Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-06-07
Late kilograms.
EASTERN NEWS.
Blaine.

| q personal explanation Ill regard tt
| the investigation now being made OF
him. After stating that the Demo-
cratic members of the Judiciary Com.
mittee had not dared to bring him be.
fore the House for refusing to produce
the private letters taken from him by
Mulligan, Blaine announced his In.
tention to read every one of them to
the House. There was great sensa-
ton in The hall and Blaine was sever
al times interrupted by applause.
He said the Committee tried to get
at his private correspondence, aud the
delegation came here loaded with his
letters to make sensation. In get
ting possession of his letters, held by
The Democrats did not dare to bring
the question of his right to the letters
into the House. "Having vindicated
my right" said Blaine, 'sto those let
ters, now go farther, and will read
those letters to the House and abide
by the judgment Of 100000 people.
1t is humiliating, however, to be
forced to produce private letters, but it
is better to do so than to submit to in
situations. Here are the letters" i"
said he, holding up package to view
and taking out the first letter from the
package read it.
The first letter Blaine read was ad.
dressed to Fisher and dated 1851. 1t
referred to to the settlement between
the writer and Fisher, and contained
an allusion to $4,000 note given
for Spencer rifle stock. Blaine said no
explanation was necessary in refer
ence to this note. Two years before
he came to Congress, persons who
owned the patent for the Spencer Rife
came to him and said that the Rifle
Ring In Washington was so strong
that they could get no chance for a
contract. He came to Washington
and succeeded in getting the War De-
partment to recognize the Spencer
Rifle, for which service he was paid q
reasonable fee. Afterward, and before
he came to Congress, he was asked
and took $4,000 of Spencer stock,
which he had paid for, The next
three letters contained nothing i'm
portant and referred mainly to the
settlement between him and Fisher
The fifth letter referred to a decision
made by Blaine as Speaker on the last
night of the session in 1860, ruling out
an amendment offered by Julian to
annex the Memphis and El Paso bill
to the bill relating to the Little Rock
road. Gen Logan, at the suggestion
of the Speaker. made point of order
against the amendment and the
Speaker ruled it out. This was some
months before he (Blaine) became in-
terested In the stock of the road. Ad-
ditiOnal letters were read in full.
Blaine made an explanation in regard
to one which referred to $4,000 of
Union Pacific bonds, which Blaine
said belonged to mem ber of his FAM
lily (Gail Hamilton), and upon which
he had left money. These bonds new
er belonged to him. There were three
other papers included among the let
tiers relating to the Union Pacific
Railroad, concerning which Blaine
said nothing except that he would
have them printed In the Record with
the letters. A memorandum of the
letters made by Mulligan was then
read at the Clerks desk and Blaine
then said this was all.
Blaine having finished reading the
letters, said he had been completely
exonerated by all the witnesses from
the 1000 bond charge. There was
one witness whose testimony he want
ed in order to make his vindication
complete, viz; Josiah Caldwell. He
would ask Knott, the Chairman of
Judiciary Committee, whether he had
telegraphed to Mr.. Caldwell, and he
wanted a categorical answer.
Knott said he had failed to get his
address.
Blaine wanted to know whet her
they had received any despatch from
Caldwell.
Knott said he would answer at the
proper time.
Blaine, stepping down the aisle in
front of the speaker, said he had infor-
nation that on last Thursday morn
ing Knott had received telegram
from Josiah Caldwell completely ex-
onerating him (Blaine) from the char
ges made against him, and that Knott
had suppressed that despatch.
Here occurred such u scene as has
seldom been witnessed. Blaine's as
sertion was received with prolonged
applause, the eutire Republican side
of the House beginning it, and the
crowded galleries joining in, until the
Speakers gavel could not be heard.
The applause lasted for some minutes,
and when order had been restored,
Blaine said he would conclude by Of
fering resolution, calling upon the
Judiciary Committee to report forth.
with to the House whether any tele-
gram had been received from Cald-
well, and If 80, its contents. The
greatest confusion reigned for some
time, and the Speaker ordered the
doorkeepers to remove from the floor
all persons not entitled to it, when
quiet was restored.
Knott took the floor and said he had
listened to imputations upon himself
for the last two hours, and would now
attempt to answer them. He twitted
Blaine rs being anxious every time
railway subjects were brought up, and
suggested that Blaine was watching
carefully for the Cincinnati Conven-
ton. For his own part he hoped he
would be nominated, as he would be
easy to beat. If he should be nomina-
ted and elected by the American peo-
pie, in the face of all these facts, then
all 1 can say is: "May the Lord have
mercy on the American people ~
[Shouts of laughter Knott said the
Judiciary Committee was to decide
the ownership of the letters to-mor-
row, and denounced Blaine for coming
before the House at this juncture in
such way and for such purpose.
AS to the cable dispatch from Josiah
CALDWELL said Knott, 'it is true that
on last Thursday morning, L did re-
ceive despatch. The gentleman from
Maine seems to know the precise hour
at which received 1t and the con-
tents. He seemed thoroughly posted
on the subject, but permit me, with