Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-12
DONNELLY'S REPLY
HE RESPONDS TO THE ATTACK MADE
ON HIM BY SPRINGER.
A Cleass "A nalysis of the Contest-Springer's
Sudden Change of Heart-His Repeated
Assurances That He Would Favor I'm
seating Washburn and Seating Don
To the Editor of the Washington Post.

| if he would support my competitor, Mr..
| Washburn. But my friends tell me that silence
| on my part might by some be construed into
acquiescence in Mr.. Springer's allegations, and
I desire, therefore, to make the following
statement:
had hoped that when Mr.Springer made the
chargehe did, involving an allegation of moral
| turpitude on my part, he would at least, have
been fair enough and manly enough to attempt
| to prOve it, by demanding committee of in
quiry, before which l could defend myself. He
we'll knew that was vOiceless on the floor of
| the House; and he doubtless hoped that the
malignant attack he made on me, based only
upon his unsustained word, would inju re my
contest and help Mr.. sWashburn. In view of
these facts l have written letter to the COM
mittee on elections, demanding that Mr..
| Springer shall be compelled to press an in
vestigation and prove the charge he has made.
What is the charge? Is it not that MIR. Finley,
| in sending that letter, was actually attempting
| to bripe him (Springer) to vote for Washburn;
| it is not that he was attempting to prejudice
| him against Washburn by leading him to be-
| lieve that he (Washburn) was trying to bride
him; but the charge is that 1 inspired Mr..
| Finley to send the anonymous letter to him "to
insult him." quote from the Congressional
Record MIR. Springer's very words on this point.
| ''The charge that was made against him don
nelly) was of an attempt to insult me by him
self or his friends" Insult him for what?
Because he was supporting Washburn. And
| yet Mr.. Springer says:
son the same evening (the 9th of March, the
anonymous letter was received, and the postmark
shows that it was mailed here in the House postoce
| on the 9Th of March"
Now where was Mr.. Springer on the 9th of
March? He left Washington on the night of
| March for New York, and returned March 10.
| again quote from his speech:
aoiH I'M hn arfioI in fhQ that hod
pair at that time with the gentleman from Ohio Mr.
Keifer) while was absent in New York. That is a
mistake. was paired with the gentleman from In
diana (Mr. Calkins), member of the committee of
elections, on all subjects, without reference to the
Donnely -Washburn case, for knew that that case
could not reach vote in the committee during my
absence"
But suppose a vote had been reached in the
Donnelly- Washburn case during his absence.
then, as he was paired with Mr.. Calkins ''on all
subjects" he would have been paired on that
also, and he would have been recorded as voting
in favor of seating me, while Mr.. Calkins
would have been recorded as voting against
me.
Now did he expect that the Donnelly- Wash
burn case would not be reached during his alb
! sence? Let us hear what Mr.. Manning says
| Record of yesterday:
Mr.. Springer has left the city and gone to New
York, sending message to me by his clerk, which
he was quick to communicate, that as chairman of
the committee in his absence, being the second upon
it, should hold meeting of the committee at the ap
pointed time and press vote-there was emphasis
upon that-preSS O cote in the DOnnetty- Wash
burn contest and conclude 1t before his return !,
that he was paired thought the clerk said with Mr.
Keifer, but certainly paired with a Republican,
can safely set up Mr.. Mannings testimony
against Mr.. Springer's as to this fact-in truth
he dared not deny it. Certain it is that what
ever the fact was, understood and believed
| that Mr.. Springer was 'paired with Republic
can on all Subjects" including my case.
What human motive then could 1 have had to
write him letter to ''insuN' him at the very
| time he was supporting me, and when 1 ex-
pected that the next day his vote would
practically be recorded in my favor? What
| sane man could or would take such step?
Do the annals of history record another in
| stance of such an insult? A insults by
writing him letter, ostensibly from @, that G
wants to buy him, B, with $4,000 to oppose A.
| The Irishman's gun that shot around the COR
| ner, was nothing to this complicated boomerang
| of an insult. But the question arises, If Mr..
| Springer knew that this letter was from a
friend of mine, why did he not expose it at
once, and crush me as deserved? He says:
son that day. which was the 10th of March, Mr..
Donnelly called atmy committee room and stated
/ that he desired an interview with me in regard to
| this anonymous letter. said to him that would
hear what he had to say. He said: "whom do you
suspect of having written you this letter." 1 said
| to him, suspect nobody except MIR. Finley, your
friend; no one else could have written it but him;
and if you will examine the handwriting you will see
| it is very similar to his Any gentleman who de-
sires to compare the handwriting of the anonymous
letter with these two letters of Mr.. Finley do
| have never had any doubt about the matter.'
If this be true, why did Mr.. Springer entreat
me, by all that was sacred among men, to keep
secret the existence of shameful letter which
he never had any doubt had myself inspired?
Why did he threaten MIR. Julian and myself
with the most dreadful consequences of his
wrath, nay, with physical retribution, if we ex-
posed that which, (if he speaks the truth) we
would have been the last men In the world to
have made known? Why did he tremble like
leaf at the mere thought of the exposure of
| base and unworthy triok that could not harm
him but would ruin me? 1t was as if a dying
man should beg and implore his murderer not
| to reveal the fact that he had murdered him;
| and the kind-hearted murderer should, to
oblige him, solemnly promise to keep his own
crime secret!
1t is no reflection upon any man to be the
subject of an improper proposal The best
and the saintliest of the human race have in
CURED that humiliation. 1t is recorded that
the devil took the Lord up into mountain and
offered him all the kingdoms of the world if he
would fall down and worship him; but this at
tempt at bribery has never been regarded as
| reflection upon the character of the Lord 1t
| is, however, nowhere recorded that the Lord
threatened his disciples with his wrath If they
revealed to the world the fact that he had been
| so tempted. His glory was increased in max
| ing known the temptation he overcame.
If Mr.. Springer believed that Mr.. Finley
wrote the letter in question, nay, more, if he
had, as he says, the abundant proofs in his
| own hand of that fact he should have brought
the matter at once to the attention of the COM
| mittee on elections and demanded an investi-
cation. He did nothing of the kind. He
| covered it up-out of sight; he buried it in the
earth; he stood guard over it with club.
On that 10th day of March l told him that
had, on March 8, as had promised Mrs. Spring
er to do, telegaaphed to st. Paul to secure
specimens of the handwriting of two friends of
| Mr.. Washburn upon whom my suspicious rest
| ed and that l would be only too glad to help
| him discover the author of the letter. l re-
ceived from st. Paul the specimens referred to,
| and gave them to Mr.. Manning, who waited
patiently day after day for Mr.. Springer to
| bring the anonymous letter to the attention of
the committee. And then Mr.. Springer at
tempted to prove, not only that Finley wrote
| that anonymous letter but that was party to
| it, in the following manner:
" 1 said to Mr.. Donney that it was not necessary
that the hand writing should be the same, because
Finley could have got somebody else to write the let
| for him."
i He had Just declared that the handwriting
,uas the same and shat he never had any
| doubt of that fact, and now he suggests that
the letter was written by some one else. He
| continues:
"He Donnelly) remarked to me- however, that
I hat hat