The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-22
From the Albany Argus, March 10, 1871.


Colonel Pelton and his Calumniators.
Though a lie will travel league while
the truth is putting on its boots, that is no
reason why the truth should not put on its
boots and pursue the lie as fast as it can.
1t is under that conviction that we give
place to-day to vindicatiOn of Mr.. Pelton
which appeared in the New y ork Herald
of the Sth inst, aud which gives, from the
lips Of Mr. Pelton himself, a full statement
of all the facts by which his name has
been calumniously associated with an al
legged attempt to purchase Republican
elector in Oregon.
BY this statement appears conciusively:
First, That none of the Republican cleo
tors who were in Washington and exam
ined before the senate committee pretended
to have ever been approached with an offer
OF brlbe, which is scarcely credible it such
an offer had ever been addressed to them.
Second. That no money was ever ac-
tually sent from the cast 10 Oregon,
Third. That credits were opened in New
York to meet the contingent expenses that
might arise in the legal struggle which was
expected to come off before the Oregon
courts, but none were ever used.
Fourth. That whatever money, if any,
was used, was raised in Oregon, aud by
the people Of Oregon, and was appropria-
ted not before but after CrOnin had been
designated as the elector by the governor
Of Oregon, to pay his expenses in coming
to Washington, and in paying lawyers
fees for arguing aud presenting his case
a perfectly legitimate and proper expense.
Fifth. That Mr. Pelton never saw what
is called the Portland dispatch, signed
Kelly and Patrick.
Sixth. That he never heard it intimated
by any one that Governor Grover or any
one else in Oregon was to be paid or to re-
ceye 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 a purpose until he saw the evil
dence before the senate committee; and
Finally. That Governor Tilden never
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.. Pclton, or has
had any opportunity of approaching his
singular discretion, good sense and
manliness of character, ever supposed him
capable Of doing anything that was dis
honorable. Unfortunately a successful
contamination of the conspiracy which was
formed Immediately after the October cleo
tions in the brain of the then secretary of the
interior, capacious of such things, rendered
it necessary to strike another. and, if
possible, effective blow at the character Of
Mr.. Tilden; and the Oregon dictatorship,
with the aid OF a superserviceable telegraph
company, seemed to furnish the most con-
venient 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, pro.
vided they cOnld command the attention of
the public for the few days which yet re-
minded before the completion Of the count.
1t was base and inhuman thing to do,
but in the long run calumny only Injuries
those who propagate it. We place this
vindication before our readers as a matter
of simple justice to Mr. Pelton, and avail
ourselves of this occasion to say that in
our judgment it would DO very difficult to
name any person who could have dis
charged the onerous aud delicate duties
which have been imposed upon Colonel
Pelton during two or more years in a way
to entitle him in an equal degree to the
respect and gratitude OF the country.
Now that Mr. Pelton's character is
indicated, would it not be as well for Mr..
Dorman b. Eaten and his comrades in the
Union League, to explain the purposes to
which MIR. Secretary Chandler wished to
apply the $4,000 which the Union League
was asked to furnish few weeks after the
election, and while the conspirators were
holding back, under pretense of counting
the returns from Florida, Louisiana and
south Carolina? That was a large sum
10 call Tor at such time, from such a
quarter, and it would be very edifving to
know how much was raised and what be-
came Of it.