Year: 1872

NaNDERS kEFCTED.


+ Our readers will remember that
during the latter days Of the sittinga
of the Congressional COMMITTEES in
the Customhouse, a sudden and Vi
olent stream Of misrepresentation
and abuse set in against Lieutenant
Governor Pinehback in the shape
Of testimony Of witnesses. before
the Committee.


The late period Of the investiga-
dons for which these attacks were
! reserved, and q host Of other CON-
siderations prscladed personal at
tendance from before the Commit
tee with rebutting testimony, and
unwilling that silence should be
construed into consent, Mr.. Pinch
back addressed the following letter
to the Committee, which we, copy
to-day from. the published report,
and submit to the public:


SENATE CHAMBER,


New Orleans, February 10, 1872.


Sir: I had no wish to appear be-
fore your committee as a witness,
and have even denied myself She
pleasure of calling upon you lest it
might be construed into q desire on
my part to be summoned before
you to testify. I had friends on
both sides Of the controversy, and I,
preferred to remain q silent observer
rather than become an active par-
ticipant in its wrangles.


But, sir, finding in the testimony,
as published in New Orleans papers
during the last days Of your sitting,
that I have been cruelty and mali
ciously assailed by several of the
witnesses who appeared before your
honorable committee, I am COM
PEELED to bespeak this hearing from
you.


I am charged by directimplicaton
in the evidence of one s. W. Scott
with having. receiYad q bribe for my.
vote on the Jackson Railroad bill.
I solemnly aver that I never received
any money consideration whatever
for my vote on this bill. The interes-
ted motive which Influenced my vote
on it you can well understand when
I say that I received the positive
assurances Of the gentleman seeking
the cnntrol of the road that if they
obtain it, it would be run on just
and liberal principals, making no
distinctions on account of color,
such as characterized the rules of
the old company:


Iobserve that this same witness
says with reference to the repeal Of
the old city charter, that Senator
Beares and myself promised to Sc
cure the defeat of the bill for q
money consideration, and further,
that I told him it would cost S., 900,
and when the bill came up for
final passage it was pcstrond for
thirty minutes; that both Beares
and my self sent for him and find
ing no money would be given to de-
feat the bill, it finally passed.


These statements are unqualified
" false in part and in whole. I
| never had, at any time during the
whole session referred to, any conver-
! sation, on communication whatever
with Mr.. Scott. The first time that
I SOW him was when he appeared
as q witness against me in the con-
test for my seat in the senate, on
which occasion he left no stone IN
tarned to keep me out, his teetimo-
ny being Of the most partisan chm-
acter, the effect Of which on me was
not calculated to inspire confidence
or induce me to listen to any pro
positions from him which might
lead to q compromise Of my honor.
The next time that ! saw him that
l recollect was when he appeared
around the Legislative halls Us a
lobbyist in the interest Of the Jack
son Railroad bill, on which occa-
sions ho made several Intellectual
attempts to approach me, which
lfailures, I have no doubt, intensi-
fed that luminosity which has found
vent in the wholesale and Aagrantly
unjust, untruthful, and malicious
testimony before your committee.