genuine it was a corrupt and illegal transaction.
I only wonder that seeing the names upon it did not excite your
doubt and cause inquiry, but, assuming they were genuine, you had
no right to suppress the paper because it involved your friends in
a criminal charge. But now, since it is shown to be a forgery, a
crime of the greatest character, it seems to me you ought at once
to exercise your well-known energy and independence in exposing
and denouncing, with equal severity, the man or men who forged, or
circulated, or had anything to do with, the paper referred to. No
delicacy or pity ought to shield them from the consequences of a
crime infinitely greater than the signing of such a paper would
have been. I know in this I speak the general sentiment of many
prominent men, and you will appreciate the feeling of honor and
fairness which appeals to you to denounce the men who, directly or
indirectly, were connected with the fabrication of this paper. If
my name was forged to it I will consider it my duty to prosecute
all men who took that liberty. I will certainly do so whenever I
have tangible evidence that my name was forged.

"Very truly yours,
"John Sherman."

A fac-simile of the paper was then published with all the alleged
signatures. The subject-matter was fully investigated by a committee
of the House of Representatives, during which all the persons named
in connection with it were examined under oath. It resulted in
the unanimous finding of the committee as follows:

"In response to the first inquiry directed by the resolution, viz.:

'By whom said alleged contract was prepared, and whether the several
signatures appended thereto are forged or genuine,'

"We find that said alleged contract was dictated (prepared) by
Richard G. Wood, and that all the signatures thereto are forged.

"In response to the second inquiry directed by the resolution, viz.:

'If forged, what person or persons, if any, were directly or
indirectly aiding, abetting, assisting, or knowingly consenting to
the preparation and uttering of said forgery, and for what purpose,'

"We find that Richard G. Wood, Frank and L. Milward, and Frank S.
Davis were the only persons directly or indirectly aiding, abetting,
assisting, or knowingly consenting to the preparation of said
forgery with knowledge of its character.

"We further find that J. B. Foraker and Murat Halstead aided in
uttering said forgery, Mr. Foraker by exhibiting the