The sun., 1872-05-30
Are the Government Archives the Pres
ident's Private Propertyf

ADAM BApEAu, who is President GRANTS
Consul General in London, has for some
time been engaged in writing II military
history OF the President, and it has been
proved before the Military Committee of
the House of Representatives that lie has
obtained authority TO remove from the
War Department II great mass of most inn
portant records, letters and documents.
These papers he first took to the White
House, where lac was employed ms one of
the Illegal military SeCrctaucs, and after
ward, when he set out for London, he
had them packed, ami carried tuem there.
II is said that the quantity of papers which
he tUoR viii iim % London lfcG 1yu or
six chests, ana that he aftcrward wrote for
more, and another chest was sent to him
from the Department. The entire record
Of the court which investigated the case Of
Gen. BUELL., with all the headquarters re-
ports of BrELL's operations and six hun
dred original letters, are said to have
been carried away 10y BADEAU. II is more
than two years since he took away the last
of these papers, and although he pretends,
ns il is reported, to have sent them back,
they have not yet been restored to the War
Department; ana if they are ever recover
ed, who will vouch that they have not
been mutilated while in his handsl
The discovery Of these facts followed
upon call made by the House of Represen-
tatiyes for the record of the BUELL. court.
The Secretary of War answered that this
record was so very extensive that he had
not clerical force sufficient to copy it and
send it TO the House within any reasonable
time. The House, however, persisted in
its demand and then 1t was ascertaiued
that the record could no longer be found
in the War Department, but had mystic
riously disappeared! Since then the Mill,
tary Committee have been engaged IN q
secret investigation into the affair; and
although they have made no report, ther,
Is no longer any doubt that the paper
were taken by BADEAU on Presiden
GRANTS authority.
The jealous care with which such docu
ments are guarded by the officers of In,
Department is well known. In many
cases this care has appeared excessive
Thus, 3ehen HoRAcE GREEI.gy applied 10
permission to examine and take copie
OF certain records which he desired in tn,
preparation hl ms lhhollOls ana NhluaDll
"llistory of the Great American Conflict,
IL was denied him, 1t is clear, then, that il
removing these important documents from
the Department, aud in carrying then
away 10 Europe, BADEAU must have pro
cccdcd on an order from the President, fo
In no other way could he ever have Oh
tanned possession of them.
The archives of the Government belong
10 the nation. They are not Gen, GRANT
lie has no more right 10 take public docu
mrnts from the War Department, or (,
direct them 30 be sent to London for hi
own benefit or qualification, than he IN
90 go over to the Treasury Department
and take a trunkful of grecnbucks o
Government bonds and appropriate then
10 his own uso. lie has no more right &
carry OF these archives than CRESwEL
had to siln his fraudulent rcqui,ition 70
Sil3OOO for the CuuUrENNING claim, or thai
EoGEsoN had, on that New Years morn
lug, to take $4,000 out of tic Treasury AM
hand il over to the SECORs. lie has 40 NOR
right TO carry away these records than h
has 10 appoint Cabinet ministers in rctur
Tor presents made TO himself, or to appGn
a. places Of cmolument and power scol
oi his own worthless relations.
This aHt at CARRYING nH the public II