The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-09-28

Cong -ess as petitioner 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 mem
Der for many months. Then Congress passed
q solemn law, which directed you, tho Post 4
master General, to ascertain the amount which
the claimant had suffered according to the
proofs and affidavits on file. Nothing ever
came under my observation, nor did ever
hear anything TO justify doubt that the duty
thus cast upon you was must couscientiously
and uprightly perfo rmed.
The law under which you acted, and which
you were bound to take as "guide 10 your
path and lamp to your feet" did not direct
you to do more than ascertain by calculation
the gross amount of the claimants losses,
and of that calculation the elements were fur
nished and the basis prescribed. Your func-
ton was like that of master in charcerY
certain materials which the court has decreed
| TO be authentic and legal. You could not get
behind the act of Congress. Yon were bound
to obey it, even il you had believed it 70 be
as prodigala fraud as the borus to the Union
Pacific railroad, or as corruptly partisan in
| its object as the reconstruction ac; OF 1857.
| But Was there anything corrupt about this
claim? Has ary fact been made to appear
which should have aroused sus picion against
it in the mind of the most vigilant officer
bearing the relation 10 it that you did? There
certainly is no evidence extant that the two
l oc ihod thag
any member of either house was moved to
vote for the law by improper considerations.
Nobody, to my knowledge, has averred that
the claimant himself did anything worse than
present his petition accompanied by the evi.
dence which showed it to be true. Congress
must have believed the evidence, OF else the
law could not possibly have passed. Was
the evidence true? Some Of it consisted Of
public records, which are conclusive. Other
facts rested on the sworn statements of Wit
nesses who professed to ''know whereof they
affirmed" The perfect justice Of the claim
was fully made out unless these witnesses were
guilty of w;llful and deliberate perjury. But
no attempt has been made TO contradict them,
or to cast shade of doubt upon their verac-
ity. They are indorsed by their neighbors as
men of unimpeachable character. Having
for many years lived in the same town with
several of them, whose afidavits are most
important, l know that their oaths are en-
titled to confidence as full and implicit as
the oaths of any men in Americv.
| Such is the case as il appears to me. There
may be some wrong or wickedness about il
that never saw or heard Of, l did not see the
joint resolution or know what was in it until
long after it passed. Subsequently was
asked 10 give, and did give, written opinion
upon the legal construction of it, which was
aid before you. Still later, you and had
some conversation about the points of
law involved. 1t was perfectly manifest to
me that you were giving the benefit of every
doubt to the Government, and were de-
: termined to make your calculation as strongly
against the claimant as you possibly could
: without falsifying the figures. Every act
: done and every word spoken by you in my
! presence tended to show that you were oon-
scientiously devoting your time and labor to
tho performance of an onerous duty, from
which you could not escape.
Having said thus much, let me do myself
the justice to add that am not. never was
and never will be, believer in this mode of
settling differences between the United States
and citizen. Though the legislative decree
made by Congress in this case was, to tie
Q best Of ny knowledge aud belief, founded il
d truth and Justice, and though it be supported
1 l~ 10 1iuh1o
q objection ON general principles. A CLAIM
o ought to be established by evidence, nc
q taken CO parte, but subject to cross-examina
ton and it ought to be passed upon by an
If impartial aud honest tribunal, composed o
n competent judges, unawed by popular in
:. auences, inaccessible to private solicitation
d and without lobby to blackmail the petit
l. toner. But if Congress undertook to exer
y else the judicial function, decided the facts
declared the law, and directed you to exc
in cute their judgment, you are surely no: t
at blame for Going SO.
A. Lam most truls- yours, &C..
Us. BLACK.
1T Hon. J. A. J. Cres,o.H.
MR.. EARLE's LETTER.
ir The following is the letter of Mr.. Earl,
formerly Assistant Postmaster General:
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 26, 1879.
George Earle, Esq:
My DEAR SIR lnclosed is a copy of th
New York Tribune OF the 18th instant,
3 which are two articles, entitled respectivel
ed "Chorpenning" and "The Chorpehning Case.
of l respectfully request that you will rea
he these articles carefully and then advise n
ay what reply you have to make to the Allegn
ng .ions therein concerning your icrmel rel.
at tions with myself, the Post Office Depar
ly ment, and the Chorpenning case.
lat Very truly, yours,
10 JNo. A. CREsw ELL.
it WAsnINGToN. u. c., August u, 1872.
ny Hon. John A. !. Crss,oell, Possmaster General:
en MY DEAR SIR: Your letter calling n
AZ attention to two articles in tho New Yo
as Tribune OF the 10th oi this month, one ent
inn lied "Chorpenning' and the other s.T]
~ Chorpenning Case has been received.
'ne You wish to know what reply l have
md make to the allegations made in these articl
III. concerning my former relations with 70
~ the Post Office Depa rtment, aud with the ca
y" Of George ChorpeDning.
in the article entitled "Chorrenning, aft
rou making allusion to the appointment oi Gs
,rr eral Giles NJ. Smith as Second Assisia
Postmaster General, find the following al
cen guage:
zee. "This significant appointment was speed,
Ger ioilo"ed oy mat OF Mr. deoree Earl
-. FIRST Assistant Postmaster General, Nj. Ear
"c being the law partner of Mr.. CresweIl, Al
but also the attorney oil the Chorpenning ring
de- also find this further language in the sal
-. article:
'ss "Mr. George Earle having remained
ese Office until he had become familiar with /
mp. routine of its business, resigned the FIJI
be Assistant Postmaster Generalship, and pl
sented the Chorpenning budget.'s
A brief recital of facts will completely q
'ble sify these allegations. ! certainly was n