Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-06-14


In his statement and explanation in the
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 tight whatever to them. After lengthy
remarks in which he stated that the whole
inquiry Of the committee Investigating spe-
cifc railroad companies had been aimed per-
sonally at him, he proceeded to read the
letters and memorandum in question, and
IL ade passing comments upon and explana-
tons Of various points in the several
letters. He introduced the reading Of
the letters with the following remarks:
Many 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
! would a good deal rather take that than
take the evil surmises and still more evil in
ferences that might be drawn If 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 one particle Of proof to
convict him Of the specific charge against
him that he was party in interest to the
&64, 900 transaction These letters, he said,
were picked out OF correspondence extend
ing over fifteen years, and the most intimate
business correspondence of his life; the man
Mulligan had done his very worst. Mr..
Blaine then charged that Mr.. Knott, chair
man Of the J judiciary Committee, had sup
pressed a telegram received by the committee
completely exonerating him (Blaine) from the
charge against him, and demanded of Mr..
Knott TO know il such telegram had not been
received by the committee. He then offered
a resolution instructing the Judiciary Com
...,.t ttA
whether such telegram had not been received.
from Mr.. Caldwell, or whether the ccmnttee
had heard from him (Caldwell) in any other
way. In answer to Mr.. Blanes ipsiuuations
az Ainst him, Mr. Knott stated that there had
been no wrong done to Mr. Blaine by the COM
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 mar
tyred 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, taker 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 1t had been suppressed. He SAID: Il
have it, l did not suppress it ut all In less
than thirty minutes after | received 1t read
il TO several gentlemen, but there was no
particular address In London from which it
purported to come, and did believe. and am
not altogether certain yet that l do not be-
lieve 1t was fXed-up job"
In answer to requests from the Republi-
can side to read the dispatch from Caldwell,
Mr.. Knott said: have not the dispatch
here. 1t Is at my house. The contents of it
are substantially rs stated by the gentleman
from Maine (Blaine). | do not know that l
can repeat 1t in the exact terms. The pur-
port of it is that Caldwell had seen Thomas
A. SCOTS testimony in the New York papers,
| and that 1t 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 a railroad enterprise
| over there and could not come to give his
testimony without serious pecuniary loss.
F, This is substantially what is in it, ana 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
was referred to the Committee on Judiciary
| yeas, ia; nays, 81.
/ On the 5th, Speaker Kerr appeared before
| the Committee on Expenditures in the War
| Department aud, through his counsel, pre-
! scented a statement Ia relation to Haruey's
| charge that he (Harney) had paid him Kerr
| $3.50 to secure the appointment OF A. F. Green
| 10 vacant Licuteuancy. Mr.. Kerr stated
| that in lSti6 or 1867, he was called upon ny
| Mr.. Green In relation 10 the appointment He
did not recollect that he was introduced by
| Harvey, and had no consciousness of ever
/ heving known Harvey. He (Haruey) had
| neyei visited him anywhere, and had lever
| paid him money for mis- influence, or for any
/ purpose whatever. He (kerr) had told Green,
/ after examining his credentials, that If he
/ could procure the names of certain New
! York parties whom he knew he
would aid him. Green did procure
the Endorsements desired and be (kerr)
! wrote the letter To the War De
| partmcnt which secured the appointment.
| Mr.. Kerr remembered quite distinctly that,
! previous TO recommending the appointment
! OF Mr.. Green, he had offered the recon-
/ mendstiou 10 two OF his coustituents-Col.
/ Thomas J, jackson and Maj Thomas Morri-
! sOu--both of whom had rendered gallant SER
/ vice in the volunteer army. These
I gentlemen had both declined, and Mr..
| Kerr was not aware that any Demo
| cratic soldier had ever applied 10 him
I for the place. He had held the appointment
( At the service Of the people OF his district or
I State, il any shosld apply, bL none did so
/ apply, of whom he has the slightest recollec-
/ tion, and when the long session Of congress
( was well advanced, and ttc time for these APP
! continents WAS passing asay, he was called
I upon by Green, and had recommended him
( for the position, without fee or favor.
THE New York Tribune. advising ev-
/ cryhody TO go 10 the Centennial, says /;
Il is not chance likely 10 occur again
In middle. aged mans or woman's life -