtleth district,
still continues to occupy his place in the Senate,
but the indications that his seat, well that
OF Tweed, Will soon he vacant The report Of the
special committee appointed to investigate the
charges against Mr. Wood, which was pub
hshed exclusively IN the HERALD yester-
day, showed that the evidence taken 10y
the committee established the truth OF the charges
preferred against him. The fact that he c0OlIy re-
summed his seat in tine Senate yesterday and to-day,
9 and participated In the proceedings calmly as
though nothing out OF the ordinary way mad occur
red to blacken his character in the eyes OF his lei
low Senators, led many people to believe that no
action would be taken uoen the report, and that
after all, the whole Investigation would result in
nothing practical.
The resolutions offered today by Senator ChaGeld,
however, that the Senate should endorse the report
OF the committee, which he immediately followed
MP with another resolution OF expulsion against Mr..
Wood, shows that all apprehension on this point
was without foundation. The action OF Senate or
Cbat1eld TOOK the Senate completely by surprise,
for he offered the resolutions on his own response
billy and did not, as IS usual IN such cases,
previously consult HIS colleagues nor ask their
advice TO what best be done in the matter.
Had the resolutions been offered by some other
Senator they would probably not have excited any
tnlng like the sensation they did coming from Sena
as warm personal friend OF wood, besides
being, like Wood himself, one OF the strong
supporters Of the late Erie Railroad management I.
Chatleld is the religious man Of the Senate.
Tie day before he started for Albany, after his
election, he stteDded meeting OF the congrega.
ton OF his Church, where he not only beseeched
his brethren IN Christ to pray that he might
-pe strengthened against the temptations OF
the Albany lobby. but was also unset
fish enough to ask them to offer up
their prayers for the same good purpose
ON behalf Of the Assembymen from his district.
Doubtless Mr.. Chatield when Inc report OF the In.
vestigating Committee was read, bethOught him.
self OF the good resolves he mad made at that
church meeting anu considered 1t his Christian
duty 10 be the foremost man IN the SenaCe to mani
feet MS detesraton Of bribery and corruption In the
Senatorial ranks.
1t remains now to he seen what action will be
taken upon the resolutions when they come up
for the final action Of the Senate. Senator Wood
might have resigned, had lie seen lit, after the
report had been made pubic, and thus have saved
himself the degradation which these resolutions
put upon him. lie was In his seat to-day when
they were read and looked in no wise disconnected,
and this fact would seem to indicate that he has
intention OF resgning but that he intends to fight
his case to the bitter end. 1t should be borne in
mind that when the report was presented Senator
LOIu IcStTVcu W pIcScut u sepui-
ate report as a minority or the Commit
tee, ana 1t may he that MIR. wood has
lingering hope that this report Will be
IN his favor This hope however, is irail one; for
Lord Is staunch democrat and bitterly opposed TO
anything like corruption in the republican ranks,
no matter what democratic Senators may have done
In the past. The report OF Senators Allen and
Ames gave but faint idea Of the testimony taken
during the investigation.
The choicest portions OF this testimony, which
viii be found below VIII, no doubt. create lively
sensation among the Old Albany lobbyists, who have
taught people to believe that money was really the
power 'behnd the throne" In the State
Legislature. People will learn for the first time
after o perusal OF the evidence Of Tweed and
A. D. Barber that the session Of 1870 was carried
through by Tammany on principle alone, and that
the very men would have known 1t had there been
anything of the KIND are unaware that anybody was
bribed or dollar spent, directly or indirectly dur
that memorable session TO save the then waning
fortunes OF the Tammany Ring.