Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-16
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Three Reports Presented to the Senate
in the Payne Bribery Case.

Ihree reports from the Senate commltte on
privile ges and elections upon the Payne case
were committed to the Senate, Thursday.
The report signed by Messrs. Pugh. Sauls-
bury Vance and Eustis, democratic members
OF the committee, sets forth at length the pub
lie history of the case and describes the
processes by which the signers reach the con-
clusion that there is no ground for further
proceedings against Payne.
The committee say they recognize the me-
cessity OF throwing all possible safeguards
against corruption around the Senate, but the
question of the sincerity of the parties max
ing the charges when they allowed so long a
time to elapse since the alleged bribery be-
fore taking any action to have it punished.
1t is conceded that the democrats had a
majority in the 66th general assembly of Ohio
of thirty six members, and that Henry B.
Psyner was the only democrat voted for by
the members of the legislature when elected
to the Senate. The charge preferred against
Henry B. Paine by the Senate and House
acting separately in the 9th legislature of
Ohio was a different legislature from that
which elected Henry B. Payne, and was
composed at the time the charges were made
of the majority of republicans IN each House.
1t is also conceded that prior TO the day
when the law required the Goth general as
eC"oiy VI OuiO W 'otc iOI luC CiCStiou VI a
U. S. Senator, a caucus of the democratic
members of the legislature was held to NOM
mate some person for whom the democratic
members were to vote in the general assem-
bly,, and that in such caucus Henry b. Payne
received a majority of vote. and was declared
nominated. The charge is that money was
corruptly used by being paid to or for the use
of divers members of the caucus to secure
their votes in the caucus for Payne's nomn-
alton.
The committee examined carefully the tes-
timony taken by the select committee of the
Ohio House and say this WAS not supplement-
ed or strengthened BY any legal evidence.
They therefore report:
Flrst-That Henry B. Payne has not been
charged with having anything to do person.
ally or with having any personal knowledge
of connection with or participation in any act
or ANYTHING that may have been done or
charged as having been done that was wrong
criminal, immoral or reprehensible in his
election.
Second-The majority of your committee
report that on the whole the case as present
ed to them they recommend that the Senate
make no further investigation of the charge
involving the right of Henry B. Payne to his
seat.
Your committee ask to be discharged from
further consideration of the matters referred
to them and that the whole subject be in
definitely postponed.
The report made bv Senators Teller,
Evarts and Logan, gives the facts of Senator
Payne's election and after review Of the
charges, says:
The conclusion is upon the whole matter
as presented in evidence aud argument to the
committee on privileges and elections. We
are of the opinion that there is no evidence
which purports to prove that fraud, corrup-
tion or bribery was employed in the election
of Payne, affecting the votes either gwen in
caucus or in the legislature, whereby the
election was carried by corrupt votes to the
effect of.his election, nor in our opinion. is
there any allegation that proof exists that
would vitiate the election of Mr.. Payne, by
reason OF necessary votes in the caucus or
legislature for his election having been OBJ
tanned by fraud, corruption or bribery. We
are of the opinion, therefore, that the testi-
mony and other considerations placed before
the Senate do not warrant the Senate in in
stituting an investigation looking to the un-
seating of Mr.. PAYNE as a member of the
Senate Senators Hoar and Frye lay stress on
the memorials of the Ohio Senate and House
and the republican State committee, asking
for an investigation of the charges against
Payne, the statements of Congressman But
terw orth and Little, that they do not believe
the charges to be true and the late demon
stration of the republican press. All these
things, say Hosr and Frye, present a case
where it is the duty OF the Senate to permit
the petitioners to present their evidence and
authorize the issue of proper process to aid
them in procuring the attendance of witnesses.
For the Senate to refuse to listen to this
complaint so made would, it seems to us. be
everywhere taken to be declaration that it
is indifferent to the question whether its seats
are in the future subjects of bargain and sale,
and may be presented by few milionaires
as compliment to friend. The senators
say that the testimony taken by the select
committee of the Ohio House does not di-
rectly support the charges against the four
members implicated or connect Payne with
the transactions, but it does show there was
corruption some here. We recommend the
adoption of the accompanying resolution:
Resolved, That the committee on privi-
leges and elections, or any sub committee
thereof be authorized to investigate the
charges affecting the title to tine seat of
Henry B. Payne, and to send tor persons and
papers, administer oaths and employ a steno-
grapher, and to sit during the recess of the
Senate, and that the expenses of the invest-
CATION be paid out of the contingent fund of
the Senate"
TIE MUTINY OVER.