National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-06-23
GREAT SPEECH.
CONTINUED from Second Page.)

BUFFERS GREAT SPEECH.
ICoHtinued from Second Pdgs.)
.I,ct old debts ought to be repealed, it may have
teen we'll spent. If on the contrary this ap-
nsrent purpose of investigation has only been
70 rIoak another and different one carried on
for political and personal purposes only, then
+be committee and the House may find that
tbnv have been made in this matter simply in
struments TO pander to the rivalries, hates and
ambitions of politicians instead of carrying on
srest work of necessary legislation.
have some evidence showing that the whole
saDborn contract investigation was gotten up
not exactly for those objects and those designs
which wise legislators and grave statesmen
would willingly avow.
The first the country heard anything about
these Sanborn contracts was that Mr.. Sanborn
was being indicted in Brooklyn by the district
attorney of that district, one Tenney, about
the LIST of February last. As soon as that was
done and duly trumpeted in the opposition
newspapers Mr.. Tenney, an Office holder under
a Republican administration, and claiming to
he a Republican himself, sent his assistant dis
trict attorney here to one of the Committee on
WAYS and Means, a leading Democratic mem
Der Of the House, to have him bring the San
born-contrsct matter 'tto the 'front.'" Tenney
having furnished him with the Brooklyn Dem
ocrstic papers which gave flaming and lauda-
tory accounts of Mr.. Tenney's able endeayors,
as they termed it, to ferret out great
fraud on the Government. One item of evil
dence that l have of this fact is a letter of
direction, written By Tenney to his assistant,
which send to the Clerk to be read.
The Clerk read as follows: .-- .-
Law OFFICES OF TENNEY HOLT
us BROADWAY, NEW y DIRK, Feb 6, 1874. }
FRIENp HUGHEs: Do not fail to see Hon. James
B. Beck. He is Democratic member from Ken
lucky. He is member also of the Committee on
Ways and means. have to-day sent him Union
and Eagle. He is g. powerful member of the
Democratic party and will bring this Sdnborn
mGftsr 70 ne front think no news specially.
MI. Butler, of Massachusetts. Now, if Re-
publican ofice-holders will put ammunition
into the hands of the Democratic members of
the Committee on Ways and Means, with which
to attack and break down the Republican ad-
ministration, far be it from me to say one
word In animadversion upon the conduct of
that Democratic member of the House who
should make the best use he can of that infor-
nation for that object. He should ''bring it to
the 'front.'" and charge upon the Administra-
ton, and attempt to show its great corruption
and wrong-doings. He ought, if he is per-
mitted so to do, to drive out of Office its Secre-
tary OF the Treasury and its Assistant Secretary
OF the Treasury and its Solicitor of the Treas
ury, and show that they were all corrupt to-
gether and bad men. He should make violent
and denunciatory speeches against the Admin
istration, founded on the material that Repub-
Dcsn officers and a Republican committee of
the House will furnish him for that use. He
does his duty, his full duty, in so doing as an
opposition member of the House, and applaud
him for his ingenuity, his boldness, efficiency
and perseverance,; and congratulate him upon
the result. 1t is not often that Republican
committee Of Republican House force Re-
publican administration to allow Democratic
member to carry of ct his belt the scalps Of
three of rs T1riuainal Ofhpers Including
Secretary of the Treasury, to crafty the am
bitiOn Of one of its district attorneys, who
wants to run for Congress on the opposition
ticket, and he thinks has already driven his
Republican opponent from the track.
