Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-16
W4SHBURN CONVICTED OF BRI-
Berry,

The Republican organs continue their an
nouncements of surprise" at the proposed
unseating of Washburn and seating of Don
nelly. This 'surprise'' is not surprising in
the least. party that has thrived by COR
ruption, a party of Robesons, Belknaps,
Williams, Shepherds, Babcocks, ct i'd onane
genus, party that crowned its outrages by
stealing the Presidency, is very likely to be
.surprised" at the prospect of a penalty be-
ing inf icted for bribery. A long career of
'surprised' at being arraigned in the pris-
oner's dock. His surprise" is simply
at the prospect of being pun
ished after having long es-
capped his just deserts, but it is hardly
likely that jury of twelve honorable men
would regard his "surprise'' as any mitiga-
ton of his proven crime, or any valid reason
why the sentence Of the law should not be
pronounced upon his offense.
The Republicans, in Minnesota at least,
are universally aware that Mr.. Washburn
bought his seat, but political morals are SO
lax that we have no doubt their ''surprise"
at his prospective punishment is absolutely
genuine. 1t is notorious that ever since the
Bill King campaign in 1874 the Third Min
nesota district has been the most corrupt
district in the United States. Mr..
Washburn's corruption and bribery began
in securing the nomination.
IL H. @IA Pn
publican party in this State to give faith
full official second term unless he positive
ly declines to serve. DR.. j. II. Stewart was
elected to Congress from this district and he
made faithful and efficient member. He
was a candidate for reelection the second
term. 1t was supposed that he would be the
nominee as a matter of course, but Wash
burn sent Charley johnson out
through the district leaving Shiny
trail of corruption behind him. This is the
same man who is now Washb urn's private
secretary and whom he keeps near him in
order to take charge of his bribery in Wash
ington. Other agents went through the dis
trict buying up primary meetings and con-
ventions, and the result was that Washburn
bought the nomination away fro@ DIR.
Stewart DR.. Stewart is an honored MEM
Der of the Republican party. He is now sur
veyor- general of the State, and we
call him to the witness box to tes
tify to Bill Washburn's corruption.
In the canvass which ensued, the corrup-
ton far exceeded that which secured the
nomination. The sworn evidence touches
euly upon trife of it, and still that pre-
sents an overwhelming array. The securing
of evidence was expensive, owing to wit
nesses being widely scattered, and hence
much evidence was omitted. Payments of
money, however, are traced to Mr.. Wash
burns own Office and in his presence. j., If
power can now be given to compel
testimony to be given, it can be shown
that on Sunday morning, about ten days pre-
vious to the election, Mr.. Washburn held
sort of private levee in the bank at Glen
wood, Pope county, and acted as his oaon
disbursjng agent.
There is no guess work about this bribery.
1t is known and hideous fact, and the best
informed put Mr.. Washbarn's outlay for the
campaign at from thirty to fifty thousand
dollars.
AS rule this district is Republican, but it
was not Washburn Republican in 1873. The
hue and cry which was raised against the
millers' ring of Minneapolis for their man.
ner of grading and testing wheat was tell
ing card. Mr.. Washburn stood as the rep
resentative of that ring and suffered &C
cordingly. The result was that Mr.. Don
nelly reached Hennepin county (Washburn's
home) with over 400 majority, in
the remainder of the district.
Otter Tail county which pledged Washburn
400 majority in convention gave him only
149, Douglas and Pope counties usually good
for 800 or more Republican majority gave
respectively but 1913 and 236. Stevens coun-
ty which has four or five hundred Republi-
can majority actually went for Donnelly,
and so on through the District.
The legislature just previous had passed
law applicable to St. Paul and Minneapolis
only requiring ballots to be numbered,
corresponding number being placed opposite
the voters name on the poll book. This de-
stroyed the secrecy of the ballot and was
unconstitutional. A test case being made,
the courts SO decided, notwithstanding which
large number of the Minneapolis judges of
election insisted on numbering. the ballots.
Ia this way the votes of the workingmen
were secured for Washburn by intimidation.
There is not shadow of question that
leaving out the bought and inundated
votes, Mr.. Donnelly had large majority of
the votes cast. Why, then, should he not
have the seat and the bride giver be sent in
disgrace to private life?
A Visit to Grand Meado,c, MO,cer County,
Minnesota.
To the Editor of the Globe.
GRAND MEADOW, Feb. -, 1ssO.-Your
correspondent dropped into this place after
an absence of some six months, and was
somewhat surprised at the change in the
place. 1t appears to be trying to put on
metropolitan airs, and is steadily and surely
growing. The business of the town is in
crossing as we'll as its population. The latter
is cosmopolitan, consisting of Scandinavians,