Evening journal., 1891-02-17

sontroversy, I have permitted without com
ment the passing Of the food % falsahood it,
malodoroua waters chance 40 this time 10 hc
quiesoent aud now. when no heated political
conflict is raging, when neither hope nor fear
can be deemed the inspiration 81 my utterance
I choose briefly TO confront accusations with
truth. would NOT ailude 70 this subject In this
presence had not members Of the other house
made 1t a matter IF debate there
For Future Generations.
Looking 10 the future, and knowing that the
records Of this congress viii remain for other
generations 70 read when most of us composing
lt viii be forgotten. ! chonae. for the truth of
history and for that which h dearer 70 all men
than riches. to dispel the mist Of falsehood with
the clear light nl fact
II il not my purpose TO weary the senate by a
rehearsal Of each detail Of tho mass OF nisrep-
resentation. Nevertheless, avoiding proli1ity,
! viii endeavor 70 make this statement specific
and 50 complete as 70 be final II any thread ia
the fabric Of faisehood remains unsevered. II
will be because this tissue OF lies Is SO complex
Is 50 ravelei with contradiction and clouded
With insinuation that some significant Dor.
ton has escaped my attention
The State Treasury Charge.
The first assertion concerning my official acts
is that at some time, or continuously between
the years 1879 and 1882 / alone. or acting with
smother or others, used the moneys 0f the state
Of Pennsylvania for speculative or private pur.
poses. denounce this statement as absolutely
false. IN 1877 the Democratic party Of Pennsyi.
vania elected a state treasurer aud au audito0
general-the financial officers OF the common
wealth. year or two later pending thoir
terms Of Office, became engaged ia stock opera.
tions In some transactions I was associE.ed
and jointly interested with the gentleman who
was at chat time the cashier oi the state sreas
ury These transactions proved seriously dis
astrous 9nd was compelled to pay portion 0l
his losses as wen as my own.
In doing this It became necessary to supply
an alleged deficiency he had caused IN the
treasury. As a portion Of the fund for this
purpose, borrowed Sl009O from the gentle
man who is 1t present my colleague in the sen
ute. I gave him my Judgment note therefor
the amount Of which note paid him dollar foi
dollar years ago.
Not Aware Of Deficiency.
Not until the beginning Of the settlement OF
our losses was | aware that a deficiency exist
ed, and had every assurance that my associate
was able 20 carry his share OF the losses. Ny
connection therefore, WAS simply with the aid
Of friends 10 raise the necessary funds 10 sup
ply the deficit. lt b charged chat again ussd
moneys belonging to the commonwealth OF Penn
sylvania 70 purchase bonds Or stocks, or both,
Of a Chicago street railway 1 was invited by
friends In Philadelphia 10 join ia the purchase
ot street railway property in Chicago, and did
50, borrowing the money upon my own coliat
tfht from hnt ftODte 4 DAuE IN thttAuelpAlA.
stood upon the same footing with the other
gentlemen concerned, and it was a perfectly
straight forward business transaction, and had
no connection in any way with any public fund
or public interest.
The PennsyI Ivania Securities.
The charge that securities belonging to the
state of Pennsylvania we're used In this trans
action IL false, and impossible OF truth The
/ only negotiable securities held by the state 81
snf
/ United states transferable only on the book
/ Of the national treasury by the auditor general
secretary Of the commonwealth and state trsa5
ursr, acting conformity, after having filed a Ger
i titcate with the governor in their official char
actsr Collateral to this Last accusation is )
Il charge that defrauded, or attempted 20 De
/ fraud, the widow Of a deceased friend. This
also Is absolutely false There breathes not
upon the earth, man or woman, who can truth
l fully say that / ever defraudsd. or attempted
i % defraud, him or her Of a dollar Upon this
/ point charity to the dead and 70 the living for
bids my making any personal explanation
| Samuel Gustine Thompson, a member of the
i Philadelphia bar and president Of the Young
i Mems Democratic association of that city, Il
one Of several thoroughly conversant with the
facts who can give them to the public if they
see proper.
As a Member Of the Board Of PardOns
come now to what might be called the fourth
1 ground OF criticism OF my public conduct. Ihl.
was my action as a member Of the board Of par
dons Of Pennsylvania in voting for the pardon
| Of certain members Of the Pennsylvania legisla
| tUre and others upon whom sentence had beer
passed for bribery My conduct in that matter
1 has been bitterly assailed aud il is proper 4
L say that the facts were patent to the people o
| the state and we're thoroughly discussed before
my election to the office Of state treasurer, ant
| subsequently % a scat in this chamber / hat
| 40 personal interest in the legislation involved
| My vote as a member Of the board Of PARDON
was in accordance with the law and with th,
action Of my colleagues, and was compelled b.
the the fact that the sentence imposed by thl
| court upon the persons pardoned was illegal
Upon this point the attorney general Of the stat.
filed his written opinion with our decision III
frank 10 say that have no regrets for that vot.
and would repeat it under the same circum
stances. Even had the sentence not been un
| lawful il is my opinion that the ends Of iustic.
had been fully served by the conviction OF tn
defendants One Of the gentlemen involved ha
within the last few weeks received the unani
uous thanks of the Pennsylvania legislature fo
important services rendered humanity and TN
state
| The Lynch Case.
Incidentally the statement has been ,nad
that in some unspecifed manner procured
or attempted toprocure, the pardon Of a persoI
named Lynch under sentence for forgery b.
Pittsburg cannot at this day remember th'
charge is a lie, for which there never was tbs