The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-09-14

perform. Whether one rule reuniotes
all the departments we have no means of
knowing, but rather infer that universal
lrreguiarlty is the order of the day. Our
Preoise knowledge is limited to tho two
departments Of War and the Treasury.
where the military records of our own
cause and the purchased and captured
records OF the enemy are deposited.
What the rule once was and ought to be
is very simple and precise, that outside
an Individual access ought rigidly to be
denied, and that the power of The ar.
ecutlve over it's own archives should be
limited to the unrestricted use of them
ior Its own legitimate purposes, with no
delegation to individuals to do ANYTHING
Ior mere personal ends. In short. ex.
cept for actual executive use, We denv
the power OF the Government, without
the action OF Congress. to make public
q single record or document. This NAV
be strict rule, but it is q wholesome
one' and, at al! events, puts an end TO
the abuse OF irresponsible individuals
misusing the confidence which is fspossd
IN them, and the Government descend.
ing from the high level it is supposed to
occupy and prostituting it's records for
low purposes. we have had instances of
-S S"Jt WhAOA dEo very II6Hn IN
our readers recollection. We refer. of
course, to the Badeau raid. the end ~
which has never been clearly asoertained.
and which, to say the least OF it. and
aside from disoredit, cost the Govern
ment something to supply the records
which the biographer or some one else
appropriated-the transfer to the Ma
tlonal COMMITTEES for political uses of the
confederate archives, and, more recent
~ ana turtively still, of the documents
IN relation to Gen. Banks. These last.
heid back till the demonstration in favor
OF Mr: Greeley was made, were printed.
not IKE the others, in Washington, but.
ID order, evidently, to avoid The susp;.
DION OF a breach of official confidence. in
Cincinnati.
On one point. at least, there will be
no dissent, that, whatever the rule NAV
be, 1t should be uniform. This. it an
pears, ls not tile case, and though Ba-
deau may rumtnage to his hearts con
tent, and Gen. Banks enemies have the
run OF the War Department, to INSPECT
copy, and carry away whatever they
need, II Southern man, repentant Of
errors OF the past, and honestly loyal to
the Government of the Union; one. too
accredited as the representative in the
Senate OF recon structed State. asks for
copy OF captured Confederate records
having tendency to- prove his inno-
cence OF charge of inhumanity to pri.
soners, 1T is summarily refused. Gov.
Vance, OF North Carolina, who is now.
oy Act OF Congress, rehabilitated and
loyal citizen of the United States. in de.
tending tlmsef against charge made
near his home OF cruelty to Federal pri-
soners at Salisbury. says:
Wnen was elected to the United
States Senate in 1870, the organ of the
Administration in Washington perpetra-
TED foul calumny upon me by asserting
that1 was In degree responsible for
cruelties to Fedora prisoners at Sails
oury. vent to the War Department,
where my official i ier-books were, (and
are still, pres y and asked permits
sion TO cor ID letters from myself to
the Cc' rate States Secretary of War
o" .subIect. I was told I could look
e. me letters, but could not copy them
without the permission of Congressl I
ala look at them, under charge of
cicrs' and there they were, and are, con-
tanning not only full and triumphant re-
1ntatIon of the charges. but showing that
had exerted myself to obtain an nllevia-
oASAA \.oO PAAoOu0lb ] CO0OILlOQ.
But justice and truth were not e1pedi.
ent then."
Now, let the reader mark every word
OF this precise statement. Badeau. loyal
and faithful to his chief, goes alone to
the War Department; picks and chooses
as he pleases; docs not even pause to
read, still less to copy; packs all he
needs into his huge portmanteaus, and
carries them off to London, and does not
take the trouble to return them. Mr..
Vance, reconstructed and forgiven rebel.
asks to look at his own letters, in which
he had interceded in behalf of Federal
prisoners, and this is grudgingly allowed
under the supervision Of q clerk" to
watch him, lest, like Badeau. he should
Garry them away. He finds the evidence
he seeks. 1t establishes his innocence
OF the gross charge preferred against
him. 1t enables him to show that in his
case there is no difficulty in bridging
over the chasm and restoring tho sympa.
thies of yore, and when he asks permits
sion to make copy Of his own letters,
he is coldly and formally told that
"copies cannot be made without the per.
mission of Congressr'
Washington Patriot.