The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-02-13
THE cHoRPEN1Ne CLAIM.
History of the Affair-some Interest
ing DEVELOPMENTS.

History of the Affair Some Interest
ing Developments.
One of the most notable cases of q.
claim made before Congress has been
revived during the present term, and
is likely to result in a considerable
degree of scandal, involving at least
one prominent member ofthe House,
as it has heretofore been the cause
of serious charges against the Ad-
minlstration. The case is that of
George Chorpening, the first over
land mail contractor, who has been
pressing for nearly fifteen years q
claim for damages, owing to a viola
ton of the contract on the part of
the Government. 1t will be remem
bered that during the Congress pre-
ceding the Presidential election this
claim had been ordered audited
and paid, on the Postmaster Gener-
als award. The duty was a man
datory one on that official. Repres-
entative John Cessna, of PennsylVa
MIA, introduced the resolution refer
ring the claim to the Committee on
Postofllces'and Post Roads, by whom
the favorable report was made. Mr..
Creswell, it sappears, made the ex-
animation and award, placing the
ammount due at about 100000, one
half of the amount claimed. Just as
this duty was complied, Mr.. Dawes,
then Chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations, rose in the House,
stated he was informed that the claim
was fraudulent, and asked that it be
sent to his committee for inyestiga-
tion. Ofcourse, it was so sent. Re
naming there some weeks, Mr..
Dawes made an adverse repot, with
a resolution directing that no money
be paid on Mr.. Creswell's award ac-
companying the same with the speech
of violent denunciation, in which
the claim was denounced rs swim
die, and those who had been instru-
mental in procuring the award were
by implication denounced as acces-
sories. The accusation was so vi
olent and vehement that it carried
all before it. The claim became one
of the standing themes of the follow
ing political campaign, and passed at
last in the public mind into the limbo
of convicted swindles. Mr.. Creswell
felt compelled to defend himself on
the stump, which he did eflectually,
so far showing that his only lot in
affair was to do as ordered by Con
gress. Mr.. Cessna was defeated un-
der the hue and cry.
That gentleman, as well as the
claimant, being unwilling to rest un-
der the accusations made by Mr..
Dawes, has succeeded in re-entering
Congress, for the purpose of vindi-
eating himselfan Mr.. Chorpenning,
of whom he declares he at first knew
no more than that he was one ofhis
constituents. Early in the present
session Mr.. Cessna offered q memo
rial from ChOrpenning, asking for an
investigation, affirming that in the
previous one Mr.. Dawes did not al
low the claimant and his counsel to
appear, and that the case was made
against him on an er parte examina
ton. The brief debate which arose
then and has since been once repeat
ed was very acrid and bitter, Mr..
Beck, of Kentucky, being especially
severe on Mr.. Cessna. The memor
ial was referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee, of which General Butler is
Chairman. Mr.. Dawes and his friends
have been actively endeavoring to
procure its withdrawal and reference
to the Claims Committee. Mr.
Chorpenning's friends assert that
this is equivalent to its being bur
led, rs that committee have so large
a docket as to be unable to reach the
matter. His counsel claim that the
recfnding resolution is null and void
in law, and ask the Judiciary Com
mittee to rule in this legal point,
agreeing also to waive all rights to
the claim he may have if there be any
fraud discovered by the committee.
1t is charged quite openly that the
reason for Mr.. Chorpenning's pre-
vious defest was his failure to pay
the sum of $4,000 demanded of him
by an ex member Of Congress, known
as lobby lawyer, who claimed that
for that amount he would get it out
of Mr.. Dawes's committee. Mr.,
Chorpenning asserts his readiness to
swear to his statement and to bring
three other witnesses thereto. In
any event the case is likely to be
one of the causes ceZeJre in the an
nails of Congress, while it will Illus
trate the tendancy of the present sys-
TEN of presenting and supporting
claims to the fostering of the disFe-
putable lobby lawyers and agents
who now swarm around Congress.
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