The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-10-31

Az A11H vVAAxeS (
6h Congressional 0istict
FELLow-CITIzENs I'm the political
history Of this State, thcre has never
been as bitter and vindictive oppoai.
ton made to any man as has been
made in this canvass, against mc i
was nominated by the Republican
Convention Of this District, with .
great degree Of unanimity upon the
first formal ballot. l accepted the
nomination expecting to meet deter
mined and bitter opposition, but not
dreaming Of such q carnival of slam
der o. I have been called upon to
to meet in the canvass. The whole
force Of tho opposition seems to be
conferred upon me, to accomplish my
defeat and elect my Democratic com.
petitor.
Personal charges, / do not usually
notice, but I see scattered over the
District, by thousands, q circular pur.
porting to be the Bloomfield Demo-
crat Extra" gotten up at the home
Of Mr.. Trimble. They have raked up
an old charge which was gotten up
near three years ago, hunted up some
old letters and circulars of that same
date, and together with some hearsay
statements, 40 to what somebody told
the writer, somebody in Oskaloosa
had heard somebody else say, about
the facts In tho case; Incorporated
these into . circular, charging that II
proves me guilty of q crime, and they
have scattered these circulars broad cas-,
over tho District, = few days before
the election, for the purpose Of prcju.
dicing the minds Of the people. Thil
is an old political trick, which has
often been successfully resorted to ;
but one that / supposed no honorable
men would resort TO at this day.
In this circular, it is charged that ]
violated the Statute, which makes it pc.
nal for any member of Congress, to re,
ceive or agreeto receive, any money
from any person, for procuring or aid.
ing to procure, an Office from tn,
government.
This whole charge is false and un'
founded, SO far as any violation O
law is concerned, or so far as an,
wrong is concerned there are nj
facts or evidence, upon which to found
such . charge.
Where l have spoken, l have fully
and l think, to the satisfaction of Tho
minds Of all candid hearers, explain
ed the facts upon which this charg,
purports to be founded.
The whole transaction was no NOR
nor less than an arrangement by which
the profits of the ONCE of Post Master
at Oskaloosa, should 60 to the ait
and benefit Of two newspapers; on,
Editor to have the office and pay I,
the other Editor, a certain amount
| This was the offence-this was tn,
crimei
Thsrc were two Republican news
papers IN Oskaloosa, the Editors o
each wers applicants for the Pos
Once; both claimed that their paper
had done much for the party, an.
that they both needed the aid, which
the Office would give; both elaine,
that to give the Office to one, woul,
cripple and injure the other.
At this time, there was and ha,
been for some time, a very bitter con
troversy between the papers, which il
its consequences, tcnded to create dis
sensions and divisions in the party
! concluded to cndeavor to have sucl
arrangement brought about by mntua
agreement, as that some one shout,
take tho Citizen paper and edit it VIII
would 30 conduct it, az to stop tn
quarrel between the papers, and I
have . portion of the profits Of tn
Post Office, 60 to the aid of that paper
With this object in view and 70
the purpose of carrying out this al
rangcment, ! proposed to Capt. HUI
ter, ono of the Editors of the Herald
for his SONS. (who we're printers), t
purchase and edit the Citizen paper
and that they should have aid to tn
amount of $1,000, and / afterward
proposed to m Of the other Editor
Of the Herald, Capt. Hunters partner
to take the Post Office; the income Q
which was then near $1,000 per annum
and to pay 10 the Editor of the CIT,
zen paper, 1000; stating at the time
to the Editor Of the Herald, that j
wa done for the purpose of havinI
the salary Of the Office, aid both pa
peri, the Editors of both of whic1
wanted the Office.
To this arrangement, the editor Q
the Herald assented on condition tina
he could raise the money to pay to th
other editor. Iagreed to advance tn
money for him to the other editor, an,
wait upon him to repay it to me, whic1
l afterwards did, paying the none.
out Of my own pocket.
Any statement that by that arrange
rnent I was to receive any money fol
the appointment, or that Mr.. Needhan
agreed to pay any money for the ap
pointment, is a gross misrepresenta
ton Of the facts, and unjust to eli par
ties concerned.
| l went on to Washington. The ap.
pointment Of Nj. Needham, which
was 10 have been made by the frs
Of January, was delayed for SOM
months, and before he was commiss
iOncd. he wrote to me, that the profit.
OF the Office were not as much as b,
had supposed, and the expenses more