, 1873-02-08
HISTORICAL BRIBERY IN CONGRESS.

Tho casos Of detected bribery In Oongross have
boon fow and 1t is to tho credit Of oil rartcn TINT
no attempt was over made to screen or lido tho
raBcality upon tho ploa TINT to expose or punish
tho mombors would hurt tho party" AS long
ago as 1905, two mon, named Randall and Whit
noy, mado oyorturcs to several mombora of Con-
greBa, which wero promptly communicated to
tho House. Mon.bors iu thoso days did not wait
for Investigating Oommitteos; nor did they plond
that tho case was "not proved y nor did they
paltor with truth aud honesty by accepting
bribes, and thon calling 1t d buanoss transao-
tion. At tho frat moment It could bo dono, tho
members who Ind boen approachod informed
tho House; Randall ind Whitney woro ar-
rested, held in custody, and thon pub
licly roprimandcd md dismissed. In
1918, Colonel John Anderson, o gray-hairod
soldier, had claims Of hlH own for about 80, 600,
and for others about 100000, for damagos sus-
tainod at the River Raisln, which claims wero
before tho Committee Of Olairna. Ho was weak
enough to addreaa the following lottor to tho
Chairman of that Committee:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 1878.
UoNonED SrN: rosrrn yut tua1lxa 1or tho at
tenton received On my claims to pass go soou h1r.
Leo will land you china from tho River Rafsin,
which will Iaos through your honorable Committee;
ena nave WISH that so conoac. OF tao pFan IN thas
which will utvo you nono troubo in mixing ont tic
report, aud supporting tho Same. hare now to ro-
quest that you will accept Of tho small sum Of $500
Dc part pay for tho extra trouble gve you. will
present II to you as soon as rocoivo samo from
Government. Ihs Is confidential, that only you aud
u a lu5 =. = Amv" @s a -, o,n,1 ,
belong to that society, Sir, ohouia It happen tn YOU
will not nccept Of thus small sum, request you will
n,a eos 1,o. r. ,,o,, acco,t ,s,a, ~ ono,.or 'o
hope you will see my Wow on this auboc that It ia
for extra trouble
n tho nomnce ,rh,c,, VII, o ,o1 ,r Gonor"1
Harrison, Colonel johnson, Mr.. uulb,,rd, Mr. Aeigs,
Postmaster General Governor caes' report rs COM
,''oo,eo4, ~" otno' 1'ous W so"t n,noi "e "
these claims Us soon as possible need not inform you
that VIC nro rs poor unfortunate orphan children,
na'.ns ~ a, - NV ~ ,aas l1va a
liberty from stranger.
AM, with high eHtoom, your most oboa'ent and
Aou,1 a,,n pro, ~, 49,. 1a,.t. ,v,,,,rna 'A''S'S'
Mr. vi1,;oma a,,,un;ttoa t1,a tattor IN Tim
r1o,,ao and r,oo,.or no ;oa,oa ,,;s ,v,r~,,,t sor
+1o ,,roat of andorson fev nconrcra +oo1r
i,,;,, ~ . c,.o =, hr;horv o,d that t,,o 1ottor
co,,n or,v In ,r,;sbo1 hv Tim courto, Ani,or-
oo,, ,n,oo,oa =, 4,o 11o,,o +rro,,o, ,o+tara Il,
:, ,,.4a..,. ~ 1n,,,,
w, w. ' .rr.",., ..a4,.>.-4ss ~. .,.....tn. n..
49,, ~ II p...,.a,, ra,o,o, nr 1o,nso,
o..o.., oona na,,.,.,+ou r,o,or,, ,1o;n. .n5
-,
N'''9' =,
-, -
4'o6',' '' - -.e''
- wv Ao' "A4' va 49,
WAS brougntto tho oar ana publlefy feprlmanded
by tho Speaker Those were Cases Of attempts
N ,,rho ,oomhora
Forty years lnto1, IN 1851. certain Iana schemes
were boforo CongreRs. One Of these was known
as the minnesota Land BILL and tho other, tho
Iowa Land bill, both having for their object tho
appropriation OF public land for tho benefit OF
spectators. Charges having boon made that
thoro VAS corruption, n Committee, Of which
Henry Winter Davis was the Chairman, was ap-
pointed to Investigate. During tue debate, AIr.
Payne, OF North Carolina, stated that he had
been approached by member Of tho House with
corrupt proposition. The understanding was,
tint there was aomo forty membcrs Of Congress-
who we're to sharo tho plunder, but that thoso
woro represented by 0. B. Matteson, ". 4. Gill
bort, and Francis 2. Edwards, members from
Tie State Of Now York, and ". ". Welch, Of
Connecticut Matteaon was the Oakes Amos Of
TINT day, and he 'placed tho shares whero they
will do us tho most good" His letters woro
found. In ono Of Which to porson Interested he
said:
Ths Committee In ono House have agreed to re-
port your seaolutioa Ill Anaesota 10 acfea OF
n. ,.s,1ae 49,, WV, ,r,,,n, ~ II.