Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-03-07
SPEECH
Of Hon. E. s. Sampson, Of Iowa

SPEECH
Of Hon. e. s. Sampson, Of Iowa,
In the House Of Representatives,
Feb. Oath, on the motion that the
Electoral vote of Oregon be counted
for Hayes and Wheeler:
Mr.. SAMPSON. Mr.. Speaker, we
have had many searching investiga-
tions since the commencement Of this
session in relation to transactions con-
nected with the late presidential
election. Gentlemen on the other
side of tho House have been crying
"fraud, bribery,an corruption, from
the time they first set their feet upon
this floor at the commencement of the
session. Yet in this very case, in
connection with the Oregon election,
we find the first positive evidence Of
bribery; we find the first evidence of
q bride taken to influence man in
relation to casting an electoral vote,
that bribc being taken by democrat
and paid by democrat. The evil
dence in tho Oregon case, when you
Examine it, demonstrates these facts. |
1t is not rumor it is sworn evidence
taken before committee of the Sem
ate.
wish to call attention to a few of
the leading facts i'm connection with
| the Cronin vote. About the 18th of
November it came to light that Mr..
Watts, one of the republican electors,
was postmaster. From that time
kilograms and letters and politicians
were pouring into the State of Ore
gon in order to see If democratic
vote could not be secured. Mr.. Cro-
min had many letters directed to him.
He had many conferences with his
party friends, who urged upon him
the necessity of casting the vote; but
he repeatedly declared, and declared
to the chairman of the democratic
committee Of that State, Mr.. Bellin-
ger, that he would not cast that vote,
even if Governor Grover should is
sue certificate to him. But that man
was "scen," between the 2Sth of No
vembcr and the I'd of December, by
1 Mr.. Patrick, who went from Omaha
at the instance of some one in New
York City. That man was "seen" in
the city Of Portland. He was met on
the streets by Mr.. Bellinger. He was
invited to go up and see Mr.. Patrick.
He then declared he would have
nothing whatever to do with this
transaction. But he was prevailed
upon to 60. He went into Judge
Strong's office and there found Mr..
Patrick. He came down with q
! pledge upon his lips to cast that vote
: He went to Salem and received the
: certificate from Governor Grover on
the morning of the election. He
c went into the electoral college; hi
: retained that certificate in the face Of
s dccency and against all right; and hi
4 cast that vote. On the next Friday
D he was taken to the bank of Ladd 4
: Tilton, in the city of Portland, by Mr.
o Bellinger, and there were delivered
a to him drafts for $1,000 in gold.
It These are the facts. Mr.. Patricl
1 was breathed on from Gramercy
s Park, New York City; Mr.. Patricl
t breathed on Mr.. Cronin Mr.. Cronil
/ cast that vote and received the So,
/. 600, after having repeatedly deco 'et
) that he would not be party to de
! priving the people of Oregon of thei
It voice in this election.
l., Let me refer to another striking
h feature in this Oregon matter.
is have not time to consider the law
It but / wish to call attention to anothe
Is fact. I notice that Governor Grove
y states in his evidence that he neve
is announced what his decision woul,
10 be in relation to the issuing Of tina
ls certificate until the morning of tn
l. election. until he filed that write
II opinion which had been prepare
Is days before, and until he whispere
CT in the ear of his private secretary t
IN issue that certificate to Cronin. VIVA
l do we find? We find that on the Il
n day of December there was sent frol
IF the city of Portland'a telegram whic
d translated is as follows:
'DEcEMBER LIST, 1877.
le TO Hon. Samuel j. ISlden, No.
ID Gramercy Park, Nev York. l sha
T. decide every point in the case ofpos
n. office elector in favor of the highe1
OF democratic elector and grant the Gel
b. tificate accordingly. Rule mornin
OF 9th instant. Confidential"
,r That puported to come from Go,
Or ernor Grover himself or under HI
4 direction.
ID They say he never directed this
he telegram to be sent and that it wa
le not sent by him or under his diret
If ton. say there is positive intcrnt
II and conclusive evidence that Cover
nor Grover did dictate that Telegram
rs Mr.. Patrick saw him betwee
e, the 2Sth and the LIST. He ws
is there in the city of Portland
10 That telegram is in Mr.. Patrick
It handwriting. That telegram state
Y. mat ne would rule on the mornin
IS OF me 9TH, ana what ms decision
woula De. lie alu RUE on tne morn
70 ing Oh the OH, anu ala declde pre-
le ciseiy as the telegram stated. he ma
y written OPINION winch ne had pee
"a preparing some timc Deiore ina
y Wmch ne actually nicd on that Gay
% wn1cn pore datc OF that gay.
ot MOI only tnat, Mr.: speaker, pu
G. tnerc were gaihcreu tnere the oemo
cratlc candidates for electors, one llV
ing between Two ana thrce hunarc
ml!es from tnat point, ana anotnc
nvlhs over threc hunarea mics lrol
al mere they gathered mere on tns
uay prepared 10 ACT as inc poa!
IS guaru Vi MI. Cronln, In oruer Una
To cast that vote.
NOT only that, but MI. Cronin 81
lected the very men who were to ~
10 with nm before Governor Grovt