Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-06-07

because would not permit that man, or any man,
(when l could prevent t) from holding as men
ace over my head my private correspondence,
there must be something in it most deadly and
destructive to my reputation. | would like any
gentleman on this floor (and all of them are pre-.
sumed to be men of affairs, whose business has
varied and whose intercourse had been large,) to
stand up here and say that he is willing and ready
to have his private correspondent for the last 10
II years handled over and make public. Does
it imply guilt Does it imply wrong doing? Does
it imply sense Of weakness, that man will pro-
tect his private correspondence No, sir. 1t Is
mans first interest to do it, and it is lasting out
rage on any man to violate 1t.
| have defed the power to take these letters
from me. do it still. | speak with all respect
to this House. | know its powers, and trust
that respect them; but say that his House has
no more power to order what shall be done or
shall not be done with private correspondence,
than it has to order what shall do with the tu-
ture and admonition of my children, not one par
ticle more But am about to show the letters
(holdlng them up in his hands. | thank God
Almighty that am not ashamed to show them.
There they are. There is the very original pack
age.
With some sense of humiliation, with mortif-
cation which | do not pretend to conceal, with
sense of outrage which think any man in my
position would feel, l invite the confidence OF
torty-four millions Of people, and will read these
letters. applause, which the Speaker pro tenn.
endeavored to suppress.)
Many of these letters have not the remotest
bearing on the subject, but some of them will re-
quire little explanation. Some of them may in
volve humiliation, but would good deal rather
take that than take the evil of surmises. and still
more evil differences that might be drawn if did
not act with this frankness.
Mr.. Blaine thereupon proceeded to read and
to make passing comments upon the explanations
of various points in the several letters.
The first letter marked "Ffiyate anu per-
sonal," and dated August 81, 1872 and addressed
to Warren Fisher Jr., claiming that the latter
was trying to force him to a settlement, and men,
tioning $4,000 note on account of spencer
stock.
The alluson to the Spencer contract he ex-
planned by sayi ing that in the summer of 1861, two
years before he first came to Congress, he had
been asked if he could not get an opportunity for
the inventor of the Spencer rifle to bring that new
arm to the attention of the Secretary of War.
lie said he thought he could, and he had come on
to Washington, and had an interview with Secre-
tary Cameron.
Blaine said he wanted to explain these.
Mr.. Cameron had given orders to have it tested,
by the ordnance bureau it had been thoroughly
tested, and the experiments were so satisfactory
that preliminary order for 10000 rifles was
made.
The company had Immediately proceeded to
erect an armory in Boston, he had been paid not
an extravagant, but moderate fee for his SER
vices, which he had Just as much liberty to take
as any lawyer or agent had to take fee. Sub
sequently he had taken and paid for $4,000
worth Of stock in the company, which had since
been merged into the Manchester Rifle Co. That
was the whole story. There are five letters;
there the whole of them, and here is Multi
gan's memorandum. keep it as protection to
myself, to show the identity Of the letters In every
respect"
Glover of Maine-Will you have that memo
randum read
Bane-I will do So
Hale of Me.-Does this exhibit cover every
paper that came from Mulligan;
Blaine-Every solitary secret.
Gover-Let that memorandum be read at the
Clerks desk.
Blaine (sendng it to the Clerks desk)-Yes, |
will be glad to have it read.
The memorandum was read as follows:
The following is the memorandum OF MIR. Mul-
ligan:
lst-Oct. 4, 1862 relating to a debate in the
House, and Blaine ruling also globe and iavors
he was to receive from Z. for pressing the bill.
2d-Oct 4. 1869; on the same subject
3d-June ~, 1862 thanking Fisher for admit
ting him to participate in the l.. 4 F. K. H., and
urging him to make Cald. (CadwelD say how
much he would give him. and for what he knew
he would be no dead head, but would render him
valuable assistance.
4th-July 25, 1869, on same subject.
5th-September ), lS69-Contract with different
parties.
6th-Contract with Northern Pacific
7th-May IA, lS70-Cadwell designed to treat
him handsomely.
sth-Oct. "a, 1s7l-Fisher to Blaine, urging a
settlement of North Pacific Railroad account,
5000.
9th-Oct. 4, lS12-Bane admits that there was
$4,000 paid on the S25, 900 loan and to having re-
ceived $50 600 from Fisher.
l0th-Oct. |, lS7l-Admits being paid $4,000
on account of loan.
Mr.. Blaine sold sundry parties $l25000 first
m bOnUs stock AlDD 900. and
ferred stock Sl25 900, for which was paid by them
Sl25, 900 cash, and Mr.. Blaine was to receive for
his share of the transaction Sl25,0O0 land grant
bonds and S32, 500 first mortgage bonds.
The memorandum was read
Mr.. Blane-Now | would be obliged for any
gentleman when he reads those letters to see the
obvious interest on which the memorandum was
made up. | desire also to call attention TO the
fact that these were the letters for which was
ready to commit suicide and sundry and divers
other desperate things in order to acquire them.
have one or two more observations to make.
The specific charge which went to the committee
was whether was party in interest to that S64,-
900 transaction and submit that up to this time
there has not been enc particle OF proof to connect
me with it. These letters were picked out of my
CORE spondenee extending over ID years. The
man (Mulligan) did his worst-his very worst.
They were picked out of the most intimate busl-
ress correspondence of my life. l ask you, gen.
tlemep, (and ask with some fceling,) if any OF
you could stand a closer scrutiny and more rigid
investigation of your correspondence Now
there is but one piece of testimony wanting
is but one thing to close the complete circle of
testimony. There is one witness whom cannot
have but to whom the Judiciary Committee voted
to send a cable despatch, Josiah Caldwell, and
ask the gentleman from Kentucky, if that cable
dispatch was sent
Knott-The gentleman from Va. (llunton) and
| have both endeavored to get Mr.. Caldwells ad-
dress and have not yet got II.
Blane-Has the gent leman from Kentucky re-
ceived cable dispatch from Caldwell?
Knott will explain that directly
Blaine-l want a categorical answer.
Knott have received despatch porting to
be from Mr.. Caldwell. How did you know got
it?
Blaine-( advancing down the .le)-When did
you get that telegram
Knott-I want you to answer my question first.
Blainc-I never heard OF it till yesterday.
Knott-Ilow did yon hear it
Blane--I heard that you got a despatch last
Thursday morning at o'clock, from Jos ah Cald-
well, generating me completely and absolutely
from this charge. and with great vehemence of
manner) you have suppressed it.
Loud applause and cheering On the republican
side of the House and in the galleries, which
caused the speaker pro tem to lecture the galleries
and to direct the door keepers to clear the floor OF
all unauthorized persons.