The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-09

rupt use of money by his immediate agents in
buying votes of members of the Sixty-sixth
General Assembly of Ohio has been made before
the national Senate and supported before Its
committee on privileges and elections with such
authority, dIrectness of specification, and show
ing of creditable and convincing evidence as has
never before been brought to senatorial atten-
tion in any case which the published records Of
Congress disclose This will appear from the
following facts:
"First-Upon the widely printed charge that
fifteen members of the Legislature which elected
Mr. Payne had been paid money for their votes
the House of Representatives of our State
promptly ordered an investigation into the cases
of four of its members, who had been members
OF the former Legislature, and who were among
those charged with having received bribes.
While this committee did not find evidence to
prove the charges against these particular mem
bers, 1T did transmit evidence to the Senate of
the United States which established as strong a
prima facie case of fraUd in the election of Mr..
Payne as ever laid before that body in any
similar case
'Second-The State central Republican COM
mittee of our State, at meeting called to con-
slider the matter passed resolutions charging,
upon information and belief that the seat of
Mr. Payne was purchased, and requesting the
Senate to investigate the charge, and appointing
Representative John Little, of our State, to ap-
pear before the Senate committee in behalf of
the Republicans of Ohio, and present the proofs
upon which the grave charges made had been
preferred
''Third-The Senate of our State, acting for
ITSELF formulated definite charges that the seat
of Mr.. Payne was bought, declared the reasons
for its belief, and forwarded them to the Senate,
with request that an investigation might be
ordered.
"Fourth-The House Of Representatives of
Ohio, following the example of the Ohio Senate,
and acting for itself, and in addition to the re.
port Of Its committee, passed resolution charg-
ing bribery in Mr. Paynes election, and also ask
n a t0 hav ha investigated.
'Fifth-Representative Little appeared, ac-
cording to his appointment, before the Senate
committee on privileges and elections and in
statement of unusual strength and clearness
showed that there was abundant proof to justify
the charges which had been forwarded from
Ohio. At later hearings he called to his assist
ance Representative Butterworth, of our State,
and each, IN statements OF great length and
force, laid before the Senate committee mass
or additional evidence of character which
properly startled the country, although it seems
to have fallen dead upon a portion of the COM
mittee This was no less than an offer to prove
by legal evidence, in case the Senate would af-
ford them an opportunity before a committee of
Senator, contributed 100000 toward the pur-
chase of seat for his father in the Senate of the
United States that David r. Paige, one of the
managers of Mr.. PayDe's election, took $50, 600,
either Of the above sum or as an independent, to
Columbus for use in the purchase of mombers of
the Legislature, and that John r. Mclean of
Cincinnati, paid 100000 to help secure votes for
Mr.. Payne Besides this, Messrs. Little and
Butterworth presented many proofs tending to
establish the bribery of various members OF the
Legislature which elected Mr.. Payne.
ssSyth-The colleagues of Messrs. Little and
Butterwortb, seeing the public statement that
the Senate committee had decided to report
against the request for an investigation. ad-
dressed a communication to the Senate commit
tee, which had the approval of Senator Sher-
man, declaring their belief in the charges of brib
cry brought against Mr.. Payne. and their further
conviction that they could be established by the
investigation, and asking for reconsideration
of the case at the hands of the committee.
1T is therefore submitted to the committee on
privileges and elections, to the Senate, and to the
people of the United States, that when thus
showing. and our State thus speaking and thus
afirming through regularly appointed, organized
and responsible representatives., it has right TO
a full hearing. under oath, for its witnesses be-
fore Senate committee OF investiga-
tiops In case the showing thus made,
and the request thus formally presented and
strongly supported, are not deemed sufficient by
the Senate to justify investigation, it will seem
difficult to conceive under what circumstances
STAG can obtain a hearing when charges of
SriseSv are made We therefore request of the
SenMs that in its forthcoming report from its
committee on privileges and elections, it will
determine and announce for the benefit of all
the States the forms which must be complied
with and the conditions which must exist before
the purchase of one of its seats. If the Senate
requires further action than has been taken By
Ohio Republicans, it will be interesting and
instructive to the country to know what its
requirements can be. If the sums named by
Ohio Republicans as corrnptly used to elect Mr.
Payne are not sufficient TO secure an investiga-
tion it becomes important TO know what limit
of expenditure must be reached in order to
establish prima facie case of sufficient strength
to insure an investigation.
''lt has been DubliclV announced bY one Sena-
tor who opposed an investigation that his oppo-
siton is based upon the fact that the money
used to purchase Mr.. Payne's election was
pended for caucus votes and not for votes the
floor of the Legislature, and that the Senate
cannot undertake to investigate a caucus. If
this position be adopted by the Senate it will be
to proclaim that hereafter the open purchase of
a caucus nomination by money will be no bar to
the undlsturbed occupation of seat IN the Sem
ate of the United States Two other Senators
have declared tnat they oppose investigation be-
cause 1t does not appear that Mr.. Payne was
party to the corrupt use of money. This, in
other words, is to declare that a mans agents.
including his nearest relatives may 60 among
the members Of State Legislature with sup
ply of greenbacks and buy senatorship with as
much freedom as he would purchase family sup
plies of coal and provisions in the market.
Finally, in adding our request for nves-
tigation to the many already before the Senate
and its committee, we express the hope that
Ohio Republicans may receive that considera-
ton which is justly due to the grave charges
which they make and which we fully iudorse.
and that the Senate will not fail to see that its
good name is involved in the question pre-
sented for its decision
IN HALsTEAD. Commercial Gazette.
.'W. S. CAPELLAR, Mansfield News.
CHARLES f. BALDWIN,
MT Vernon Republican
~ P. TREAT. Geneva Times
IL. HIRscH Ohio Sontaagst.
I'D. A. RUDD, Ohio Tribune.
John HoPLEY, Bucyrus Journal.
Committee on Resolutions
The report is signed, also, by each of the
enty-fve editors in attendance Other editors,
by telegraph asked that their names be signed to