, 1866-10-18
THE PHILADELPHIA CASARD.
The Lcdger,s Statement of the S1vlndlc,
IE1uu The Phflodelnhfa l.edeer 0ctohet IL

From the Philadelphia Ledger, October ISL
We nrc now enabled to give the history Of
the despatch containing the series OF qnes-
tfops alleged to have Iecn submitted to the
Attorney General by the President on the
snty 9f the e esslnE Ge1srfs as pub
the authenticity Of that despatch was denied
by the Attorney General and the Pre-idcnt,
it became necessary to make thorough In
rcstigation Of the origin ofthe statement, in
order to rlndlcate the character of this
paper for fair dealing with the public, and
# was due to the President, as we'll as our
selves: II the story was false, that its author
should be ferreted out and exposed. To
effect these ends, we spent Thursday, Friday
Mnd most Of Saturday last in collecting
proofs that demonstrate that the dispatch
came to US in the regular course Of business
from IN old and heretofore approved cores
ronacnt, aud in tTacing the Questions to
their origin. On Saturday, having compile
ted everything it was In our power to do, VIC
placed In the hands Of the President pack
agc containing files ofpapcrs bearing on the
foregoing points. OF these, ono was the
orig Sinal manuscript given 10 our correspond
eut hy one Of his Washington agents; the
second was the original manuscript, as sent
by our correspondent, and Us II passed
through o,tr printing office; the third was
the statement Of our correspondent, showing
sends all lis news, md that 10
person, directly Or Indirectly con
nected witc the Ledger had any knowl-
edge of Its origin, except bis Wash
fnston agent, who gave him the original
statement. also giving the name Of that
agent. The fourth was the statement of the
OF Ills information, hut declining to give up
names. The fifth contained tclegrn,ls from,
our correspondent and his aHcut, In answer
to Inquiries. and reitcrating. their belief in
the truth Of the despatch. Such IL the ma
turc OF the esiaeneo laid before the Prcst-
dent, nnd it proved to him, as it will to all
the world. that the despatch camc 10 us
through the regular chnnncl-fro1n an old
correspondent, without any previous know
ledge of the proprietor or editors, or any
one directly or indirectly connected with the
establishment; except our correspondent and
throughout Is marked by the good faith
Characteristic Of the Public Ledger.
We now come to tho origin Of the ''qucs-
tions." Our correspondent says that the
orginal manuscript was given to lim by Mr..
II. NJ. Flint, Of Washington. who Is one OF
Ing Washington news. Mr.. Flint confirms
this. and the substance Of his statement Is
as follows: lie Gays that ''person in OF:
fec, told him that paper, dated at the Ex-
ccuttve 1nansion, WAS seen on the table oi
the Attorney General, containing inquiries
On the subject Of the powers and duties Of
The President in his relations TO the present
Congress, and relating to Its legality when
so many States arc excluded from Teprescn
ta!iou, aud requesting the attorney Gen
erals answer in writing and that tie ''qucs
tons sent to the ledger arc the SAINT
Attorney Generals table, lIc further say.
that another t'pcrson In office" told hin
tllat The President had been convcrsing will
an Intimate friend In the Executive manslot
at the time, on the same questions on thu
sane subject, This statement Of Mr.. Film
nation yesterday, in Washington, by
person authorized to speak for this "a
per, and the interview resulted In eevcra
material notifications Of his original state
mcnt. Mr.. Flint now says that ''the pcrso
in Office told him that another person la,
er person) said he had seen the paper, an
that his informant about the alleged conve,
sntion In the White House, between th
President and IN intimate friend" sal
that the eliminate fsicud'' Ind told anothe
. friend who had told still another pcrso
It viii thus be e seem sa thai 'i the oa !'ofi
: cia1' character Of these iuformants of lf
Flint is uf but little consequence, as the
. were not narrating what came under thc
!, "official| notice, Int merely what they ha
heard other people say. II is but fair to N
! | Fliut to say thai he claims to have had
: firm conviction nf :hc truthfu1ncss, nccnrae
and goud faith Of his inforMnnts, and ths
Ec still claims to hold the same convictlo,
Thus fur we have srkcn Of these allcgt
irformauts ''tn Office as though they hay
real existence. and as If Mr.. Flint had actt
4 in good fnitll: but we HOW coolc to a ftotu
!. | of the transaction that shakes that thcol
| 10 the foundation. Mr. Flint now admi
!, that, having no more precise infosm matte
:, than the foregoing general and ronndabo1
Il of'the alleged ''qucstions" in writing,
Is deliberately, sat down at his table III
+ famed. in his own words. what he suppose
= 10 be the "rucstions." protesting to ri
!" the text lit :rally, with accompanying ref:
Is tutiun, and sent this Oft for publication.
p tho specific language Of inquiries submit
II to tho Attorney Gcncrnl 1y the President
i one Of thc most ecrious topics that It is ps
~ tihlc inst now to raise. This Is hts own a
IS mission. 1t is difficult to find proper teri
&c by which to characterize and condemn
Of unscrupu1ous transaction, and VIC leave
n to all those who read It to apply suc..
n they deem most fitting 10 such subject.
. ~ yicw Of these admissions by the man
'e whom the story Of the Questions Is til
ID ultimately traced, We confess to having SC
ot ous doubts as to how fur his statement abe
,r / having any intormants at oil can be trust.
=, and as to whether he must not he consider
~ as having manufactured the VIII
n. story from beginning to end. Hc hiss be
h informed. indeed, that this will probably
is the verdict Of the public unless he gives
" Tic name of the mysterious ''person
h. Office" which he has thus far concealed.
W finally disposing of Mr., Flint, VIC have to {
II TINT II VIC had known the despatch conta
ne Ing the questions came from him, II wo
Is never have appeared in the Ledgtr; but &C
I'd Ing through a correspondent who has b
~. connected with this paper for upwards
" twenty years, We gave 1t that credit
d, thought 1t entitled to from his general &C
" racy.
~ The Albany Journal says: "Wc h,