Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-29
CAMPBELL TO VEST.
An Open Letter from Dakota S
Champion to the Mis-
souri, Senator.
Unfounded Charges Rctuted and
the Senatorial Maligner
Given a Cud to Chew
In His Retiec-
tive Hours.

able to obtain an authentic copy OF some
made by you in the senate
chamber personal to myself. In
the course of these remarks you
took occasion to endorse, with the
weight of your official position as SEN
ator, certain charges against me, In the
following paragraph, which l quote
from the congressional record for De-
cember 10Th, page 2O7:
"a gentleman who in recent events in |
the state of Louisiana distinguished |
himself as partisan of the Hayes ad-
and who was rewarded by |
as United States attorney
for the territory of Dakota for his zeal
Gus and not over-scrupulous efforts in
behalf of Mr.. Hayes.
This gentleman, carrying his revo
lutionary principles TO the territory OF
Dakota, now figures as the chairman OF
this committee"
This short extract contains two seri-
GUS misstatements with regard to my
self, which, II | did not correct now in
some proper manner, would perhaps be
considered to be admitted by me, to be
true.
You have, of course, a great advantage
over me III your exalted Official station,
which enable, you, as IN this case, to
scatter broadcast over the land such
charges as you deem proper to make
against individuals, while the correction
that | may make will reach much more
limited number OF people | submit to
you, however, that this power briggs
with it or ought to bring with it, o
greater responsibility and n greater
care, that the power be not abused. AS
to my character, both Us judge IN Lou
isiana, and as United States attorney in
Dakota, for honesty and uprghtness, L
can safely refer you to the, people IN
both states who have known me best, in
both capacities, whether they be demo-
Gratis or republicans.
[ was republican, and lived in the
state Of Louisiana during the presl,
dental election of 1876.
| / was not officially connected with
that election, nor with it's management,
directly or Indirectly. My only direct
participation in the election, was to
canvass portion OF the state before the
election, and after the election to
write brief history of the election
law of that state, st the request OF
parties who desired me SO to do.
| My only official act in connection with
the election, was this: AS ladge of the
fourth judicial district court, numbe,
of witnesses whose testimony was
taken before the returning board
were sworn before me, and also
drafted form of an affidavit in con
formlty with the law, at the request 0
the republicans.
In none of these particulars. did l dt
q single act which could be amenabl
to your charge OF unscrupulousness, no
was l in any manner, directly or IN
directly, O party to or concerned III an
act, which was not strictly honest AM
lust in every sense. The only charg
that was ever made against me 10
any connection with that election, WAS
statement made before congresslonu
committee, by one James Anderson
under oath, in which he stated that Tia
affidavit to which his name was append
} ed. together with my jurat as bayin
!, sworn him, had never been sworn to b
t him.
l was subpoenaed as witness befor
that committee and testified then, as
gay now, that if nay signature to th
3 iurat Is genuine, and the paper ltse
genuine throughout, that is, not altere
or forged in any way, then L would 50
+. positively that did administer the oat
! to Mr.. Anderson, for the reason that
8 have never, as Judge, affixed my nan
, to any jufat, unless the oath had bee
9 previously administered by me to tt
person named therein.
I stated further, as l. state now, th'
the number of witnesses sworn before n
/ being quite large (seVeral hundre
= in number) it was utterly impo
a ible for me to rememb
personally, or in any way, except by 7
o ference to the paper itself, whether | hi
b administered any one of the oaths
l. the individuals named in the lurats.
n Another witness, however, did testi
:, before that committee that he did pc
"a sonally remember seeing Anderson ta
u the oath before me.
: L did not receive my appointing
p from Mr.. Hayes as reward for al
4 effort of mine IN behalf of MIR. Hayt
a. / have always understood that 1t W
as my brief on the law OF elections Ia Lo
isiana, which introduced me to t
notice of MIR. Hayes. That brief W
undoubtedly good law. 1t demonstrat
the lawful election of the Packard &C
Y ernment, which you will doubtless rec
iu lGGF, was ONSEtuIO"h DS Ii iCfoluploi
az of which 1 was an opponent, and
!. which your party were the advocates.
H. The other charge that you make
n that | have carried my 'reyolutionar
ut principle to the territory of Dakota.
'is My first lesson as to the character a
"a results OF revolution against the Unit
"a States government was taught me on
~, ~ soil of your state. l was soldier in
~ ~ union army under Lyon, and at Wilso
u Greek, received bullet from some {
"a of your compatriots who was trying
enforce Revolutionary" ideas. / SER
throughout the war on tie union 81
and was honorably promoted, 6
honorably discharged. During.
Al, that service, before it and Sir
[ have never aided nor abetted, l
we entertained any revolutionary sche
zen or idea.
ion 1t is an amusing change in the wi
on of political fortunes, wh
,ot enables you, then the "reb
flor / am informed that
clam to have been confederate offic
now United States senator, to cha
me, then union soldier, with be
'w- now the "rebeL"
tu- sincerly hope, that if it becol
& necessary for us to ask to have our {
of abilities removed, we may receive
fer same cIemency at the hands OF y
his, side, which your side received at our
i. While was union officer, and hf