Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-06
sPRINGER,s DEN0UMENr.

The quarrel between MIR. manning the
chairman of the subcommittee on elections
and Mr.. Springer the chairman of the full
committee, resulted in an interesting episode
on the floor of the House. Mr.. Springer
brings the unsavory Finley, to the front as
the probable author of the anonymous letter
proffering the payment of $4,000 for his
(springer's) support Of washburn. To
prove the correctness of his charge Mr..
Springer produces a CONFIDENTIAL letter
which he received from Finley urging him
to vote to unseat Washburn and seat Don
nelly, assuming at the same time to speak
for Tilden and the Democratic party.
1t is possible that Mr.. Springer does not
know what precious scoundrel this fellow
Finley is, or he would not have given quite
SO much prominence, to hissconfidental pro-
duction, however much he might be in
clined to accuse him of the authorship of
the anonymous epistle. He certainly needs
no introduction to this community and any
thing bad which he is accused of will be
readily believed in this part of the country.
When Zach. Chandler was Secretary of the
Interior he employed Finley as his con-
fidential spy, ostensibly to hunt out pine
land thieves but in reality to aid the Repnb-
licans by giving them information of
Democratic movements. He did his
work well and all through the
campaign of 1876 foisted himself upon
the Democrats that he might the better do
his work for the chairman of the Republi-
can national committee. He has evidently
continued in similar service ever since. He
is most efficient ally of the Republican
party, and it is matter of surprise that he
has been able to bamboozle any Democrat
with the idea that he is laboring in the in
terest of the Democratic party. He turned
his ostensible occupation as pine land de-
tective to account by Matchmaking the pine
land gang, and for four years past has un-
doubleday enjoyed arevenue from both polit-
ical parties.
Finley is just the agent 8 bride givel
would be likely to employ. He has be-
come thoroughly familiar with the scoun-
drelism of the pine land gang, whose rep
resentative Washburn is. His employ
ment by them would be especially advan-
tageous, because he advertises to the world
that he is Democrat thereby bringing dis
grace upon that party while if he was de-
tected no one would believe his statements
and he is thus estopped from successfully
betrsying the corruptionists who might en-
ploy him. Mr.. Springer's conclusion that
he is the author of the anonymous letter
may or may not be correct. His
(Springer's) theory, that it was sent
to insult him, is not in the
least degree plausible. 1t was undoubtedly
sent as "feeler" and if received with favo,
would have been followed up. The ''conf-
dential' letter of Finley's would be eminent
ly characteristic if he was being used as 60
between by the bride giver. Bribing or at
tempting to bride member of Congress is
serious offense and Finley is too expert q
rascal to leave any doors open. His zeal
and pretended friendship for Donnelly gave
him his real value as an agent of Washburn
and the desperate pine lsnd ring. Mr..
Springer's inference that the letter he signed
was designed to tally with the anonymous
epistle is not nearly so probable as that the
acknowledged letter was written, that he
might the better ingratiate himself upon the
Donnelly side and be able to ascertain the
effect of the anonymous proposition. If the
offer to bride was intended to be followed
up, provided it met with any favor, the
bride giver must know from the camp of the
enemy, how it was received. An avowed
friend of Washburn could not hope to obtain
this information, but pretended champion
of Donnelly would be able to supply the
Washburn camp with what would prove OF
the utmost value.
1t is not to Tilden's credit that Finley
avows himself as his champion. It is not to
Donnelly's credit that Finley avows himself
as his champion. He is an unprincipled ad-
venturer whose support should be Stunned
and feared and whose opposition should be
desired. He uses his pretended friendship
simply to make money by betrsying those he
is assuming to support. Ii that anonymous
letter should be successfully traced to his
door, and the truth actually developed, il
will be found that he was acting for Wash
and the pine land tn ewes whose agent he be-
came five or six years sgo, while employed
by Zach Chandler 10 bring them to punish
ment.