Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-02-14
Soils and Einkbine.

with thc'Sl0, 900 which he received
from Durant to be used in further.
ing his election to the Senate in
1867, we published two weeks age
an article from the Iowa City Re
publican in which the charge was
made that Elijah Sells, Mr.. Harlan's
manager in that contest, boosted af:
terward to Bob Finkbinc, that he
had secured the success of Mr.
Harlan by purchasing members Of
the Legislature. To this charge
Mr.. Sells from his home in Kansas
sends to the Des Moines Repub1ica,
the following affidavit in reply:
Inever told Bob Finkbine tina,
any consideration of money, or any
thing else, was offered or paid tc
any member of the Legislature Of
Iowa in 1866, in consideration Of
his voting for Mr.. Harlan for the
U. S. Senate, nor did l ever say to
said Bob Finkbine that l slough,
enough members of the Legislature
to elect Harlan" The Finkbine
story is a willful, malicious and
infamous fabrication.
Not one dollar of Durant's money
was used in the Senatorial election
of 1866 in Iowa by myself, nor do
know of any money being used in
that election furnished by Durant,
nor do l believe any portion of tho
expenses of that election was paid
with Durant's money. Most of the
money which l used in paying the
necessary and legitimate expenses
of that election and canvass was
given to me by committee Of the
friends of Mr.. Harlan, in Washing.
ton, d. c., without Mr.. Harlan's
knowledge. Most of the expenses.
if not all, were paid by myself, cx-
cepting an amount which do no,
now remember, which Mr.. James
Slavery said he paid to other parties
not members, Of which l had nc
knowledge other than Mr.. Savery's
statement. l know Of nothing paid
by him of my own personal knowl
edge; nor have 1 to this day inform.
ed Mr.. Harlan of the amounts OF
details Of expenses of that canvass
Mr.. Harlan, at the time, was in
Washington, d. c., and left the
whole matter and manner of con.
Quoting the canvass to his friends
at Des Moines, and l believe that
the votes given Mr.. Harlan at that
election were cast from considera.
tons of eminent services and true
merit. ELIJAH SELLS.
Subscribed and sworn to before
be, this 3lst, day Of January, a. d..
1875. GEO. S. HAMPTON, JR.,
Notary Public.
The public will regret that Mr..
Sells could not afford to be less
reserved in his explanation. He
tells us explicitly that he "never
told Bob Finkbine' that he bought
votes for Harlan. That may be
true but it is not material. Back OF
it is the question, did he or any
body actually use money to corrupt
the Legislature, and ppon this
point he does not even favor the
public with an opinion, much less a
denial for himself. Again his Wig,
orously denies that he handled any
of Durant's money in that contest.
but as to its use by others he can
only affirm his "bclief" that none OF
the "erpenses'' of that election were
paid with Durant's money. This
repetition Of this word expenses in
with his most emphatic
may or may not be signifi-
cant.
This manifesto Of Sells pro-
vokcs reply from Finkbine which
is at once an exculpation and an
accusation. lie says regarding
Sells:
will here do him the justice to
say that, he never uced to INC, nor
in my presence, the words ascribed
to him in the newspaper article, nor
have 1 ever quoted him as doing so.
In order to set him entirely right
in the matter so far as lays in my
power to do, l will make y brief
statement of what really did occur
between Mr.. S. and myself.
During the Senatorial contest
between Mr.. Harlan and Gov. Kirk
wood, Mr.. Sells was at Des Moines
as the especial representation of
Mr.. H., and at his rooms at the
Slavery House was running, what
was popularity known as his Indian
A. ency."
| have had the pleasure Of meet
ing Mr.. Sells but once since that
time, some eighteen months after
the Senatorial contest, when we
talked over the incidents Of the
campaign. Mr.. Sells remarked
that he "wished he could tel. me
what took place then at Dcs Moines;
that there were many curious things
done there, and that a number of
the protested friends of Gov. K,
whom the.Governor never suspected
voted for Mr.. Harlan
| called his attention to a then
prominent, and since notorious gen
tlcman, who was nominated and
elected as protessed friend Of Gov.
KS, who after few visits to Sells
Indian Agency, had cause to change
his mind, it was rumored on the
promise ofan appointment to the
Chief Justiceship of one of the
Territories, but who was cheated
in the performance,
receiving only the place of Asso-
ciate.
/ mentioned another member,
who, after visiting the agency"
experienced change of mind on
the Senatorial question, rumor said,
on the promise of an Indian Agency