The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-21
The Payne Investigation.

WASHINGTON, july 2U.-1he f0lloW-
ing i5 a report made by Senator Hoar
to the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, upon the material submitted
by the Ohio Legislature in the Payne
case, which material Senator Hoar, ss
subcommittee, examined and anal.
yzsd: 1 have examined the evidence
forwsrded by the House Of Repre-
sentatives of Ohio. The investigation
was under resolution directing an in
quiry as to the charges that four men,
bers OF the present Legislature, being
also members of the last, were guilty
of being induced by corrupt means to
vote for Mr.. Payne. These charges
were not sustained, and the commit
tee so reported it. But the inquiry
took wider range. There was evil
dence to show that Mr.. Payne's name
was not publicly suggested as a csndi-
date for Senator until after the State
elections; that it was not very promi-
nently suggested until shortly before
his ele ction in January; that many per-
soiis who have been supposed to IA
vor Pendleton voted for Payne; that
there was a wide spread belief that
corrupt means were used to procure
the resu t; that one member was Of
fe ed large sum OF money for his
vote; that there were hearsay state.
ments charging corruption as to sew
eral others; that two members OF the
Legislature received large sums of
money about the time of the election,
otwhich, being called as witnesses, they
gave no satisfactory account; that the
principal managers of Mr.. Payne's
canvass, namely, Paige, Mclean, Hunt
iDgton and Oliver B. Payne, did not
testify before the committee. But
there is no evidence tending to show
the bribery Of Any member, unless as
above stated: there is no evidence to
connect Mr.. Payne, the sitting men,
Der, with these transactions, and none
tending to show the result was changed
or affected by such means.
MOrrisOn's Surplus Resolution.
WASHINGTON, July 20.-Acting Sec
retary Fairchild and Treasurer Jordan
were before the Senate Committee on
Finance this morning to oppose the
adoption of the Morrison surplus reso-
luton. In the absence OF formal ac-
ton by the committee, no offieisl
statement of the proceedings can be
given out for publication in the papers.
The following is gathered from various
but entirely Trustworthy sources as to
the substance of the proceedings: Mr..
Fairchild said the resolution was an
effort on the part of the legis alive
branch OF the government to impose
a new restriction upon the executive
branch not heretofore thought neces-
sary, and in this view representatives
of the administration were hardly at
liberty to discuss the merits OF the
proposition. He spoke on the ss3ump.
ton that the administration was fully
committed to and in sympathy with
the policy of applying the surplus to
the redemption OF interest bear.
ing debt, and retiring such
debt as rapidly as prudent ad-
ministration and sound policy
permitted. This being assumed, the
Treasury Department could not see a
single argument in favor of the resoIu-
tion while it could see numerous and
serious objections and ill effects and
emblrrsssments which are likely to
arise from such arbitrary legislation. 1t
was in his opinion, impossible for any
hun an being to look so far into the
futu e ss to tell in what amounts and
at hat intervals bonds should be
Gale d and redeemed during the next
yea Mr.. Faircbild responded to
nun Der OF questions by members OF
the ommittee as to the effects of the
reso ution, his statements indicating
the elief OF the Treasury that the de-
part nent would be greatly embar-
raised and its obligations violated.
Treasurer Jordan submitted series OF
tabulated statements and written re-
plies TO questions previously pro-
poun led by members Of the commit
tee, mainly of statistical and techni-
cal nature.