Ellsworth American., 1876-06-08
EXPECTED DECISION N FAVOR OF NJ
BLAINE.
BLAINE'S VINDICATIO N.
Ills GREAT SPEECH.


(risng TO aquestion OF privilege proceeded To
address the House on the subject Of the in,es-
tig ation into the Union Pacific and Northern
Pacific Transactions. in which hi> name had be-
nection Of Union Pacific Railroad with bonds of
the Little Rock aud n. smith Railroad was
commenced. The author of the resolution bad
at the time dis lamcd any particular aliu>iou
20 him ,Blainel disclaimer which he tBltne)
regarded at the time with some little incredu-
ity. II soon became entirely obvious that the
resolution was solely aud only aiIcd At him.
and that the Union Pacific matter or auy other
incident 10 the investigation was secondary. in-
significant and unimporlant.
lie did not complain Of that, he wa, ready to
meet It. The gentleman on whose statement
the sccu. alton rested. Mr.. Harrison. had bcra
the tr>i man called, and had stated that he
knew only from rumnr. Then Mr.. Rollins. Mr..
Morton, Mr.. Milard and 1. A. scott wen. cN-
amincd. and their testimony was complete aud
conclusive in di,prouf OF M tB aiue',i having
had anything whAtcNer TO DO with the trau>ac-
ton.
TIE REMARKABLE COURSE PURSUED ny THE
INVESTIGATION.
He hal expected to have an early report
from the Committee, but i; hal been prolonged.
sni he hal been somewhat surprised la>t week
being tod the Committee would hen turn 10
investigate the Transaction Of the Northern Ia
cihs Il. Il. c.. on q newspaper ret ort that
there hsi been some correspondence on his
part with \ friend in Boston. 10 procure for
him some -hares in that Company. which effort
had proved Abbrtiye. Tie bal sAri she gentle
mau iram Virginia. chairman OF the sub-cpm-
miitec tliunion under what authority he pro-
posed 10 make the InNc-tIgtilon, and had been
told that the authority wa. RESOLUTION ~ rod
hv Mr.. LuU-rvl !. ON 90. al-t ot JAIuArt. 4 s
thought that Geu. Lu;terc. would h. ,urpri'ci
10 find out that the iir-t ihing ZONE undrr that
resolution WA TO bring IT. whole terc'' To bear
on little Transaction in Ba,ion. which hal
proved no Transaction AZ all. Thst Iuyr,ti-
cation wa. begun, and three wituc-se, bad te.-
tlnsd Just preci-ely - the circumstanCes were.
HE had no sooner got through with that, than
IN smother part Of the Capitol, without the
slightest notice or warning, the Committee on
the Real Estate Pool had entered on an invc--
tigaiion specifically aimed at him 20 ihAi iherc
were three investigations going on at the same
time, without any OF them Icing completed
He understood that the gentleman from Virgin
Ia tilunioni proposed ihi. forenoon still anoih =
cr inyc stigation about the Kansas Pacific X. r.
a transaction which was fifteen ysars old.
even II II existed. and thi, wa. also aimed
at him.
THE ASSAULTS AIMED ONLY Al JAMES q.
BLMNE-Two EN-REBEIs AFroiNrED 10
INVESTIGATE HIM.
Now he would saw. and say il boldly. that
under these general powers to inNt stisatc spec
iic railroad companies the whole enquiry Of
the committees was aimed personally st h.m.
Why did they not organize 4 committee 10 in
estigate james G.. Blaine: ie wanted -
meet the thing squArcly. He dii not wish to
stlr up any bsd blood on thi, le.tiuu. bu, be
would >ay that ever since a Crr.aiu debate tool
place in the House 10 January last It had hscn
known that there were gentlemen herr who>r
feelings had been eNAspcrstcd against him aud
il was TO be remarked that White there were
seven Democratic members Of the Judiciary
Committee. the chairman Of that Committee
(hnotil had selected 10 serve on the sub-' ON
miiiee 10 which these matters had been referred
two members from the South who had been ln
the rebel army.
VERY SILLY FlBBING By KNOTT
Knott. OF ky.-one word.
Biaine.-Aiter q moment.
knou.-Aliow me = word now.
