The New York herald., 1874-12-15
The Paciao Mail Inves,igation.

- GOGAAOAzAV IL, Aos -
The Paciao Mail Invesiigation.
The investigation of the bribery suspected
to have been practissd by this company in
procuring the annual subsidy of five hundred
thousand dollars in 1879 is expected to pro-
ceed before the Committee on Ways and Means
to-day by the examination of Richard B.
Irwin, the most important witness and the
| supposed agent Of the company in placing
money where it would "do most good" Pub
lie expectation is active in relation to Mr.
Twins disclosures in consequence of the ex-
traordinary means that have been thought
necessary for securing his attendance. When
the first snbpena was issued to him last week
he could not be found, and it was feared that
he intended to slip away to Europe on one Of
the steamers which sailed on Saturday. The
Sergeant-at-Arms Of the House was accord
ingly ordered to proceed to New York,
arrest Irwin for contempt and bring
him to Washington. The arrest was
made at the Hoffman House on Saturday,
and Irwin, who was suffering or feigning ILL
ness, was kept under guard by Sergeant-at-
Arms Ordway and his assistant until yester-
day morning when they set out with Irwin
for Washington, where he is expected to tes-
tify to-day.
1t appears from the testimony Of Mr.. Hatch
before the committee, on Saturday, that the
records Of the company show that checks
amounting to seven hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars were drawn to the order Of
Irwin in May, 1872, when the Pacific Mail
subsidy was pending in Congress. MIR. Hatch
swears that he has no knowledge Of the
purpose for which those checks were given or
of the uses to which the money was applied.
Irwin, o. course. knows, but he may not
be able to tell without eliminating himself
and may prefer Imprisonment for contempt in
refusing TO answer to the penalties to which
full statement of the truth might expose
him. The company fell under suspicion soon
after the subsidy was obtained, and at the
next session an investigation was moved by
Mr.. Randall and ordered by the House. It
had proceeded but a little way when the
Forty Congress expired, and the tes-
timony was sealed up for the Forty-third Con-
gress which was so engrossed by the cur
rency debates last winter that it did not re-
new the investigation The recent trouble in
the affairs Of the company recalled attention
to the subject, and an investigation was
promptly ordered at the beginning of this
session.
The recent letter of Mr.. John Roach, de-
Tending and lauding the company, has no
real bearing on the subject Of this investi-
cation. Mr. Roach is probably under
bias in favor Of company which
is his best customer, as he is the builder
Of its new ships but no one doubts that he
states his honest opinion of the merits
of the company. Nobody suspects him
of using improper influences with members
of Congress, and it is not likely that Irwin
and his employers made Mr.. Roach conf
dant in their lobbying schemes for getting the
subsidy. The advantages to commerce and the
shipbuilding interest which he sets forth are
irrelevant to the question of bribery which
the Committee on Ways and Means has under
taken to investigate. But if the bribery
should be proved by valid evidence the SUBJ
sidy would doubtless be withdrawn, which
hopes of all the applicants for Congressional
aid at this session. The keenest interest will
therefore be felt in the testimony Of Irwin, to
be taken to-day.
This ugly crisis in the affairs Of the CON-
pany affords fresh demonstration Of the i'm
prudence of President Grant in accepting
its invitation last summer to the expen-
~, o~1 trio tr;v Df %no
City of Peking. The arraignment of
the company for bribing its subsidy
through Congress reflects an unpleasant
light on the great excursion, in which the
President allowed himself 10 be paraded as
the chief recipient of its profuse hospitality.
If the charges now under investigation are
true the purpose of those prodigal attentions
to the President and other officers of the gov
ernment must have been to make friends in
high quarters and lay up o store Of official
good will to shield the past from exposure
and facilitate future raids on the Treasury.
That Haunting and expensive pleasure trip
was made at the expense Of the taxpayers of
the United States. 1t did not become beg
ging company to spend the peoples money in
junketing magnifcence, and it became the
President still less to give them his counte-
nance and accept their scheming courtesies.
We trust he will learn sufficient caution from
what is now transpiring to save him from
falling again into such thoughtless impro-
prieties.
Mr.. Eorster's Speech.
America is q candid country, the more so,