1867.] OF THE SENATE. 403

MONDAY, March 4th, 1867

After the reading of the journal the President of the Sen-
ate arose and said :

I request the indulgence of the Senate for the purpose of
presenting a brief statement of a personal nature, and indi-
rectly affecting this body.

It is well known to you, Senators, that various reports,
prejudicial to my political standing and personal reputation,
have been diligently circulated of late, both here and else-
where, which I have thus far declined to notice. These have
now found their way into the public press, and embrace
charges against my private character, which, if true, render
me no longer a suitable occupant of the high official position
I sustain to the State.

It has never been my habit to reply to mere rumors in re-
gard to my political status or personal reputation, pre-
ferring to leave to time the vindication of both. But it is
due this Honorable Body, over which it is my duty and
pleasure to preside, and which is measurably affected by
whatever concerns the public position of its chief officer, that
I should now briefly, and I trust, finally, refer to what, under
other circumstances, would have been treated with silent and
merited contempt. I allude more particularly to the current
statement, that I had corruptly bargained, in the event of my
accession to the gubernatorial office, and upon the promised
rejection of Mr. Swann by the United States Senate, to sub-
stitute in his place the existing member of that body from
the Eastern Shore. This charge, absurd and unreasonable
as it may appear, has been industriously propagated, and in
certain quarters, I regret to say, professedly credited.

I, therefore, take occasion, in my place to-day, in the most
emphatic manner, to pronounce the statement alluded to,
and any and all other reports associated therewith, from
whatever source emanating, gross and infamous fabrications.
Neither Mr. Creswell, nor any of his friends or party ever, di-
rectly or indirectly, approached me, or were approached by
me or any of my friends, with propositions of any kind what-
ever, much less one so infamous as that charged; nor has the
remotest conception of such an arrangement ever entered my
brain; or, as I believe, theirs.

If the charge of desertion of the principles I have so re-
cently and clearly enunciated has been asserted because of
independent opinions I may have expresseed upon particular
measures of policy, I have only to say, that I shall consider
myself unfit for place and undeserving public confidence
when I cease to declare my honest convictions of grave po-