The Territorial Governor’s Malice: A False Rumor of Corruption Exposed

A FALSE REPORT.

The [illegible] of last evening gives its editorial endorsement, by publication in its chief editorial column, to the following malicious canard:

"I. P. [illegible], correspondent of the [illegible], writing from Seattle, W.T., on the 1st of May: 'I. P. [illegible] has been confirmed as collector for this port, and is now making arrangements to leave immediately for his new duties. He is gradually making a fortune, having bought up large tracts of land below the town. His price was $13,000; the original claim was $7,000.'"

Two weeks ago, or more, we received from Hon. O. Jacobs, a telegram announcing this report, then endorsed and put in circulation again by the [illegible], as without any foundation in fact. We published that telegram at the time with editorial comments. Judge Jacobs was there upon the ground, with access to all the records bearing upon this case. Gov. Perry was there ready to meet any charges which might be preferred against him. Similarly, Chapman was there with hostile intent, preparing to kill [illegible] against Gov. Perry in a Democratic investigating committee, which he utterly failed to sustain.

The story has now internal evidence of its own improbability. A revelation of such enormity against one's age, during which time the character has almost continuously held a succession of offices of the highest responsibility and trust, while known to the Departments as faithful, involving in his crime all who confirmed the evidence of it, and even the deliberate falsehood of our Delegate in Congress, is too large a dose for the most credulous. The medium through which this malicious intention is given in its public in this section, is at its source; a new spyder devoted solely to personal scandal. Whose conductors delight in mockery calculated to bring [illegible] people to their own social level and force themselves upon our recognition under the penalty of dragging others down to their own social state by falsehood and fraud.

No personal scandal, however absurd or improbable, is ever ignored by them, and the paper is distinguished chiefly for the malice of its inventions and the poltroonery at its mutations under constraint. I cannot admit the personal character of Gov. Perry, or any other gentleman in this community, but as a Territorial journal, may reflect suspicion upon the character of our Chief Executive, where he is not personally known.

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

The Convention will meet at St. Louis on Tuesday, the 27th inst. No Convention ever assembled in this country with so little determined upon in advance... [text continues with political commentary on Hayes and Tilden]...