THE EVENING MIRROR.
By Mr. CAVEN, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred the resolution of inquiry concerning the article in the Evening Mirror, charging Mr. Hughes with acting as the paid attorney of the State University in the Senate, reporting that the article referred to was based upon an anonymous communication, alleged to have been received through the post office, and that the charge had no foundation in fact.
Mr. RICE called for the reading of the testimony taken.
The testimony was read, Geo. C. Harding, the Editor, stating his belief that Joseph J. Bingham, was the author. Mr. Bingham testifies that he had no knowledge of it.
The PRESIDENT pro tem., stated that the report was imperfect, insomuch as it makes no recommendation. It would be for the Senator to take such course as it saw proper.
Mr. HUGHES said it was not for him to indicate the course the Senate should pursue. The Mirror instead of retracting its charge, repeated from day to day its attack and charged the whole Senate, or a large portion thereof, with corruption. He expressed his belief that the editor of the Mirror never received any anonymous letter. That individual sent an excuse for not appearing before the Committee on the first night appointed, on the ground of being sick, when he was not sick, but was about the streets and at the Palmer House. He believed him capable of forging the letter, as a pretended foundation for the article.
Mr. H. said the Cincinnati Commercial of yesterday, contains not only an implied repetition of this charge, but strong reflections upon the Governor and this entire General Assembly; and he denounced the correspondent, (J. H. Lozier,) in unmeasured terms, declaring that the Doorkeeper should be instructed to exclude him from the Senate Chamber.
On motion by Mr. LASSELLE, the report and the evidence in the case, was ordered to be spread on the journals of the Senate. He did not see that anything else could be done.
Mr. FISHER offered the following:
WHEREAS, The Evening Mirror, a newspaper published in this city, abounds from day to day with scandalous attacks upon the Senate and upon individual Senators, therefore,
RESOLVED, That the Doorkeeper be instructed to he discontinue the subscription on the part of the Senate of said newspaper.
Mr. HANNA insisted that it was rather a grave matter to fight newspapers, and counseled moderation. With regard to the Cincinnate Commercial, Parson Lozier having sung songs all over the State in favor of the Republican ticket, and having been the bosom friend of the Governor, may possess more knowledge of what he writes than the editor of the Mirror. We don't know anything about this kind of a fight over one who ought to know about his friends, and perhaps it might be doing him injustice to expell him from the floor of the Senate.
Mr. GRAY is a friend to the press, and thought the Senator from Monroe had been fully and completely vindicated. We should not act hastily in the matter. In the early part of the session this paper had a good deal to say about other members and no such resolution was proposed. He did not think it could annihilate us in eighteeen days remaining of the session.
Mr. FISHER supposed it was a mere mat- page: 407[View Page 407] ter of speculation on the part of the paper, but thought we should not continue to support papers which continually maligned members.
Mr. ROBINSON of Madison, asked whether we could now discontinue the subscription under the contract.
Mr. FISHER believed it could be done with any of the newspapers here, as none of them had published full proceedings.
Mr. HANNA thought the paper had gone too far, but opposed the resolution.
Mr. HUGHES believed more time and prominence was given to the matter than it was deserving of, while so much business of importance is pressing. Persons at a distance cannot understand this matter as well as Senators here. He requested the author to withdraw the resolution and let the matter go. He thought the Senate, at some proper time, should take action in regard to the correspondence he alluded to, but that is another matter.
Mr. FISHER had no feeling upon the subject, and accordingly withdrew the resolution cheerfully.
