New-York tribune., 1874-03-21
CONTINUATION OF JUDGE DAvIs'S STATE
MENr

MEM.
euoorsrIoss REGARDING TnE MODIFICATION OR
REPEAL OF THE SEIZURE LAw-ACCoUNr OF THE
INTERVIEW AT THE NEw-YoRK cUsroM-HoUsE
RI LATIvE TO PHELPS, DODGE CO.'S CASE.
GENERAL PREss DrsPArcHl
WASHINGTON. March 20.-Judge Noah Davis
Of Now-YoIk again before the Committee on Ways
and Means this morning. lie continued the statement
bc gun yesterday OF his connection with the moiety
cases, particularly the Phelps, Dodge Co. case, and
gave TO toe Committee his views in reference to the
policy Of modifying or repealing the statute which
auhorzrs the OF books aud papers. lie gave 1t
q. his own opinion that that statute was obnoxious to
the constitutional provision which secures citizens OF
the Uuited states from unreasonable search aud sezie
aud that the statute should be repealed.
lie was particularly asked aud gave a minute nc
count concerning interview which TOOK place at The
Custom-hous" tween himself aud the officers OF the
Cn.toins m relation 10 the compromis' ~ the Phelps
badge 4 CO. ease ON De-, 81. o had given a statement
Of the Same interview yesterday omttng. however 60
mention tnc name Of one person present az that
Interview. lie Was requested 60 eiVo the
names ~ an who we're present, aud
he stated thcm as ihc Collector Cen Arthur
tho Naval o0ccr NJ Ilnin; the surveyor. Mr Cornell
the SPECIAL Agent. M JAYNE, ana senator Conklas.
As o tnc latter he expressed his oi ne Dc had done
,c,ifriay that Nr. Copkug there, not bv design.
nnt by accident ana that bis pvscucc hal no Reference
10 the cas, on U,ing pressed, however, hV thc Com
ntcc To- relate substantially wat occurred at that n
tcr,icW be- gave tho suh,tsuc, vf thc conversation
witch to,k pacr, aud which wss ga ufertucc
to tho questions whether Uc decisions ~ thc coars
wcr that u eases ~ "a ,utrs thc Who'll. ,ui,c Vas
tcl or only the particular c ta1t tsiutci
Nth maud sud on tlat rsiut 1fcs narls slus nai N6
aie~ Ce,tlsg aot As st1a, ~ A. saHis. r,f 3D. aad
..., Cd as 40 ariHton nbt Ntaf al tasN iiHI
i,s ,rhoJ, isra,v earftirf. aHa ocsstHssao itai
~ ne PAsrs pa1s e go als, sult 20 a. farVttsfs
.r ft. ..flrr al r.srf shre.H o. ftraf.N
In the aucruoon ju'ec Davis vas examined a.,
the several membcts ot the Committre, aud save hs
NtfWs IN rcgArd to mod a'Ruons O. ~ mate in thc
pfcs,rt rrvruuc system, particularly a. o. cii,s
ana - O. the seizure W bOvks and psp,Fs. ne
exr~rssei Aascli sironsN opposed a. allow toe thc
0,ycrnmcnt omcc~ to have any shsrc of ne moict, ,
end he would have tho psrtrs arcar ecforc the iade
aud be hcad tetrr th,r hooks were examined A. me
close ~ hs statement h, rntcrrcd AGAIN 81 he interview
At the Casteu.house ~ which scustor COnkuus Sss
prc.sL suA sad that hr had uo the slightest idea and
ccrtaulv hat no knowledge aud hNi rcsson 10 sup
pose tlst sruuor Coukhns was In sav way
connected with tho Phelps. Dodge 80. matter
ne iid not wish a. n understood conveying m
irsrcc the rcmotcst mputaon of the kind Ho wanted
u exclude that IDEA entirely ~ he should be- very sorry
o. make suggestion Ia rgari 10 any member OF either
House th, might b. Warvd nto the idea that he wished
io ron,,, an uup,ortnle impression.
NJ Dave. tcmarard that n putung tho question he
whom Jairc Davis had alluded ~ hcug present al the
interview but whom h. bad not named lie had
me,,y d,sitcd TO In What waJ the statement would
he rntr,uufttrd, -
Jutsr ptvis replied that he enh understood NJ.
pswr. ourut o. be- % preclude The dea that there wse
auN dgsir, te euNrr up auN thing
Mt Nlpsvk rvminicd Judge DAVIS hat he hsd not
said ANYTHING u ruivrVuce to hs own private letters
rod n, MI ItNnp 90 thr tnmmittrp,
Judge DAVIS thabkrd MI Nihltek fr the reminder.
,ud .id THAT thrre letters wVre private notes which
Jtyno hld un husnvts pruiu g., lie thought, hoN
tV,t U wnud b. observed thtt the letters wrte simpy
,u uf.sun of hs opneu ~ thc proceeding 90 Oust
hn I'd us fpU Of vUutsc that thlng hat notified him
lp bot hp ha1 ngeu vets sat slure The scs had been
i.vpupr tlht hr bat NOT rH nuY Dee n that fhc ps.
uh.pN ru. case. A. tho uWp a. wruie tho lcitere,
hlWp,tf UU dI fpti little utttlrd aud little suio n
tho uat b ava IN writing ~ ~ no Hh1ut snmo other
maffefs De- had th ont au silusion which he tuew
Ia ur would understand ahuut thuse isaetions ne
.tih in nur ltlfrt that tIt uf ihuips pidgn n
tn Would utf have n.tu en badly hutVhrd. ~
.nu..flur ~ that tn,tt. ~ tho arrangement nt
tht tni iouaa hal been carried uut as htd l'ol con
ttmpatHi ub Nhth hr Wrhu ~ reutsf, thRt ths rsre
of thu.s gyntlsuen tH gluso un without an putlc go
pnsutU would have htrn rnnsuHr stri suh ma %" ohS
punItuttfs wprh HitrtWHri resulted would have been
49,. .rutrl u. Ntl Deco uihft rAptasiun to tnH b.. H.
boot tttrNrd plINttc iittfs hns uu toe stmo sancct
nH uf ronfss ue would net nus tnem bciore ihe Com
Jud.c DAVIS a.n "a 4 in roslri 10 ia,nr thtt - far