The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-09-21

gu uOueSIly VI COlEuplly.
1t is but fair to say that / intend to use
your answer for my public vindication.
With sentiments of high regard, l am
your obedient servant,
J. A. J. CREswELL.
P. S.-Please send answer by bearer.
j. A. J. G..
JUDGE BLACKS REPLY.
YORK, Aug. 81, 1872.
Ny DEAR SIR:-Your letter of yester-
days date informs me that you have been
charged with criminal misconduct in the
case of Geo. Chorpenning's claims against
the United States, and you ask me to say
whether | know of any grounds for believ-
ing that you acted improperly or corruptly
in that business. | do not hesitate to reply
as fully as can. You are right in suppos-
ing that our adverse political sentiments
will not influence me in matter like this.
Besides, it does not appear, as see it, to
have any connection with politics. If you
have been slandered your own party had at
least as much to do in cencocting the false
hood as mine. The malice that made the
accusation without a particle of proof to
support it; the baseness that refused you a
hearing, and the treachery that left your
innocence without defender were Repub-
lican all through and all over.
What particular act of corruption are
you charged with? You mentioned none
in your letter to me, and l have up to this
time seen no specification of your supposed
offence. The general assertion against a
public officer that he has acted dishonesty
is easily made and impossible to answer
with anything but general denial. You
have made your denial in very emphatic
terms, and every just man in the country
will say that under these circumstances
you are entitled to triumphant acquittal.
Such, | do not doubt, will be the popular
Judgment.
But you have the advantage of being
able to show that you executed your duty
the case referred to with laborious fidelity,
and with the strictest regard to the SUI
preme law of the land.
George Chorpenning, mail contractor.
alleged that he had, without any fault of
his own, suffered severe injury by the un-
lawful action of the Post Office Department
an injury which swept away from him all
the previous earnings of an industrious life
and reduced him to utter poverty. He
repeatedly applied to the Department for
reparation, but was told that he could not
have it without a special authority of Con-
grcss He went to Congress as petition
er for the redress of his grievances, and
filed the proofs of his claim in the House
of Representatives, where they remained
open to the scrutiny of every member for
many months. Then Congress passed
solemn law, which directed you, the
Postmaster General, to ascertain the
amount which the claimant had suffered
according to the proofs and atfidavits on
file. Nothing ever came under my obser-
I haa 70
Justify a doubt that the duty thus cast
upon you was most conscientiously and
uprightly performed.
The law under which you acted, and
which you were bound to take as "guide
to your path and a lamp to your feet" did
not direct you to do more thar ascertain
by calculation the gross amount of the
claimants losses, and of that calculation
the clements we're furnished and the basis
prescribed, Your function was like that
of master in chancery who is ordered to
make up an account from certain materials
which the court has decreed to be anthem
tic and legal. You could not get behind
the act of Congress. You we're bound to
obey it, even if you had believed it to be as
prodigal fraud as the bonus to the Union
Pacific railroad, Or as corruptly partisan in
its object as the reconstruction act of 1867.
But was there anything corrupt about
this claim: has any TACT peen maze 10
appear winch siiouio nave aroused Sis
picion against it in the mind of the most
vigilant officer bearing the relation to it
thaI you olo ihere certainly IS no evil
uence eAIans tn"S 'he wv nou'es VI oohc
gress were prioeu' Oh t,aI any nietnoer Oh
either HOUSE Wds iioFeu W 'oIe ior tne Id"
by improper considerations. Nobody, to
&loA a. Il.
my knowledge, has averred that the claim
ant himself aid anything worse than pre-
sent his Petitioh' accompanied py the EVIL
dence whicn showed IL 10 pe true. Con-
gress must nave oelieVed the evidence, or
else the law could not possibly nave passed.
was the evidence tiue! some OF 1t con-
sisted OF public records, which are eonclu-
elusive. Other facts rested on the sworn
statements OF witnesses WI" protessed to
kno" "nereol tney ahtlheu. Inc perfect
JUSTICE VI Vic 'i"i'h was luiiy ih"ue OUT
unless tnese witnesses were guilty Oh Will
iui ana deiloerate perjury but no attempt
has been made TO contradict them, or to
cast shade oil doubt upon their veracity.
They are Endorsed by their nelghbors as
men OF unlmpeachable character Hav-
ing for many years lived III the same town
with several OF them, whose affidavits are
most important, l know that their oaths
are entitled to confidence as full and i'm
plicit as the oaths OF any men in America.
Such is the case as it appears to mo-
There may be some wrong or wickedness
about it that L never saw or heard of. |
did not see the joint resolution or know
what was in it until long after it passed -
Subsequently was asked to give and did
give, a written opinion upon the legal con-
struction of it, which was laid before you.
Still later, you and had some conversation