The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-06
Last NIGHTS Dispatches.
WASHINGTON.
The Donnelly-washburne Case.

WASHINGTON, April 5.-The article ir
Washington paper, respecting which
Manning made personal explanation iu
the House to day, contains charges
against Springer, of Illinois. which it allie
ges. were substantiated by Manning. The
latter in his explanation said he would
leave the course of Springer,s wholly un-
touched and treat him with the utmost
fairness, He then referred to the portion
of the article which states that the Demo
cratic members of the Elections Commit
tee had met in Springer room and agreed
to support the sub committee. He also
denied any intention of demanding an in-
vestigation of the charges against
Springer. He bad preferred no charge
that Springer had received money in this
case: have been 10 public life many
years, and up this time no charge of this
kind has ever been made by any one, so
far as L know, affecting the integrity of
my course as a Representative of the peo-
pie, and of course [ was much surprised
when saw this article in the Post of last
Saturday. The gentleman from Mississip-
pi has already taken occasion to deny 10
his place that the portion of the article
which refers to the meeting of Democratic
members at my room, at which meeting
this article states we agreed beforehand to
endorse whatever report the sub commit
tee might bring in. OF course it was
hardly necessary for the gentleman to
denounce this statement, for it bore evi.
dence on its face OF being falsehood. No
set of gentlemen could meet together and
agree to any such theory. propose. Mr.
Chairman, to refer to this article 10 detail,
because it is question of privilege affect
ing my integrity. 1t is quite natural
that l should apply to the
editor to know who was re-
sponsible for the article, Springer then
sent up to the clerks desk and had read
letter which he had written to S;ilson
Hutchins, editor of the Post, requesting
the name of the author and also the reply
he bad received from that gentleman and
from Waddle the reporter. who had spoken
to Manning on the .subject. Waddle
stated in his letter that under instruction
from Hutchins he had went to see Man
ming in regard to the matter, and repeated
the story to him. discovering that he was
acquainted with the details of the matter,
Manning had remarked to him that his
information was 10 substance report, and
then went on ard repeated the story to
to him about as he had told it. Manning
had declined to be interviewed, remarklpg
that it was neither necessary nor proper
Springer said: | deem it unnecessary TO
question whether the gentleman from Mis-
sissippi is responsible for the article in the
Post. Whether be be or not | do not
know. II simply send this information to
the clerks desk and leave the question
hereafter as one of veracity between the
Post and the gentleman from Mississippi,
a question with which | have not the
slightest concern, but,while the gentleman
has disclaimed responsibility for this arti-
ole, and the Post has stated that the arti-
ole was based on information from him
which he deemed sufficient to warrant
publication of the article, l do not deem
1t necessary to ask for an investigation of
the fact that my action as a Representa-
tive has been attributed to corrupt
motives. The gentleman may naturally
imagine the sensitiveness which | exper-
Ience on the subject for the reason that it
brings my wife's name before the country,
and it was for this reason that | asked that
the matter might not be talked about.
The letter published is not the one. or
copy of the one received. That letter is
as follows:
WASHINGTON. March 4.-Sir: If you
will keep Washburne in his seat in spite
.. A1s
S., 900 Get the thing squared 1t once.
Respectfully,
Had he received the letter at home he
would have burned it like any annomy.
nous communication, but Mrs. Springer,
who always acts as his private secretary,
receiving it 10 his absence did not regard
it as an offer to bIibe him but Indignantly
received it as q deliberate attempt of
Donnelly aud his friends to insult aud bull
dose him. She consequently stated the
case to Donnelly's friends declaring that
he and his friends were responsible for it
You can IMAGINE the indignation of
sensitive woman, whose honor and whose
husbands honor are both impeached in
this instance, Indignantly resenting it. Mr..
Julian, OF Indiana, being a friend of our
family and at the same time counsel for
Donnelly. asked permission that Donneliy
be called. For what purpose? That he
might exculpate himself from the charge
that was made against him of attempting
to insult me, 1t was for that reason that
Julian asked the privilege that he might
come and exculpate himself. He was per
mitted to do so on the express under
standing that the matter should go no
further than himself and Julian until my
return to the city. The agreement was
broken Immediately by Donnelly, because
on my return found it in the mouth of
more than dozen of my colleagues here
Accompanying this anonymous letter was
ii letter which reached me at the same
time, on my return home. | desire to call
attention to this letter. 1t is not anuony-
mous, but signed by one of Donnelly's
friends. This other letter and the an
nynous ,etter were placed in my hands at
the same time on my return home oD the
10th of March. Mr.. Finley's letter arriv-
ed in the morning and the anonymous
letter in the afternoon:
Mr., Springer then sent to the Clerk IS
desk and had read the following letter:
WASHINGTON D. c., March 6.-(CoD-
My dear Mr.. Springer;-I
have heard with good deal of chagrin
that you have some doubts as to the ex
pediency of adopting the report of the
mittee to seat Mr. Donnelly.
Not to do this will. know, leave you
open to the severest criticism and give
q color OF truth to the reports which
w ashbuene's friends have most unRuard-
edly set afoat. The importance of the
as it may develope in regard to
the next election of President, makes
every Democrat anxious to see the state
saved now that we can legally and prop
crly do ito the Democracy. The whole
case is before our friends in New York