St. Paul daily globe., 1884-10-21
SHIMEFCL ATTACH.

The Pioneer Press of October 18th made
savage assault upon Mr.. Donnelly, the pur
port of which was that the committee of in
vestigation appointed to enquire into the au
thorship of an anonymous letter sent to Hon
VIM. NJ. Springer, chairman of the commit
tee of elections, offering him $1,000 if hC
would keep Washburn in his seat and defea
Donnelly's contest, was the joint work IF H
H. Finley and Ignatius Donnelly, and il
quotes what it pretends was the unanimous
verdict of the committee, "a Democratic
committee of the House, headed by the pres
ent Democratic speaker" F" that the letter in
question was the result of "a joint conspir.
acy between Finley and Donnelly."
Only the Pioneer Press could be capable Of
such mendacious perversion of the facts
The passage quoted is found only in the mi
nority report signed by the three Republican
members of the committee, and instead o.
being conclusion or finding it is simply {
recital of what was urged on Mr.. Springer.
side of the question. Ii is a portion of &
sentence beginning:
''There is no direct evidence OF the purpose
for which the letters were written and sent II
not entirely without reason" etc.
Instead Of finding, as stated by the Pionee,
Press, the Republican members of the com
mittee reach this conclusion:
"Nor is there any direct evidence connecting
Mr.. Donnelly with the anonymous letter either
than the inferences which may be drawn from
his relations with Mr.. Finley and his own Ian
guage and conduct after the letter was received
These are not considered sufficiently stronG on
clear to enable tie committee to agree upon q
finding"
The Democrats of the committee we're di
vided. j. G. Carlisle and Wm. Loun sbery
say: ''Without committing themselves tt
all the positions taken in the foregoing re
| port, they state the following as their conciu
sions:
l. That the testimony of the witnesses, con
sidered in connection with all the circumstance
existing at the time the anonymous letter wa
written and sent, conduce strongly, out not con
| ctuSjCety, to prove that said letter was writer
and sent by II. II. Finley.
On the other hand, George A. Bicknel
and D. B. Culbertson, Democrats, made
separate report, in which they find:
"As to the authorship of the anonymous let
ter, there is no eUidsHce 10 ShoV that Mr.. Don
nelly Wrote IL or had anything TO 40 lgithU."
They find clearly and positively that Finley
did not write the anonymous letter.
On June 16 1880, the committee of in
vestigation made their report to the House
The following is the Associated Press repor
of what took place:
"Mr. Manning didn't understand the gentle
man from Kentucky (Carlisle), as making an
| statement as to how Mr.. Donnelly was referre,
/ Il in no hon ba ( Ma
the House to investigate this matter he had .
| report ready TO submit from the committee OF
elections. But in view of the charges made b
the gentleman from Illinois (Springerl, that Don
nelly had inspired the (anonymous) letter, he
hadn't submitted the report. He would be gla
| to know, before he submitted that report
whether or not the committee had reached an,
conclusion touching Donnellys connection witt
| the anonymous letter. II no reflections wer
cast on Donnelly by that committee be woul,
now submit his report.
Mr.. Carlisle-Of course 1 am not authorized 4
| speak for the minority, on the point submitte,
| by the gentleman, but can say for the maioriti
that it has not come 10 the conclusion that Don
nelly had any personal connection with th,
anonymous letter.
Mr. Baker-You say he had no personal con
| nection. Had he any connection st aIIg
Mr.. Carlisle dislike to be subjected to thes
questions, and have some embarrassment ii
answering, but can say that so far as the ma
Jority of the committee is concerned, il does no
| find that Donnelly had any connection, persons
or otherwise, IN sending writing the anony
nous letter. Mr.. Finley was the attorney an
! friend of Donnelly, but the committee does no
FRd thar D0HHei'y Rad any kn0lTledgs Of h
| anonymous letter.
NJ. Msnuing-with that vindication OF Nh
DOnnelly submit my report. The report
which is signed By five Democratic members O
/ the committee elections, declares that Wash
burn is not entitled to the seat and that Ignatiu
| DOnnelIy is.''
And in the face of these uuquestione
facts the Pioneer Press is base enough, becaus
Mr.. Donnelly is candidate for COngres:
to declare that the committee, headed by Nj
Carlisle. found that the anonymous letter Wa
the joint production of Finley aud DonneIly
/ No other newspaper in the United State
would be guilty of such perversion Of fac:
| and mutilation OF records