National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-16

/ privileged communication, winch witness Is
not bound to diyulge. Upon that am in
structed by the committee to tell you what the
law is. There is such q thing as privileged
communication which witness is not bound to
disclose against the will of the person who is
entitled to the privilege It Is not the privilege
| OF the witness, but is Is the privilege of the
person who made the communication to the
witness. A communication, fer instance. made
by client to lis lawyer IL relation TO business
committed to the lawyers charge Is privi-
legged communication which the lawyer cannot
be compelled to divulge without the consent of
his client; but a communication made to the gen
tlemen OF the press, and charging any individ-
ual, whether in public or private life, with the
commission of an offence, or the preparation of
an improper thing, is not privileged commu-
nication.
If It were It would be perfectly easy for any
malignant person to scatter his libels broadcast
over the whole country without any RESPONSE
bility whatever for his action. If he could BY
merely disclosing them to a member of the
press, procure their publication everywhere,
and the member of the press is entitled to say
this is privilege communication which will
not disclose, then, as / said, any malignant
person might with impunity disseminate his
libels far and wide over the country. That is
not the law. There is no such thing known as
q privilege communication, and there is not a
court In the country from the highest to the
lowest, In which If you were called upon to
TESTIFY IN reiation 10 tne matters that are now
unuer InVSstiSatlon oeiore Lhis comml.tee,
Tue court naa Jurisaiction 10 inquire Oh them
that 1t would not require you to answer the
question; and subject you to punishment, if
you failed to answer.
Having thus explained to you what the law
is, and your duty under the oath you have
sahen 70 sestny Inc wnoie ruin, ana haginS
aee9 you InaI 10 Is tne ID" anu Luat IL Is
your uuey 70 answer tnis question, - now put
NC quest,on 70 you. VINO toiu you tnaG Mr.
~! siner nae az inCeresC ln any eoqLiact iet py
SnT NJ Doa Wi vi u II WorAs Vi tnis Dlstrlct'
tne Hnness. M,. Nnairinan' 10 you want a
ca .i Ta answer,
.ns ,n,,ran19 LOU nius' jugs OIL your
Hn Tse uy,.u
dne mnness. we'll "ouio nave 10 oechne
an Sse Ii now. n
ia, Inc , Snslrlan. 70 you WISH tne 70 con-
'ir Tt ~ Wt;.n you VIII answer OF not,
nittse bsSs No ohsc.,on y shas ~ .he uo-
usse no oCJectlon w4ateVer, myself,
Tx S oaF Tue rs S Dus must consult
IN Tso e rSai-p e,soI 9 oei1re 30 uolnS,
.,,a, n' oa'i niAn iio" lung d 'iine 10 you oe-
IT, vu,,,,o.. IT,. so
s.anoo,. -" .oo aS ue ~ US upon clrcun-
NJ. i,t % SUI . I Ian oeo .ne Parties.
III s.., IL .T very we'll we an
snsusr We Ths Iihs-.a o o ,bo pery uenlca I
~ the go, ~ .,1,a tS =. ne mnie
nro,oo.ion 81 : IN one u M au 70 tns
too Va us snos oe GneIisneu
W e..o ' suu ior nysei. ah wilihS 70
s ,k you . e sline " ses tne person
W aus sue m anu learn ne
nI ma any upJectioI 70 your uIsclosng ms name.
Inc witness. WISH the committee TO under
ssana sii'. aln 'peaALnS now Vi m
IN .' sL suas mse gNeu W ne. Oussiue Vi
this sn ma
~ suiS seItIeinah anu tnese otneI gentleuen Win
~ ous wan " uuterss1ou was ho' upon
sn az co ra rumor tnat oaseo u:
W. WI. iuul man % we unueIssahu IL: anu IL
- not aoout any common Iutllof Thai inquire,
Jul aoout - spgcnc lniorInat,on.
