Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-06

WASHINGTON, april oth.-blllS were introduced as
follows:
By Davis of MISUNDERSTANDING the Postmaster
General to furnish the first of each month to
Congressman an itemzed statement of all mail con-
tracts of the preceding month.
By Chamers-For the relief of the heirs of col
ored soldiers.
By Armfeld- Abolishing the tax on spirits dis
titled from apples, peaches, grapes and pears, and
reducing the tax grain-dIsted spirits to %
cents gallon.
Manning, rising to question of privilege, read
an article from Washington paper of Saturday,
respecting the action OF Chairman Springer the
Donnelly- Washburn case. He denied all the pur-
ported facts in the article particularly the state
ment that he had substantiated them.
Springer ignored the question whether Manning
had substantiated the facts and made it question
Of veracity between Manning and the newspapers
He then stated that he had received an anonymous
letter, though not signed by A Republican" nor
was 1t written by Republican. He was convinced,
and always had been that the letter written by
Donnelly Of his friends, for the purpose Of
insulting and bulldozing him, because they had
heard that he (Sprnger) would not vote in favor of
Donuelly He sent to the Clerks desk and had
read letter from IL. II. Finley, urging him to vote
for Donney, and stated that there was a great
similarity between the writing and the anonymous
letter.
He said that Finley called on him the morning he
returned, but was coolly received and was notified
that Donney would be held responsible for the pub
LEGATION Of the fact of the existence of the anoay-
nous letter. Donnely afterwards called on him,
and asked him whom he suspected OF writing the
anonymous letter. Springer replied that it was
written by Finley, the handwriting being very SINH
lar, all agreed who had seen it. Donnelly thought
Finley could not have done it, and attributed it to
some OF Washburns friends.
Springer then reasoned out the probability Of Fin
leys authorship: " said to Donnelly This letter
purports to speak in behalf of Tden, and bears his
authority to vote the seat to you do not believe
Finley has any authority to speak for Tiden but if
he insists that he has authority, want to cell Tlden
that am not his man, and that propose to decide
this case on the law and facts as understand them
and will not be dictated to by anybody. Applause
on the Republican side.l That conversation was on
the 10th OF March, and on the next day received
letter from Finley stating if he had gone beyond
bounds in the former letter. he begged leave to re-
call it. paid no attention to either of these letters
This is the first time have made them public"
Springer then made remarks in feeling
manner, referring to the article in detail He
stated that Wadde, the reporter who wrote the ar
tcle in question, had told him (Springer) that the
information contained in it from Manning
He would leave that question OF veracity between
| Manning and Waddell He said the following was
| the letter which he received
WASHINGTON, March 4th
| Sir Ii you will keep Washburn in his seat in
spite of the Democrats we will pay Mrs. S. s., o0O
! Get the thing squashed at once. Respectfully.
Had he received the letter at home he would
have burned it, like all anonymous communications
but Mrs. Springer, who always acted his private
secretary receiving it in his ABSENCE did not regard
Il
as attempt of Doanelly and his friends to in
suit and buIldoze him. He subsequently stated the
case to Dohney, declaring that he and his friends
were responsible for it, He then said that Donnely
had betrayed the secret OF that letter against his
promise. Returning home he (Springer) found the
! anonymous letter, along with the following from
| Henry A. Finley, supporter and friend of Don
nelly, who resides IN Minnesota:
| Confidential. My Dear Mr.. Springer: have
| heard with good deal of chagrn that you have
some doubts as to the expediency of adopting the
| reports OF the subcommittee to seat Donney. Not
| to do this will, know, leave you open to the
yerest criticism, and give color of truth to the re-
ports which Washburns friends have most unguard-
edy set ahoat The Importance of the matter, as it
may develop in regard 20 the next election of Pres
dent makes every Democrat anxious to
the State saved--now that we can legally and
properly do ito the Democracy. The whole case
L. before friends in New York, and upon assur
ances which gathered from what you said to me
have told them that the report would be adopted
and Donnelly would be seated at once. | cannot
believe that you will now fail to make this good
Among the hundreds of letters which come to me,
there is not in which the matter has not been
urged to temptation, when there has been4a1y
mention of it. and it is as much matter of general
political interest any of which they wrteme. am
convinced that neither you nor the Democratic
Congress can afford to disappoint our friends in
this matter l presumed to know, and do know,
how much weight ought to be given to paid detract
ors of Don1e!ly and to mercenary quasi Democratic
defenders OF the Wasbburn bribery. 1t is not
enough that Washburu should be deprived of his
seat, but that the wishes of voters, legally ex-
pressed, should be regarded and vindcated, and
they demand that their chosen representative
should be seated To send the matter back to the peo
pie now would be only to invite the investment of
large Of Radical money to beeXpended there, and
this would be done without stint The worst ele-
ments of the party would be put to work then, and
the result would be disaster to The high char
acter of the members Of the subcommittee would
to be impugned should the report fail of unan-
| imous adoption by the Democrats, and | trust that
such is not the case. still hold the closest and
most confidential relations to those who perhaps
personally to be offended by your decision in this
matter, and | speak in that capacity when | write
this, and urge upon you prompt and decisive action
| in this vital matter; and may add that it reaches
further than | have :ntimated, and will both
Immediately and remotely affect all beyond what
can now be apparent to you. ! beg leave to add
that it still seems incredible to me that any one
should doubt your intentions to carry out the wishes
of our friends in this matter l am with the sin
eerest respect, very truly yours.
HENRY H. FINLEY
Washington, March 9Th.
After some further remarks by Manning the dis
cussion closed
As soon as the controversy in regard to the Don.
nelly Washburn contest had come to a close, Man
ming reterating his assertions that he had been led
with the Democrats, not only to unseat Mr.. Wash
resolutions declaring that all currency whether pa
control of the Government which provoked a
H.