Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-03-21
Colonel Pelton and His CaIumnia-
tors.


that is no reason why the truth should
not put on its boots and pursue thu
lie as fast as it can. 1t is under thai
conviction that we give place to-day
to a vindication of Mr.. Pelton which
appeared in the New York Herald O
the 9Th inst, and which gives from
the lips of Mr. Pelton himself full
statement of all the facts by which
his name has been calumniously asso'
ciated with an alleged attempt to pnr
chase Republican elector in Oregon
By this statement it appears con
cluslvely:
First. That none of the Republi-
can electors who were in Washington
and examined before the Senate Com
mittee pretended 10 have ever been
approached with an offer of a bride,
which is scarcely creditable if such an
offer had ever been addressed to
them.
Second. That no money was ever
actually sent from the East to Oregon
Third. That credits were opened in
New York TO meet the contingent ex-
penses that might arise in the legal
struggle which was expected to come
off before the Oregon Courts, but
none we're ever used.
Fourth. That whatever money, if
any, was used, was raised in Oregon,
and by the people of Oregon, and was
appropriated not before but after
Cronin had been designated as the
elector by the Governor OF Oregon, to
pay his expenses in coming to Wash
lngton, and in paying lawyers fees
for arguing and presenting his cuse-
perfectly Legitimate and proper ex-
pense.
Fifth. That Mr.. Pelton never saw
what is called the Portland dispatch,
signed Kelley and Patrick.
Sixth. That he never heard it init
mated by any one that Governor Gro
YER or any one else In Oregon was to
be paid or to receive anything for his
action, or that Mr. Cronin was to be
paid anything even for expenses Or
for any other purpose until long after
the December dispatch, and never
heard that any money was desired for
such apurpose until he saw the evil
dence before the Senate committee
and,
Finally. That Governor Tilden new
err received any kilograms in reference
to the Oregon business never knew
of any money being sent there or
raised there, or that any was required
No one who knows Mr.. Pelton, or
has had any opportunity Of appreci-
ating his singular discretion, good
sense, and manliness Of character, ever
supposed him capable of doing any
thing that was dishonorable. Unfor.
tunately successful consummation of
the conspiracy which was formed i'm
mediately after the October elections
in the brain of the then Secretary of
Interior, capacious of such things,
rendered it necessary to strike anoth-
err, and, if possible, effective blow at
the character Of Mr.. Tilden; and the
Oregon electorship, with the aid of a
superserviceable telegraph company,
seemed to furnish the most conven-
lent and effective weapon. 1t did not
matter to the conspirators how foul
the blow might be, how false the
charges, how many characters were
ruined by it, provided they could
command the attention of the public
for the few days which yet remained
before the completion OF the count.
1t was a base and inhuman thing to
do, but in the long run calumny only
Injuries those who propagate it. We
place this vindicatlon before our read
ers as matter of simple justice to
Mr. Pelton, and avail ourselves of
this occasion to say that in our judg-
ment 1t would be very difficult to
name any person who could have dis.
charged the onerous and delicate du-
ties which have been imposed upon
Colonel Pelton during two Or more
years in way to entitle him in an
equal degree to the respect and graft
tude Of the country.
Now that Mr.. Peltons character is
indicated, would it not be well for
Mr.. Dorman B. Eaton and his CON-
rades in the Union League, to explain
Ne purposes to which Mr.. Secretary
Yer wished to apply the $4,000
\Vnion League was asked
weeks after the cleo.
AGQnspiratcrs were