But what shall we say Of Republican ma
jority of Committee on Ways and Means
who shall allow themselves TO be made the
tools of an opposition member, to find him
ammunition with which to wound, if not kill,
their own Administration, if the only induce
ment TO what they did was being blindly led by
the superior Witness of their Democratic asso-
ciate? What, then, was the handspring Of ac-
ton on the part of all the Republican members |
Of the committed Fourteen days after, to
wit the 10Th Of February, a letter was sent |
by the gentleman from Ohio, who reported |
the abrogation of the Sanborn contracts from |
the Committee on Ways and Means, to Super
visor Harmon, of Brooklyn, New York, which |
Was sent to me under the heading, "Copy of a |
letter picked up in the streets of Brooklyn, New |
York, /" the substance Of which is as follows
GAS member Of the CQmpittee on Ways |
and Means, he [Foster1 had discovered the ek-
istence Of the Sanborn contracts. At the same
time he learned that indictments had been
found in Brooklyn; that he prepared and Of
fered the resolution calling on the Secretary |
for information; that he offered the resolution
and General Butler objected TO it. After this |
Butler came to him and asked him to offer the |
resolution again before the following Monday,
Butler to make o speech on it. In
the meanwhile he Fosterl and General Wood
ford had agreed TO reply to such speech fmade
and attack Butler. But General Butler with
drew his objection, and said he hoped the
House would pass the resolution, which sur
prised him and Woodlord, especially himself,
as he had prepared hin9Se!t to rep old Cock
fye.'
Here you have the substance of genuine
letter which the gentleman from Ohio VIII not
deny, especially the last phrase, because told
him one day that whatever he might say of
me behind my back ! wished he would not
write of me that way, and do not believe he
will again.
Now, what could the gentleman from Ohio
desire to crap old Cock-eye" fort What had
he done 20 the gentleman from Ohioi Had he
ever interfered with himi Had he ever said an
lnkind word to him, or of or concerning himl
aver, from an intimate knowledge Of that un-
fortunate individual with the defect in his eye,
70 delicately alluded to, that he had never en-
ertRined for that gentleman anything but the
xiDdest feeling. WHAT personal grief he had,
llas! know not. From the time got that
etter l was utterly puzzled to know my i'm
1uted offence, but l got certain information,
Mr.. Speaker, afterward embodied in the sworn
voluntarily sent me by the affant,
which the Clerk will read:
The Clerk read as follows:
City Of Washington. District Of Columbia:
Warwick Martin, Of the city of New York, being
irst duly sworn, on oath deposes and says:
Being acquainted with some OF the claims in the
o-caled Sanborn contracts l. after the investiga-
ion commenced in the Committee on Ways and |
Means, addressed Hon. Henry L. Dawes and Hon.
Fernando Wood, Of said committee, requesting to
'e summoned to testify in said case: l was not
but having business in Washington,
luded to appear before said committee and tes-
ify if permitted to do SO. stopped at the Ebbitt
louse and there saw Mr.. Dawes and informed
lie said should be permitted to so testify. After
yard on the came day, at the committee room,
dr Dawes notthed me TO be present In said room
n the following morning at ten o'clock. was in
aid room promptly at the time named. On my
Irrival at said room only one gentleman Of the
Ion. Charles Foster. Another gentleman whom
did not know, but who supposed was o mem
,er Of the committee, came into said room soon
Ifter my arrival, and he and Mr.. Foster COM
neneed conversation.
Mr. Foster said to him, in language which
heard, that his object with which he
commenced this investigation, or one object, was
% find something against Ben. Butler; that said
Butler had written letter TO his district to de-
eat his election, and he wished to get even with
him. or words to that effect.
On the following day, the nth Of April Mr..
Foster came up and spoke to me at the EbbItt
louse, where we were both stopping. He and ]
had short conversation, during which the name
II General Butler was mentioned, i having, as /
low remember, stated that the committee seemed
10 be investigating General Butler instead Of the
aw CT May s, 1871, and the contracts Hereunder
Mr. Foster stated In reply, "D-n Butler; he ought
% be investigated; all the men connected with
hese contracts are Buffers friends, and you are
ais friend also, and saw him last night and told
him what said in the committee-room yesterday
lbout him." or words to this effect. then stated
20 Mr.. Foster he was mistaken; that had never |
enjoyed the pleasure Of an introduction to or
Iuaintance with General Butler; that lad not
zen him on the evening named, or ct any other
lime, to converse with him. add that this is true
It'll. / have never been unlriendly to General
Butler but have admired him for many things, |
md especially for the fact that he has always been
u favor Of compelling wealthy men, capitalists
ITd corporations 70 psy what they owe the Gov
rnment, instead Of Esxing the poor, t1e lndustri-
Jus, ana the honest farmers, mechanics and labor