The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-13
coAL-oIL CORRUPTION.

The second open letter of Hon. s. T. Don
avin to Senator Henry B. Payne must cause
aprofound sensation among all honest citizens,
without regard to partisan bias. In his first
letter Mr. Donavin offered to furnish the facts
to back his charge that Mr.. Payne, or his
friends for him, had used money with
prodigality to defeat Hon. George Fl. Pendle-
ton, and to secure the election of Mr. Payne to
the United States Senate. This was gener-
ally understood at the time Of Mr. Paynes
sudden and quite unexpected entrance upon
the campaign as candidate his determine
ton to do so being kept close secret until
after the election, lest the honest men of the
party take warning and refuse to elect the Dem
ocratic candidates We say that it was generally
understood at the time that money was used
to corrupt the Ohio Legislature to make it
return this unexpected candidate over man
to whom reelection was due, and Who had
done so much for his party. But while this
impression obtained everywhere, it lost much
of its effect by reason of the fact that it could
not be proved that such q monstrous fraud
upon the people had been attempted and
accomplished. And even when the Hon. s.
K. Donavin published his first open letter to
the beneficiary of these alleged frauds, the
feeling obtained that it was bit of spite
work by man either snubbed or disappointed
in some political ambition. The conclusion
was that he had no more information
on the subject than that had by
the public at large, which amounted
to deep-seated conviction, grounded on evil
dences conclusive enough to convince any
body, but not Of character to establish in
court the charge of bribery and corruption.
Mr.. Donavin offered to produce the facts
should Mr. Payne care to have them or dare
deny the charges made. After waiting few
days and hearing nothing from Ohio's Demo
cratic senator, Mr. Donavin, on his own mo-
ton, returns to the charge, and without cir
cumlocution names the legislators bought and
the amounts paid them, ranging from S., 900
or more down to $1,000.
If this kind of charge does not astound and
alarm the people it will be proof only that
popular elections are in greater danger
than it is pleasant to confess. Here
is a practically specific charge that
Henry B. Payne, through his friends
and by his tacit consent has bought his way
TO seat in the highest law-making body in
the land. An analysis of the accusation
shows that it is not the work of partisan of
hostile organization, uttered to prejudice
electors against Mr.. Payne, nor to influence
any pending election. Mr.. Donavin is fell
low Democrat with the man he accuses. He
makes no pretension of being anything else;
and he names his men and gives his figures in
a manner that indicates he knows what he is
about. He either does, or he is very rash
and very foolish man. The character Of his
charges is such that no honorable man, or in
deed any man, can quietly rest under them.
There must be, and Of course there will
be, vehement denials right and left.
Mr.. Donavin has challenged these men
and it remains to see how they will take it.
He names fifteen of them, and gives the
amounts they respectively received to vote
for Mr. Payne.
Where is all this corruption and fraud to
end9 How much will the people submit to
before compelling the courts to take cogni-
zance of corruption in elections, and to pun
ish the guilty partiesf According to Demo
cratic testimony Democrat bought his way
to the Senate from Ohio by bribing
score or more of Democrats. Captain
Anderson, . Democratic member