Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-21
Mr.. Co1fax.

when, 4 few weeks since, he seemed
by a cham of circumstantial eyi.
dence to be convicted of dissimula-
ton and dishonor, are amply justifi-
cd by the statements and proofs
which he offers in exculpation. As
our readers are aware, Cakes Ames
alleged that he held Credit Mobilicr
stock for Mr.. ColfaX, and that ut one
time he paid that gentleman 81, 200
dividends on the same. Mr.. ColfaX
persistently denied ever receiving
this $1,000, and thus the issue of
veracity was raised between him
and Ames. The one circumstance
corroborativc of Ames' statement,
which told with more effect than any
other against Mr.. Colfax, was the
coincidence Of his depositing 81 200
in Washington bank about the
time that Ames says that he paid
him the 81 200 dividend on Credit
Mobilier stock. While this comet
dence was not proof of duplicity, it
was still felt that unless the deposit
could be satisfactorily accounted
for, the case against Mr.. Colfax had
an ugly look. He still denied all
knowledge of the dividend, and as
serted his ability to set himself
right. He went vigorously to work
to do so, and the result is embodied
III his sworn statement below, made
to the committee and fortified by the
testimony of others. We cannot do
otherwise than regard it as truthful
and complete vindication Of the
integrity OF NJ. Coltax. Abiding
to hislbank account, Mr.. Colfax says:
OF deposit, bills of 5000, l am
positive, were paid by my step-fa-
Their, Matthews, on account of a
debt he owed me. In December,
1867, paid s445 for piano bought
for his daughter, the check for which
is in the bank, and | agreed to wait
for most of it until summer, when
he expected to be able to pay me-
After my nomination in May, 1868,
l had numberless appeals for con
tributions for political expenses in
various localities, for professions,
bands, charity, religious aid, ETC.,
and | had promised to contribute as
promptly and largely as possible to
iiquidate the expenses of the can
vass N my sharply contested State
Of Indiana. |, therefore, asked Mat
thews to pay the Indebtedness as
soon as he could, so rs to assist me
in meeting those demands incident
to my new position. During the
month of June, 1868, and as nearly
as / can fix the time, about the mid.
die of the month he paid 5000 in
bills on my account, and early the
next month he paid me another in
stallment, completing the payment
before Congress adjourned, late in
July. l am very confident that the
5000 formed part of the $1,000 de-
posted, being part of my cash re-
ceipts between the deposits of June
l and %. About the time Of this
payment, as near as I can fix the
date, about the middle of June, and
very soon after the payment of Mat
thews, | was opening my letter mail
at the breakfast table, in accordance
with my usual custom, and found
an envelope within another envelope
post marked New York. On open
ing the inner envelope l found it
contained a letter written by Geo.
w. Nesbitt, congratulating me most
cordially and warmly on my nomi-
nation for the Vice Presidency, and
saying that the writer desired me
confidentially to accept the remit
lance enclosed to aid me in the
heavy expenses of the canvass, but
wished it kept secret, as neither his
family nor anyone would ever know
it, unless | told them. Enclosed in
this was national bank note for
$1,000. 1t was rs gratifying as it
was liberal, and holding up the let
ter and bill asked the attention of
the family to it, and then read them
the letter. The fact of sending so
large bill by mail was commented
upon and the magnitude of the gift
was discussed, when Matthews re-
marked that it came in good time,
referring to the appeal of the Chair
man Of the Indiana Republican Com
mittee for money in aid of the ar
engagements orthe canvass already
in active progress. The bill was
then passed around from hand to
hand and examined. l am sure |
deposited it with the 5000 | had re-
ccived from Matthews, and purchas-
ing on the very same day-and the
bank books show ia draft for the |
exact amount Of this remittance,
and in exact accordance with the
donors wish, and exactly as dis
cussed at my table at the time, sent
it at once to the Chairman Of the
Committee in Indianap-
oils. Fortunately this does not rest
on my own testimony alone. Living
witnesses will tell the committee
they remember the reception of the
bill and the contents of the letter in
which it was enclosed, and that it
was at once dis used how it should
be used to carry out Nesbitt's de-
sire, and the draft presented and
sworn to by the cashier of the bank
proves that the very day l deposit
ed $1,000 in bills | bought and re-
mitted out of my deposit the draft
for 81 900 to the Chairman of the
Indiana State Committee.
The Executive Committee of the
Iowa Press Association, at their re-
cent meeting at Dcs Moines. select |