New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-10
" MIN THAT DOES Mt WISH TO BIZ
UJYFD Up IN THIS MATTER"

When Mr.. John ID. SanbOrn was requested
the other day to give the name of the " conf
4" dcntial man in New-Yorkr who advised HIM
to copy list of 600 railroads out OF Apple
tops Guide and swear off-haud that they were
all indebted to the Government, he refused 70
do so, because the person in question did not
wish to be mixed up in the matter. Inc re-
luctance of the Confidential Man seems TO De
shared by everybody who has had any con-
nection with the case from first to last. Inc
officers of the Treasury withheld the papers
called for by the Committee. The Govern
ment impcded and tried to prevent the Indlct-
ment of the Sanborn partners IN Brooklyn.
Mr.. Sanbon himself gave part of his testimony
on cOmpulSlOn, and on some points de-
clined to furnish any information whatever.
Mr.. Richardson attempted to throw the burden
of responsibility upon other functionaries-
now upon Mr. Boutwell,, now upon MIR. Ban
field. now upon the clerks of the Department.
Assistant Secretary Sawyer tried, with every
mark Of irritation, to shift the load upon
Boutwell,, Richardson, and BAYFIELD, conformity !;
and finally the Solicitor, who has had pretty
hard time during the past week, frees his
mind with frankness of which the investl-
cation thus far has not afforded many Illus
trations. His testimony is by long odds the
most direct and most important that mas Deeh
elected. He tells tho Committee IN pam
English that these contracts which Mr.. Rich
ardson processes to have signed in routine
way without knowing what they were, these
orders to which the Secretary affixed his name
without reading orEcOmprehending them, were
all made by the express direction of Mr.. Rich
ardson himself. The contract covering the
now famous railroad cases in particular was
granted by Mr.. Richardson with full under
standing of what it was, and the Solicitor re-
ceived orders from the Secretary's own lips to
make out the necessary papers. What
have stated" says Mr. Baniield, 81 have
STATED with entire friendliness and with no
hostility to any man living"-which, of
course, we are very glad to believe. But
Truth has higher claims than Friendship;
and Mr.. Banfeld is impelled to declare that
Mr. Richardson, instead OF being the
blind victim of routine, went into the Sanborn
business with his eyes wide open and that
Mr.. Sawyer shared IN the responsibility, told
an absolute fasehood when he represented
that Banfeld asked for the Presbery creden-
tails, and moreover, before the SanbOrn law
was passed, pressed the Department to stretch
point for the purpose of giving contract
to Kelsey Sanborn also testified that Rich
ardson knew all about the contracts from the
outset; and Supervisor Simmons, it will be
remembered, gave some remarkable evidence
touching conversation he had with the Sec
rotary in Boston on the same subject.
Unless Mr.. Banfied is a monumental liar,
we must now consider it certain that Secre-
tary Richardson is responsible not only le-
gally but morally for the whole of this great
scandal. We have already shown that how
ever the contracts may have originated, they
could not have remained in force, under all
the circumstances of the case, if the Secretary
of the Treasury had been both competent and
honest. But we must now say more than this.
We can no longer doubt that Mr. Richardson
was primarily in fault, and that his recent
statements to the Committee were grossly dis
ingenious. This man that does MT want to
be mixed up in the matter" has gone 30
far, in his attempt to conceal fault, that he
has sacrificed his character. We do not
charge Mr. Richardson with pecuniary dishon-
esty. There is no indication that he ever re-
ceiyed a penny of Sanborn's ill-gotten money.
But he has evnced disgraceful cOwardice
which the public can never forget or forgive.
TEMPERANCE AT THE POLLS.