Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-23
Dailg Kfnnettr :3ournal.


Remarks OF Messrs. ingalls,. HutehInsou
Or1nc, StPOut and Hale in the uOusl
OI representatives, March 90th. 1850
On the Majority and Minority Reports Of the Com
mifteee on Alleged Bribery. " '''e ''"'
Mr. ingalls, of Wiscasset: I myself sboul,
nave been willing to leave the reports witt
| tue mouse and let them and the country mas,
Judgment upon the report of the evidence.
My colleague upon the committee, how.
ever, Is not willing to let it take that course
and as a member of that committee. hayinp
assumed the duties assigned me by the
speaker OF the House, il devOlves upon me IA
| .ake Part IN discussion which will necessarily
.aHe place, ana as 1t is my purpose only ia
speak generally and not enter into the Dc.
| tails OF the evidence, the few words have 70
| say should be said now. In all the matters
which have come before the House thus far
nave followed my convictions. l follow
them now
Inc testimony has created upon nv mind
iirm and abiding conviction. Now in DE-
termlning the truth or falsity of a statement.
the question of the reasonableness of the
statement is one of the means of determining
| its correctness.
The position Of the parties is this-aud I
beg the chairman of the committee to notice
what say, and correct me if I am wrong.
1t Is case in which it is impossible for the
committee to find both parties innocent.
There has been wrong and perjury upon ole
side or the other. If the committee had
they would have been exceedingly happy to
to do il.
On the one hand, it is said BY three wit
nesses that Wallace X. White proposed to
pay money to them, and did pay money to
two; on the other hand, Wallace r. White
says that he did not pay any money to either,
or offer it.
Wallace X. White admitted the interviews
as stated by the other witnesses, the converse
tiOns and negotiations with the exception of
the payment of money.
The times and places and general tenor of
the conversation are the same as testified to
by the four witnesses, with the exception that
Mr.. White says that the money was offered
to him.
Mr.. Hartman says that the money was
paid to him. while Mr.. Wallace X. White
says that no money was offered to Mr. James
o. White, and no money was paid to Mr..
Swan or Hartman.
spiraey to charge an innocent man with a
crime, supported by the perjury of three per-
sons on orV side, or it is a bribery or at
tempted bribery supported by the oath of one
person on the other side.
1t is crime invO wing the reputation Of
these men. Either one man has committed
the crime Of bribery and perjury. or three
men have committed the crime of conspiracy
and perjury.
Now say with this conflict of testimony
the question of the reasonableness is one OF
the means of determining who tells the truth.
This is a principle familiar not only to law
yers, but to everybody. don't propose to
enter into the history of the transaction preced-
ing the meeting of the legislature. We all
know that soon after the September election,
it was considered that the republican party
had elected majority of both branches OF
the legislature 1t was so stated in the pub
lie press and was very generclly accepted.
In a short time it began to be stated that
there was to he ''countng-out," and when it
finally came to be understood that there was
a majority against the republican party in the
Senate and in the House, there was a pro-
found Indignation on the part of the republi-
can party in this State. am disposed to ad-
nit and to believe that the republican party
of this State believed that a very great wrong
had been committed. don't doubt that the
meetings which were held and that the ex-
pressions which were considered by members
of the republican party at that time expressed
their sentiments, that the late Governor and
Council had committed wrong upon that
party and had violated the rights of the peo-
ple of this State. l am expressing no
opinion There are many in this House
who know my views in regard to the course
[ think ought to have been pursued l
do not discuss that now, it is out Ofplace. l
am simply saving that in my belief the re-
publican party of this State were sincere in
the expression which they then made Now.
have another thing to say. The use OF
money in our elections for great many
wears bv both parties, going even back to
the old Whig party. has been to lavish ana 10
use il in way that cannot be justified by any
code of law or any code of morals l speak
this with regret and I do not charge il to any
one party. I simply speak Of fact which
believe will apply to both.
The crime, of bribery although regarded as
:, great crime upon the statute books, am sor-
~ 10 saw in nv judgment is not SO regsr"e" !"
,i,o ,,ubl;c mind. If money can be used ana the
,,.-tv NOT he detected and political ends ac-
romn,;shed. am sorry to say that there are
,hose who are not disposed to look upon II
ne so heinous crime as it's Ana wnen ."e
object of that bribery is to BRING ABOUT ""s, "a,
the man believes to be right, why 'oses 90
;,s force in his mind. 1t Is Simply rs '"". -"
1iviiuaI saws OTiDiuE u u'~'
thing. hribing a man to accomplish !usuu.
hie end in such a case. with the puoiic sen'i1
,,en, which exists. am sorry to say that !
think there is loose public sentiment IN re-
oard to the crime of bribery. don concur
in Il. no gentleman must so understanu .ue
Now. il was under these circumstances '"s'
wallace r. White. a young and ardent IePuorx =
Roam desired to prevent the organization o'
the House of representatives. n
desire to call the attention OF ge".,e"'s"
70 the position Of the parties prior 70 toe -.
semhl;ns Of the legislature. twas not tnen see"
how this thing was to result. We see u nov. ~.
We We see that peaceable solution mas ceen :,
made but there Is no man in this House WI
undertake to say here to-day that ne coaiu -
,,rsr;selv how this thing was coming out prl'I
70 the assembling Of the legislature. II w.s
hoped by the republican party tnat soms ~
m;pht he discovered by which they might q.
coyer their rights. How to 80 to wor. 70 sss
them was problem then unsolsea M Iua n:.saa, ss
tnoxn. s That il was matter of the h,saes.
;mnortan>c ON the part of that party 20 Oss..
,he quorum in the House Of RePress,nsls. ~
Il . fact which think no one WIZ oeIs, e
wallace X. White understood tnat; anu ne
vas endeavoring Ia the first place y so.r:
,rv.,.. =. 80 hse rouain--Snd 1t - tue es =