The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-10-24
FEW FACTS AND FIGURES,
ECONOMY AND HONESTY
PROVED.
A sPEEcH BY REPRESENTATIVE DAWES.

III -
addressed his constituents at Springfield,
short time since, and received great
ovation. There was large torch light
procession, an audience of some 5000 peo-
pie, including the first citizens of Stirring
field, and altogether such demonstration
as there has not been in Western Massa-
chusetts for years, and as shows the high
esteem in which Mr.. Dawes constituents
whom he has represented for sixteen
years, repose in him. Hisspeeah was de-
voted chiefly to considering two or three
matters TO which the SPRINGFIELD Repu6-
tican, Liberal, had called his special at
tention, vindicating his claim to consist
ency and sincerity. We take some points
from the speech: f"u ta,l
At the outset he said: II have thought
that no way could [ so we'll serve YOU and
my party and country, as by keeping an
eye as well upon the faults as the virtues
of that party. And it has been a rule
with me to search 70: and condemn its
errors, not less earnestly than commend
its merits. So long as party has strength
and courage enough to endure surgical
treatment. and to probe and cure Is own
sores, it base vitality and recuperative
power enough to recover any ground lost
by fault or mistake. This course has led,
not unfrequently, to criticisms of men and
measures of the Republican party, since
it has been In power, sometimes sharp and
severe, but always justified by my own
understanding of facts and my own con-
victions of duty. These criticisms have
frequently been misunderstood for the mo-
ment, ana have been construed INTO hos
tility. And, on the other hand, when
this course, in obedience to the same fide
ity which prompted criticism seemingly
untriendly, has been followed by earnest
commendation of efforts avoiding errors
thus pointed out, and of struggles against
evils thus condemned, like failure to
understand the true meaning of independ-
ence and fidelity il a representative has
set on foot the charge of insincerity and
Inconsistency. Blindness born of illtem.
pered zeal in the service of the Repubi-
can party in the one case, and OF Hire
strained prejudice against it in the other,
has, in both, wrought injustice"
THE CHoRPENNING CLAIM.
He proceeded first to tell what he knew
of the "Chorpenning claim" for extra al |
lowance on an old mail contract, which ne
had always strenuously opposed, and for
allowing which Postmaster General Ores !
well has been sc severely censured. He(
gave full history OF The case, which, he
said, was an attempt To take out of the |
Treasury of the United States $443, 900 as
an extra allowance on an old mail contract
upon which there was not one cent due
For the whole contract Chorpenning was
to receive but $106,000 and after having
been paid that sum, he had already got, [
fifteen years ago, an extra allowance Off
100000 more, and only two years since
came, as his leading council described it.
within squirrels jump" of obtaining
$443,0 more extra allowance-in all
$3.50, 900 extra on o 100000 contract
Chorpenning is an old Pennsylvania Dem
ocrat, with ell the failings and propensi
ties for which that race has been so long
renowned He had this California mail
contract twenty years ago. In 1857, when
the Democracy controlled all departments
of the governments bill was put through
Congress requiring the Postmaster General
to adjust this claim according to the affi-
davits and proofs on file in the House of
representatives." an attorney of Choir
pennlngs meantime, as had since been
learned, asserting the papers in the Post
office Department touching che matter,
aud putting on file in the House lust
such as he chose, leaving in the depart
ment papers now there, showing the claim
to be utterly groundlcss. Under this law
Chorpenning got his 100000 extra His
counsel, however claimed that wrong
construction had been put on the ill,and
have been trying ever since to get larger
sum allowed, hut in vain. Finally they
got bill through Congress, in the con-
fusion OF the last day of the session, by
placing it for that purpose in the hands
of the Republican member of Congress
from Chorpenning's district, and repre-
senting to him that there was only small
amount "of few thousand dollars unset
tied account DUE" requiring the Postmas-
ter General to reopen and reAdjust this
claim ON the basis of the law Of 1857.
Then Mr.. j. S Black, Buchanan's Demo
cratic Attorney General, and swarm of
attorneys under his generalship, pressed
this claim upon the present Postmaster
General, under Blacks old construction
of the act Of 1857. They made Mr.. Ores
well believe that that was the true con.
struction of the law and he allowed Choir
penning this $4,000 more extra, in ad
dition to the 100000 extra already al
lowed, for mail service he had bound
himself to perform for $106 900. The
warrant for the payment of this enormous
sum lay upon the Auditors table ready
to be paid at tiny moment, when the
knowledge of it came to Republican
member Of Congress, who Immediately
introduced a resolution stopping its pay
ment until the matter could be investi-
gated. After Investigation, and the lay
ing of all the facts before Congress, Re
publican Congress unanimously repealed