Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-09-17
CAN'T SEE THEM.
A Respectable Citizen De-
MED the Privilege Of Ex- /
aiming the Records
in the Secretary Of
States Office.
THE SAME OLD PARTY.
As it Vas Under DNFst0sU,
EUe9a so Is 1T Under
Taylor.
THE SAME OLD PARTY.
Ftnm the Madison Journal. Saturday, Sept. Ii.

the Treasury Agency business,and also
to the matter of the St. Croix and
Superior Land Grant. 1t was known
and commented upon very generally
in the papers of the State, that the
Treasury Agency of DR.. Ebert was a
scandal and an outrage upon the peo-
pie. And there were very many sus-
picious circumstances, indicating that
a countless and hungry hoard of agents
were preYing upon the Land Grant.
1t was thought to be matter requir-
ing investigation, SO that the people
might know what their masters were
doing in matters Of so much public in
terest.
On Wednesday last, Col. Robert
Monteith, for several years clerk in
the Office of Secretary of State, under
Mr.. Breese, applied to Mr.. Cadwala-
der, the Assistant Secretary, for per-
mission to examine the records in the
matter of the Treasury agency, which,
strange to say, was refused, on the
himsy pretense that no one but the
Governor could have access to the re-
cords Of that Office. Even if such
was the law, which we claim, how
ever, is not, under the practice estab-
lished and carried out by successive
Republican administrations, any citizen
of the State, for any purpose whatever,
is entitled to an inspection of the re-
cords of any office in the State Capitol,
during business hours.
By this highhanded course do these
model Reformers hope to screen them
selves and their acts from the public
gaze? Is there something behind the
scenery that will not bear the light Of
day2 Do they expect by playing the
bluff game to stifc investigation If
so, let them understand at once that
their attempt is certain to prove mis-
cradle failure, and to recoil upon their
heads with terrible force. Never be-
fore in the history Of our State Govern
ment has a greater outrage been COM
mitted upon the people, upon the
rights of one aud all of the sover-
eigns of the Commonwealth. 1t is
usurpation by the servant, upon the
rights and privileges of the masters,
and public opinion, with its irresisti-
BILE power, will compel them to open
wide the portals of the Secretary of
States Office, and let in the sunlight;
Of investigation.
We hope that this article will open
the eyes of the occupants Of that Of
fee, and that, hnding discretion the
better part of valor, they will
reconsider their &C ton.
General Monteith's letter is as fol-
lows:
MADISON, Sept. IL, 1875.
EDITORS STATS JOURNAL: On Wednes-
day, the 9Th inst, applied at the office
of Secretary of State, to examine some of
the records there. l desired especially
to know the amount of money collected
by the Treasury Agent S nce May /, 1875,
and also the number and names of tn e
agents employed, and the amount expend-
ed for their salaries, in protecting the
timber on the St. Croix and Lake Super
ior Railroad Land Grant, subjects on
which it would be well for the public to be
informed at the present time.
Being conve rsant with the business Of
the office, told Mr.. Cadwallader, Asst
Sec'y of State, that could find what
wanted without any assistance. He told
me to 60 ahead took the daily record
kept there, and was about to proceed on
the Treasury Agent business, when Mr..
Cadwalla der came up to me and asked me
what information wanted. | told him
was looking up the Treasury agents bust
ness. He Immediately told me | could
not do it; that the records of that Office
were not open to the public; that no per-
son but the Governor had right to in
spect them, and he took the book from
me.
/ told him that did not know what
the laao was on the subject, but / knew it
had always been the practice under Re
publican administrations to allow any res
spectacle citizen to examine any re cord or
paper in the Office, and that myself had
spent days assisting in examinations for
the benefit of parties desiring information.
| was not only debarred from examin-
ing the records myself, but was refused
the information In any manner from that
office.
send you the statement of facts that
the public may know what to expect from
their servants, especially in the office of
Secretary of State.
RoBT. MoNTEITH.
From the Journal of Monday, Sept. 10.
Since the above appeared in our is
sue of Saturday, we have examined our
files, and find that history has repeated
itself. Twenty years ago, under the
dynasty of VIM. A. Barstow, the
right of the people to examine the re-
cords was refused, as it has been now,
under the dynasty of VIM. r. Taylor.
When the Supreme Court examined
that record it hurled VIM. A. Barstow
from power, and no Democrat has oc-
cupied the Executive Office since, until
VIM. r. Taylor was elected, and now,
after an interval of twenty years, the
public records are again closed to the
people. We copy an article from the
STATE JOURNAL of November 26,
1855, to show HOW 1T WAS UN-
DER BARSTOW w:
THB INsoLENCE OF OFFICE.
There have been so many conflicting re-
ports respecting the vote of Waupaca
that Mr.. VIM. Welch and one of
the editors of this paper went to the Sec
retary of States office on Saturday and
the Deputy Secretary, with all
the courtesy they could muster, and the