III. a. y. narlner. hay De ano"eo 70 IN
4uI1 uSsne, INC party ZIG "iIness reieFs W u
nU tn ~ W ~ sSnns' IH
INC "NuesS' uo HUI Know ne may oe OF
NC m IaH{ nos.
Mr. mariner. want 10 know II the party
Wno,n you refer 10 as peinS your informant Is IN
" Tsn Won
INC Tisneeo' BAY he may oc OF may hot ot'
mt na,Iner. 70 you kno" "netner ne Is OF
w, Oh, W ny.
~ Ar ame Sa Az .ns commltbes-)'
~ m 1 anoSeu ~ ~ APiain a. S .I I M-
nv H Huei' man: One .iosiSnt, WI. mariner,
: nsi =. =, az nos mlsn W niterrups tne
T1ha Wt,,. :. - :. 80. ~, Va
ING witness; WISH 70 say InIs, Also thas
nave not looked AZ TINS letter carefully, and
want It borne in mind that have not stated
here vet that wrote that letter
M Tbu-men We Indorsto nd that
IT, WE T - -. -. :. Al,
ING WITNESS; l nave n0S seen II SINCE the
day 1t was published, until 1t was handed me
here.
The Chairman. The committee will rive vou
q. raasooab1 ti,,o - oS;1 Ter -
? roaooaoto sio " eoliii,iuhI01oo VIII SOur
informant, ana II yon can DO SO, between now
morning. c0mmltspe
glad to have YOU.
The Witness. Certainly.
By the Chairman: Q. We should like to have
you do SO by tomorrow morning-Fridsy morn
ing, at all events.
The Witness. Certainly.
The Chairman. The examination of the wit
ness viii then be suspended until tomorrow
morning at 10 O'Clock. Mr.. Harmer, do you
desire to make statement? If you do you can
have the privilege of doing so at this time. Do
you wish to be sworm
Mr.. Harmer. L do.
Mr.. Harmer was then sworn by the chair
man.
Mr.. Harmer. As stated. through your cour-
tesy and the courtesy of the committee, am
indebted for this letter, which will ask the
privilege of reading here in connection with the
statement that propose to make. i
Mr.. Harmer then read as follows:
DEAR SIR: A Witness A. NJ Gibson, is now un-
der examination before this committee, who has
tessined tnat ne mas nt ~, that you were
liz WorSs Of th,s ntsfr;ct To- {ba nc afn ~ sonae
In the District. AS the witness
does not purpose to speak of his own knowledge,
but merely from information, and declines to give
ohs,a nH the 81 bs ,as,ian ~ iS Is
moi legal evidence and does moi imnose mon the
committee the duty Of examining you as q wit
ness. But it seems to the committee proper to
inform you OF what mas been testined TO, and to
Snorp you an opporsun,ty, II you gsshe u, 70 aP
IF YOU Wish TO do So to cross.exsmins Mr. Gibson
.. -,
ma Ies'er Is siSneu W INC cnairiian VI tniS
ooIi,il.se. ~,
uesie W ssy ~ conlieIson VIII sne iesssl
o,e,eu 70 Mnon liercy nesr oin oI Isst
anneared IN the New York SIN of which naner
NJ G;hson "a tba co--asnondsnt cbor,,nt tbet
7 was connected with cantractors IN This his
trict -
7 no,o- sov That lot,or ,e,,bar bodI ,no,rI
edce of n mil NV sttantio,, Iyas. csiled 70 n
TO-DAY A abort time sgo 7 ala nrobabiy-I
SOW : abort fine nrobabfy a year a. . vear and
a half aooSI read a letter from the Washing.
tom cor7esnondent Of the New York SIN In
which II was stated that was a stoekbolder
in .ons navino COMPANY. 7 think the Metro
noiitan
AGAIN. there was a charpe made. and I think
nv the same corresnondent that I was COR
nected with General n n Rinobam N a con-
tract IN This CITY T desire 10 say A. this time
that 40 far as INV Connection or a Charge of