The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-06-15
Messrs. Blaine and Kerr's Statements.

House on the 5th, Mr.. Blaine claimed that
he had rightful possession of the letters
obtained by him from the witness Mulligan,
who had no right whatever to them. After
lengthy remarks in which he stated that the
whole inquiry Of the committee investigating
specific railroad companies had been aimed
personally at him, he proceeded to read the
letters and memorandum in question, and
made passing comments upon and explana-
tons of various points in the several
letters. He introduced the reading of
the letters with the following remarks:
"MaDy of these letters have not the remotest
bearing on the subject, but some of them
will require little explanation. Some OF
them may possibly involve humiliation, but
I would good deal rather take that than
take the evil surmises and still more evil
differences that might he drawn if 1 did not
act with this frankness"
After the reading of the letters and memo.
randum the speaker went on to say that
there had not been particle of proof to con-
vict him of the specific charge against him
transaction. These letters, he said, were
picked out OF a correspondence extending
over fifteen years, and the most intimate bust
ness correspondence of his life; the man
Mulligan had done his very worst. Mr.
Blaine then charged that Mr.. Knott, Chair
man Of the Judiciary Committee, had sup
pressed telegram received by the committee
completely generating him (Blaine) from the
charge against him, and demanded of Mr..
Knott to know if such telegram had not been
received by the committee. He then offered
a resolution instructing the Judiciary Com.
mittee to report forthwith to the House
whether such telegram had not been received
NJ Holl
had heard from him (Caldwel) in anv other
way. In answer to Mr.. Blaine's destinations
against him, Mr.. Knott stated that there had
been no wrong done to Mr. Blaine ~ the CON-
mittee. So far as the letters were concerned,
the committee had not decided what should
be done with them, but Mr.. Blaine had been
positively assured that he would not be
martyred by the committee. Yet, in defiance
OF all parliamentary law, an ex- Speaker of the
House had, in the House, under pretext of a
personal explanation, taken the matter
away from the jurisdiction of the committee
As to the cable telegram from Mr.. Caldwell,
Mr.. Knott said he hurled the falsehood back
into the teeth of any man who suggested
that it had been suppressed. He said: 81
have it.. did not suppress it at all. In less
than thirty minutes after received iC / read
it to several gentlemen, bat there was no par
ticular address in London from which it pur-
ported to come, and l did believe, and am not
altogether certain yet that do not believe,
it was tixed-up job"
In answer to requests from the Republican
side to read the dispatch from Caldwell, MIR.
Knott said: II have not the dispatch here
1t is at my house. The contents of it are
substantially as stated by the gentleman
from Maine (Blaine). do not know that l
can repeat it in the exact terms. The pur.
port OF it is that Caldwell had seen Thomas
A. Scotts testimony in the New York papers
and that it was substantially correct;
that he had not let Mr.. Blaine have
any bonds and that he would send
an affidavit to that effect, but that
he was engaged in railroad enterprise
over there and could not come to give his
testimony without serious pecuDiary loss.
This is substantially what is in it, and if the
gentleman had only waited that dispatch
would have been presented to the committee
for whatever use the committee might see
proper to make of it. had no desire to in
Jure the gentleman from Maine personally,
and especially not politically, but desire
that the truth may be told"
Mr.. Blaine moved the previous question on
his resolution, and attempted to make
further remarks, but was prevented by loud
calls to order and by the Speaker pro tenn.
ruling that he was not entitled to the floor
for that purpose.
The House refused to second the previous
question, and then the motion If Mr.. Blaine
was referred to the Committee on judiciary
yeas, 124; nays, 81.
On the 5th, Speaker Kerr appeared before
the Committee on Expenditures in the War
Department and, through his counsel, pre-.
sented statement in relation to Harneys
charge that he (Harney) had paid him (Kerr)
$45O to secure the appointment of A. P.
Green to vacant Lieutenancy. Mr.. Kerr
stated that, in 1886 or 1867, he was called
upon by MIR. Green in relation to the appoint
ment. He did not recollect that he was in
troduced BY Harvey, and had no conscious
ness of ever having known Harvey. He liar
Dey) had never visited him anywhere, and
had never paid or proposed to pay him
money for his influence or for any purpose
whatever. He (Kerr) had told tireen, after
examining his credentials, that if he could
procure the names of certain New York par
ties whom he knew, he would aid him. Green
dld procure the Endorsements desired and
he (kerr) wrote the letter to the War Depart
ment which secured the appointment. Mr.
Kerr remembered quite distinctly that pre-;
vious to recommending the appointment OF
| Mr.. Green, he had offered the recommends
ton to two of his constituents-Col. Thomas
j.: jackson and Maj. Thomas Morrison-both
OF whom had rendered gallant service in the
volunteer army. These gentleman had both
declined, and Mr.. Kerr was not aware that any
Democratic soldier had ever applied to him
for the place. He held the appointment
at the service of the people of hi:
district or State, if any should apply
but none did so apply, of whom he has the
slightest recollection, and when the long SEES
sion OF Congress was well advanced, and the
away, he was called upon by Green, and had
recommended him for the nosifion without