Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-25

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70 had from The state OF Arkansas ana not
y ON Con gre>s. IL was in the discretion o7
congress 20 give or " ithhold from the state]
but u was solely I'm the discretion OF the
Stste 10 give or withhold from the Little
Rock railroad company.
When The Little Rock road feli into In |.
nnsnclsl troubles Of which I have spoken.
mere were certain interests CONNECTED with
~ thst were under peculiarly pressing en-, |
barrasSment, and that needed relief irbere
go o . ~ different times, very consider
sble tslk about inducing the Atlsutic ana
fscinc road, which. on It's southern branch .
was 10 he connecting line east ana we'll
with the Little Rock aud Fort Smith aoS
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas road whlcs,
wo1ld be connecting line both north and
south at the point or junction, 10 AID ths
Little Rock and Fort Smith enterprise by
taxing some OF It, securities, a practice very
common among connect ing roads. To 10Th
these rpads the com plet ton OF the Little Rock
rosd was OF very great Importance. Accord
LhslN' IN The spring OF ISL, when only one
coupon had been passed by the IAts. e RecE
company on one series OF it, bombs and none
Issseo on the other, and when there WAS san
hu.ue dope OF getting the enterprisa on fts
feet again, the Atlantic aud Pacihc comrs..
took one hundred thousand OF lis bonds a nd
one hundred thousand OF It's stock for tue
stoss sum q 5000. and the Missouri Kan
sas and Texas, ~ remember csorr,rti1 800
nan the amount Al the same rate THIS va.
done, not for the corporation itself, bu, for
an interest LARGELY engaged IN the conSiruc
ton OF the road. With the cIrcumstance-
attending the negotiation with the Aflantfc
and Pacific road was entirely familiar. ana
with several al It's officers 1 have long baea
wei acquainted. 4 also knew OF H. mac
istlon with the Missouri, Kansas aud Texas
road. though never 10 my kuowiasge saw
any OF Us officers. aud never had an inter.
view with any q! them on any subject Fuf
m the case az both rOsds, desire 10 saw IN al
the bonds sold To them did not belOpg II ma
nor DID have one dollars pecuulary inter-
paUy
Tie Infamous inklnuaiion made Ia certain
qusritrs t-.sl engaged 10 use my influence
IN congress toI the Atlantic aud Pacific
road, ard also iuI the Missouri Kansas ana
Texas, IN consideration OF their purchasine
these securities, hardly merits notice. The
CuctrS and directors OF both companies al
far as I have known NE one and heard of Ire
other. are high toned and honorable eentle
men, aud tney would have justly spurnet
me from their presence had ] been Willing 10
Submit an olier 30 dishOuorab Die aud mutu I
ally degrading. j had 40 pecuuiary stake fn
the negotiation. and ] should nave loved
iniamN for lnismN's sake had 4 barterei ny
personal and official honor In the transact
lions and am sure that every man connect
Ell with Wther company would repal the dis
noouTlng transaction as warmly as 1 do
my NelI. Ihe whole affair had no more 10 DO
win Congressional legislation than anv ooe
OF the ten Thousand : ,mllar TRANSACTIONS tha a
are constantly occurring IN the business
OF Ike character vita the inSfnuatiop
just answered rs thai wEich. IN an frregp on-
Aibie and anonymous way, attempts 10 con-
beCl TIE oW ueTsl.p % Little Rock and Fort
Smith bonds with tue legislation Of lasf min
Ter respecting the STATE government OF Ark
aIsaS.
There are some accusations which A IA dt1-
hcult 10 repel with sufficient force, because
of their mixture al absurdlty, depravity ana
falsehOOd. never heard this stupid slaader
until WITHIN few days, and 1 venture tu
say that there is not a respOnsi Die man In
the country, OF the slightest sense vino cam
discern the remOtcSt connection between the
two things that are alleged 10 have an inIi-
mate and Infamous relation.
Let me now, Mr.. Speaker, briefly sumrnar-
lze what have presented.
l. Ihat the story Of my receiving sol 900 or
any other sum OF money or any other thing
of value nom the Union Pacinc Rallroai
company, directly or Indirectly, or Ia any
foims IS absolutely dIsprOved by the moSt
conclusive testimony.
- Thai no bond OF mine was ever sold IN
Tie Atlantic and Paclnc or the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas ktllrOad conpany and
mat LOT single dollar OF any money from
ellher OF these cOmI auiCS ever went TO nv
profit or benefit.
g. That instead OF receiving bonds OF the
Little Rock and Fort Smith road, as a graz
lulty. j never had one except al the regular
market price and that Instead OF making al
large fortune out OF that company, A have
incurred n severe peCuuiary loss from m VI
lnNes ifEeut IN lis securities, which stu re-
tain; and out OF such affairs a. this grows
the popular gossip o. large fortunes amassed
IN Congress.
l can hardly expect, Mr.. Speaker, that any
statement irOm me Wlll stop the work I'D
ihCSe vino have SO iudustriOusly circul ated
these calUmnies. For months past the eiort
las been energetic aud Continuous 20 spread
these stones lu private circles. Emissaries
OF SANDER lave visited the editorial rooms
OF leading republican papers from Boston To-
omaha, aud whispered Of revelations 20
come That were too ter.ib Die even TO be spoken
IN loud tones, and at last tie reyelations
have been made.
lam now, Mr. Speaker, IN the fourteenth
year OF not inactive service In this hall. n
nave taken aud have given blows. 4 have
10 doubt, said many things in the heat oil
debate which would now gladly recall. Il
lave, no doubt, given votes which In fuller
light would gladly change. But / have
never done anything ia my public caTSar for
which corld be put 20 the iaintest Dlush In
any presence, or for which 1 cannot answer
10 my constituents, my conscience, and The
great seaTcheT OF hearts.
Mr.. Buckuer then called the previous cues
ton on the bill which was pending, aud ft
was seconded. The substitute offered by 81 RI
Neal was adopted-lOl 10 Is. The third read
ing OF the bill was ordered. Mr.. Springer
called Tor the reading OF the bill. Pendfn
this, on motion OF Mr.. Randall, the Hoase]
al 1. 40 =. m. adjourned.