Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-18

believe tncy HNu eetses'' =.
sonld rely ubon TO help carry out ti,at scheme
and nlos which they hll in view. 10 defeat
The arunnixation Of this House. They had
n.,h.hiv intended to have about 50 many men
thsr thcy could rely upon, then they wouid
stnn their attempts to bride: and 4 he relied
unan ~. and other parties who appar-
cn,lv 1ook .fhe money for the purpose
- carrying out his views, when
tho ,rss Wednesday Of January came they
vould find ont that their plot and conspiracy
had been defeated and the organization OF
tl;. House would take place in pursuance OF
the Constitution and the laws. Therefore
saw this money was paid to me by wallace
r. White. for certain purpose, anu ac-
cepted it to overtM Ow the very purpose when
he had in view when he paid me this money.
l received this money As an evidence OF an
intention to bride. for the purpose OF expos
ING this crime. Did Mr.. WnIrE pay me this
money for the purpose of being exposed!
Most certainly he did not Therefore l say
the purpose for which received it and the
nurpose for which he paid it are as contrary
to each other as are the North and the South
l saw TO YOU therefore that am not liable IN
any manner or anv degree under tins sectoh
Of the statute which has been published IN the
Kennebec journal and circulated throughout
the State. And call upon tie proprietors
of that paper. if they claim that have VIOLA
ted anv statute Law of this State, to make q
complaint against me in their own names ana
upon their own oaths or else stop their dirty
mill of Islander.
WHY is this abuse h, aped upon me by the
r.nuhiican nress of this State! Why is there
"A secret desire for revenge lurking IN the
bosoms Of some of the members of this House:
Is it because l have done anything detrimen-
tai to the true interests Of the people! Is II
because have committed any public wrong:
Not at all. It's simply because l helped en-
pose that conspiracy to defeat the organ'za-
iion of this House. a conspiracy formed by
the party to which they happen to he
attached.
The question then arises, shall attempts to
bride be upheld and sustained by the people:
Shall the person who exposes 1t be con-
demned? Is this the sentiment of the peo-
ple of this Stare? Will it be their sentiment
in the future: If so it will be destructive to
republican form Of government and detrimen-
tai to the liberties Of the people. Armed as
am with truth and justice, indicated by the
dictates of nv own conscience, knowing that
I have not committed any wrong l bid de-
fance to any prosecution which may he
brought against me by any member of this
House or the proprietors of the kennebec
Journal, or of any persecution which may
be imposed upon me by members OF this
House through any malice or feelings Of re-
venge which they may have. l challenge
the fullest investigation into my acts as
member Of this body.
Mr. SrRoCr of Portland:
Mr. SPEAKER.-I wish that the remarks
which have just been submitted to the House
could pass without notice so far as am con-
cerned But their character is such. reflect
ing as they do upon the motives Of the men,
bers of this body, that they seem to call for
some brief reply. The position which the
gentleman from Minot has taken is most ex-
traordinary. In the first place, if we take
his whole story to be true, it is quite evident
that the matter concerning which he has just
spoken, has been forced upon the attention
Of the House at his motion, and by his act.
The inception of the whole business, the
means by which the alleged crime has been
rendered possible, have arisen through his
connivance and with his assent. An investi-
CATION was ore ered before another body, and
the gentleman from Minot then came before
a committee and made statement upon oath.
Before that he had made a statement in the
public papers, by affidavit. Those statements
have been published in the opposition papers
and spread broadcast over the State And
now when a committee is raised to investi-
gate the transaction far as Wallace
R. White is concerned, and all
matters growing out of that, so far as
the gentleman from Minot is concerned, when
that committee is proceeding with all the
dispatch which they deem proper under the
circumstances, the gentleman from Minot
sees fit to come before the House and to in
dulge in violent harangue evidently intend
ing to keep his connection with the affair not
only before the attention Of the House, but
before the people of this State. 1t is not for
me to discuss with him the question of deco
rum: he may deem it good taste for a man who
is involved in at least a questionable pro-
ceeding, to undertake to forestall the judg-
ment of the members of Il body who are final
1y to pass upon that transaction by any parti-
san harangue or violence of voice. 1t would
seem to me, sir, that if were in the position
he occupies. should prefer to wait until
had an opportunity before the proper commit
tee and under proper circumstances to have
the testimony of the case fully developed as,
let me assure him. it will be before il is end
ed
But sir, the charge which is made that
bribery was undertaken and intended to de-
feat the ends of justice, begs the whole
question, thing which he seems to
assume with 4 positivcBess which must con-
fess am not able to take any part in: that
such bribery was in fact attempted upon the
part of Wallace II. White, is the question
which this House and the people of.the State
are finally to pass upon when all the facts OF
this iniquitous transaction shall come to light
And to assume as he does with loud voice and
without hesitation before his accusation has
been made in presence of the accused and
before the evidence which exists. as l am in
formed, shall be laid before the proper com
mittee-for him to assume that the people of
this State and the members of this House are
to come to the conclusion that Wallace r.
White has been guilty of bribery. is begging
the whole question in advance. and is placing
the matter where we are unwilling to place it
at the present time. Let us wait uutil VIC
can have full investigation. Let us learn
what the declarations of the gentleman from
Minot were as to his intentions before he
came to Augusta upon the 4th or 9Th day of
January. Let us learn where the money
which he claims to have received.
came from. And further, Mr.. Speak.
er, let us learn, as we shall learn.
what has been done with that money since
the time when he claims it was paid to him.
and when he further claimed that he held it AZ
the property Of Wallace X. White When
all these matters come to our knowledge, and
when we have heard the statement of Mr..
Ia Ia