New-York tribune., 1872-10-17
PRICE FOUR CENTS
POLITICAL CORRUPT
GRANTS CIVIL SERVICE REFt
SPECIMEN Casa CONFESSED COR,
Isl RETAINED IN OFFICE-HOw THE
INGToT AssIs ANT POSTMASTER TRI

INGLOH ASolr NJ POSTMASTER TRl
BRIDE SESArOGs
lTR0S A. oCcAhI0siI 90 oRRRsroYDKsT OF THB TFuB.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16-PeOple must
tired by this time Of reading the evidences OF the dis
honesty Of the professions Of the Administration that
IS reforming the Civil Service There ia here In
Washington right under tho eyes OF the President. CIVIL
Service Commissioners, and Cabinet that b. 30 iagrant
evidence Of the way bad kept IN oie by po
htco influence that II ought not to be passed over One
Lewis Porter OF Michigan Assistant Postmaster Of the
city, and has been fOr months performing the duties OF
Postmaster while bis chief Judge Eimnnds has been
engaged in experimenting the forging Of franks on the
documents OF the Grant Committee This Porter was,
by his own confession, guilty Of attempting TO buy the
votes OF Senators With Brunswick and Albany
Railroad stock 20 vote against the Bingham
amendment 10 the bill to reconstruct the
State Of Georgia THIS vas in the Spring Of Is70
lie confessed, not num any compuncO1s OF conscience
but because tire e7-lence taken by committee OF the
Senate was conclusive aganst him. He Assistant
Postmaster at the time. ami has held the Office ever
since notgIt iandng Tho fact that Committee pub
lishoG MS guilt 20 the world In their report TIE pf-
cipa operators attempt oorrupt the Senate
Gov. Bullock and r. J. Avery, director of the
Brunswick and Albany Road Avery engaged Porsor
active politician 10 approach Senator's with Offers OF
bonds According 10 MS testimony, Porter showed him
a list OF Senators who night be influenced" TIE chief
witness In the invests gatiyn Judge Hughes an cz-
Member Of Congress from Indana and afierward a
Judge OF tho Court Of Claims, who testified that Lewis
Porter 70 him ON the 2lst Of March aud asked
for private conversation that in that nteryi Porter
told him that $4,000 could be put to secure Senator
Carpenters vote against the Bingham amendment" ami
that a man w5al- leave Washington tbc next even
ing for NewYoIK 20 bring the money, or rther The rail
road bonds ndorsed D. the state Of Georgia, TO Wash
ington for use" When Porter was put ON the witness.
stand he declared on his oath that he knew nothing
whatever Of any attempt Offer direct or Indirect on
g1lfgf tn l.san
means influence aBy votes the Georgia question: OF
that he had talked Win anybody that subject except
Judge Hughes and further upon being asked by senator
Trumbun for what purpose he met judge HnShe he az
first declined 70 answer and then GnalY replied, It
was nothing that had anything TO do with this natter
Finally ascertairiug tlat Judge Hughes had told the
Committee all about the interview, testdsi that no
did 20 to see Judge Hughes in regard 70 tho Georgia
question that $4,000 would b3 paid or pul up TO
obtain Senator Carpenters vote against tho Bingham
amendment; that he had conversations with several
persons in regard the Georgia question, others
with Gen. stoughton. in regard TO the vote OF TIC Nch
gan delegation on the subject and finally, upon being
hard pressed by the Committee, he testified ths he had
several conversations with Senator Chandler upon tho
same subject and that be had list OF Senators, which
he exhibited Mr. Avery, with the names OF several
whom it was Likely could be Influenced" checked on.
The names Of these easy-goIng Senator's arc mfor-
tunatey lost to an anxious public through the bad mem
orv OF Porter who positively could not remenber Who
they were and who had unfortunately 1856 thc st. lbo
Committee conclude their report as follows:
The c.s referred this report bat oan Of the eydncs
before In response the resolution of the hcga
direct R the Inquire AMI report Wbr crs
rpoDer means attempted 10 nhace he votes "
auy Senator respect the Georgia bin, Connee tei n-
evidence before then uat fuch ne1astae
and However unwilling OF the es M
ds'gsr
whole tuth say eommte bat T. j.
used 20 infa-uce seaators
to Lewis
acted improperly In undertaki1 br 20
siibi, in Ms tdrto eKyiDg
puuish such aienpt be e and perhaps bet II s
hsi
ment will il s q rs condemnation every aeapS ~
the u,e OF improper ituence the of l-e bod!
Ths report s signed by Senator's IrnmDnll, E1mnnds
Coukliug Carpenter and Thurman. IL would naturally
be supposed that Mr.. Lewis Porter was summary dis
missed from position Of Assistant Postmaster or
Wasbin gtOn this report made, but be WAS not
and to-day that eminent gentleman whom hr avery
testified be having very p1cat pOhtltll lnnu
ence in the Republican party OF Michigan, ~ tho Sen-
ators OF that state will tell YOU" ~ stu connected win
the best civil service on the paueL' Mr Porter not
only still adOrns the present civil service, but he has $50
sons drawing pay from the Government without ma4hS
auy return therefor An attempt made by memOers
of the Senate Judiciary Committee & secure P0tefs
dismissal but he and is s retained IA bis position
through the influence and efforts OF senator Hchaiah
Chandler Porter helped secure Chandler iasi election
by means very dlssmar 10 those be used 10 deeat
the bingham amendment