The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-01-27
wAsalNGroN GOSSIP.
Charges OF Corruption against soma
isc rSSuc.-HnSard and tho Curtin Emu
NCNsNiC.


a Charges OF Corruption against soma
toe rSSuc--Hayard and tho Curtin EN-
~NvNS,ic.
Correspondence 9fth6 Baltimore Sun.)
\ clique OF Ohio Republicans, with
the assistance of lew personal enc.
mics of Senator Payne in the Demo-
cratic party OF that State, are engaged
in n desperate effort 10 produce the
impression that his election 10 the
Senate WAS accomplished through
bribery and corruption. The imme-
date purpose seems to be to force Mr..
Payne to rise in his seat in the Senate,
deny the charges and ask for u com.
mittee of investigation. This Mr.
Payne has declared he will not do, as
he considers the charges, and the
source from which they cmanatc, be-
meath his notice. The lower house Of
the Ohio Legislature, which is con-
rolled by tho Republicans, has al
ready authorized u committee Of in
yestigation, and it is understood that
all the members of the Legislature
which elected Mr.. Payne, who have
been mentioned as receiving a consid-
ton for voting, have positively denied
the allegation. The scheme is, how
ever, it Senator Payne cannot be
driven into asking for an investigation,
to torture the result of the Legislative
inquisition into suitable shape, and
make it the basis of a formal request to
tho Senate for an examination into the
charges by that body. 1t is alleged
that there is precedent for investiga-
ton in the absence Ola demand from
the Senator affected. In the case Of
Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, in
1867, numerous members Of the State
Legislature petitioncd the Senate to
investigate the charges of corruption
and bribery in connection with his
election, but the Senate Judiciary
Committee almost unanimously re-
ported against granting the prayer, on
the ground that it was competent for
the Legislature itself to make the in
vestigation. In the Cameron case
there was no prctense of denial that
three Democratic members of the
Legislature had been paid so many
thousand dollars q piece to bolt the
Democratic caucus nominee, Colonel
Forney, and vote for Simon Cameron,
and not of the three ever held up his
head atterward. But General Cameron
held IN TO the scat which he had
bought, and thought any extreme
ly verdant who expected him to ask
for all investigation.
1t would appear rs if the severe
criticism and denunciation visitcdupon
Secretary Bayard by Governor Curtin
and others in connection with the ap-
pointment of chairman Of the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs is devoid
of the least cause. 1t has already been
said that it is not usual for q Speaker
to consult n cabinet officer concerning
committees having familiar relations
with his department., but in this case
it is now known that Mr.. Bayard had
nothing to do with the matter. While
at the State Department morning Mr..
Bayard's attention was called to the
statements which hav, been made
about this affair, when he replied that
they were absurd. He said: 81 die
not interfere in any manne with the
House committees, and had nothing
whatever to do with Mr.. Carlislc's
appointments. | do not believe that
expressed a preference as to the chair
man of the Committee OH Foreign
Affairs, and / certainly did not attempt
TO defeat Mr.. Curtin's rcappointmcnt.'