BlAine-Well. go on.
knott-The matter OF that railroad inYe>ti-
CATION WAS ref~rred TO the subcommittee be-
fore he ard your name mentioned IN conuer-
lion with 1t. | had no act or part in meeting
any investigation duplicating YOU at all,
HOW HUSToS DEFIED ALL USAGE. LAW AND
pECENCY.
Then the gentleman from Virginia tHuntonl
insisted under that resolution. which wa, OBJ
yiou-ly on its face limited TO the $1,000 bond
transaction with the Union Pacific Railroad
Co.. upon going on into all the affairs Of the
Little Rock aud Fort Smith Railroad Company
and incidental thereto. and pursued II 10 such
an extent that finally had myself. through my
colleague. Frye. 10 take appeal TO the full
committee, and the iuil committee decided that
the gentleman lhuntou) had no right 10 90 into
il. But when he came back he resumed the
examination exactly In the same way until he
was stopped by my colleague Frve. acting not
Is NV attorney but my friend: and when final
ly the witness Muilgan came here loaded with
fufn aart in arf t.r l.
road, the gentleman ttiunton) drew out what
he knew had no reference whatever TO the
question under investigation, and then and
there insisted on all INV private memoranda
being allowed 10 be exhibited by this man Null
ligan; which had no more connection or rela-
ton with this investigation than with the North
Pole.
Mr.. BLAINE pESoUNCEs THE ATTEMPT To VI
oLATE HIS PRIVATE CoRREsPoNDENCE-HE
EXHIBITS THE PACKAGE AND ASSERTS HIS
RIGHT.
The gentleman ried his best also (until be-
lieve tina idea had been abandoned) TO capture
and Use and control my private correspondence.
This III Al had selected out of = correspondence
running over great many years, letters which
he thought would be peculiarly damaging 10 me.
He came here loaded with them he came here
for 4 sensation. he came here primed, he came
here on that particular errand. | was advised
stances which have been notorously scattered
throughout the United States. and are known
everywhere. have them, (holdng up pack
age) claim that | have entire right to these
letters. moi only natural right, but on all the
precedents and principles OF law.
HE CHALLENGES THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
ToINvADE HIS Personal RIGHTS.
The man who held them in his possess on
held them wrongfully ,and the committee which
attempted TO take these letters from this man
for use against me proceed wrongfully. Ii pro-
ceeded 10 the boldest and most defiant violation
OF the ordinary personal and private rights that
belong to every American citizen. | am will
ing TO meet the Judiciary Committee on that
point l wanted that committee to introduce
il. / wanted the gentleman from Kentucky
(knott) andithe gentleman from Virginia Hun
toni to Introduce that question on the floor and
they did not do it.
Knott, lin his seat oh, no, you want to be
made martyr OF.
Blaine-Yes. and you did not want it, there's
the difference. will go little further and say
that you did not dare to do it.
Knott-We will not talk about daring"
Hamiton,S. il rise to aquestion Of order.
Is the gentlemen's language parliamentary
Blsine-Entirely so.
Speaker pro tenn, Cox-It is for the Chair to
decide.
THE sURMIsEs AND INsINUATIoNs CIRCULA-
TED ABOUT THE LETTRRs-THE ATTEMPT TO
PUBLISH THEM An OUTRAGE.
Blaine-I understand the Judiciary Commit
tee to have abandoned that issue against me.
but there has gone fort b the idea or impression
because would not permit that man or any
man, (when could prevent it) from holding
as mensnce over my head my private CORES
pondenee, that there must be something in it
most deadly and destructive to my reputation.
/ would like any gentleman on this floor land
all of them are presumed to be men Of affairs
whose business has been varied and whose in
tercourse has been large) to stand up here aud
say that he is willing and ready to have his pri-
vate correspondence for the last 10 or u years
handled over and made public. Does it imply
guilt, Does it imply wrong doing? Does 1t I'M
Div sense of weakness, that man will pro-
tect his private correspondence. No sir; it is
a mans first interest to do it, and IL Is the last
outrage on any man to violate it. have defied
the power to take the letters from me. do it
still. speak with sl respect to this House.
know its powers and / trust that respect
them; but say that this House has no more
power to order what shall be done or shall not
ne done with private correspondence than 1t