The New York herald., 1876-12-22
LETTERS AND 7ELEGRAMS
Agitation on the Inviolability
Of Correspondence.
Mr.. HEWITPS CHARGE In THE HOUSE.
Action of the House on the Recusant
Telegraph Manager
Mr.. HEWITTS CHARGE IN THE HOUSE.
What Is Said in the City en- the
Violation OF the Mails.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81, 1870


In the House to-day Mr.. PLArT, OF New York. Of
fcred a resolution, reciting that Abiam s. Hewitt has
asserted this floor In Speech that his letter pass
ing through the Post Office at New York have been
illegally opened before delivery, and while in charge
OF the postal officers employees OF tho United States
aud providing for committee OF hve TO investigate
such charge and whether the be true or
false, and by whom, II by any person, said criminal
acts we're committed
In connection with he sent to the Clerks desk and
had read telegram received to-day from Postmaster
James, at New York, pronouncng Mr. Hcwitts accu-
sation utterly and absolutely false, and requesting
investigation
Mr.. HEWITT objected to the preamble as suggesting
language he had used and asked that his
tual language be quoted.
Mr. PLATr modified the preamble accordingly, quot
ing in it tho following sentence from Mr.. Hewts
marks yesterday
wish to that during the last month my attention has
Sssp % fasa o my G own Letters p pa,sas 81 the New
form and the best Judgment gentlemen have submitted
rseosed Sy the us @Sssse % ghieS
is affected that the used is shown the envelope
which has a puckered appearance.
REMARKS MR.. HEWITT.
Mr.. HEWITT proceeded to state the circumstance
under which he made the charge. He said about a
month ago he received anonymous letter stating
that the writer was an employs III the New York
Post Once, and that he felt bound to communicate the
fact that Fnts little kcttle'' At work his let
The only attention which had felt called upon
10 pay TO this anonymous letter observe closely
the letters which he received. Hc had found that a
considerable number OF thcm presented appear
ance OF having boen opened, the flaps Of the
gated appearance He called the attention Of
gentlemen inhs oflco TO the fact and they had
which had been apparently opened those that had
not been. When he had como TO Washington he was
struck with the fact that letters received IRON Boston,
Chicago and other points lad perfectly smooth sur
lace the 1ap OF the envelope, while frequently
letters from New York presented that corrugated a-
pearance. He had happened to show TO Mr. ParSe
Goodwin, friend OF lhe Postmaster one OF these en-
velopcs ana asked hm II 1t had not been opened
Mr.. Godwin looked at il and said that it
tSS Goaw,n TO see Mr.. james, in whose niea. s.
rity he (Mr. Hcwilp had entire confidence, and
mutations in politics, and to mention the matter to
him. He (ir HewitD wished the House to UNDER
stand that he did not :hlnk Mr. James would be or
could be party TO any tamperlng with letters He
had shown two letters one morning to the gentleman
from Name (Mr. Hae) and had pointed out the
gated appearance OF the envelopes and Dir. Hale had
told HIM that ne ought TO call the attention OF the
House to the matter If ho thought his letters
tampered with. But II would readily that 1t
would be hardly possible TO bring forward any other
evidence than the that the letters had this appear
ance. He had therefore, not stated 1t as a iact nor
did he state il as fact but he had that
SUSPICION which amounted to belief that his letters
had been opened. and he had acted that belief by
sending by express special letters and requesting gen.
temcn who had sucn special letters to forward Them
by express. 1t may be tha. in dong he was taking
unnecessary precaution 1t might be that hSHyes de,
ceved him, or it might b6 tha, u commieeo! inves-
tgation would be able to get facts which he had
no knowledge. He had no objections, OF course, to a
committee Of investigation but he thought probable
that good would come of 1t and that i'm
portant facts would be discovered Hence he
had not been willing to put the country 10
the expense or investigation. But II II
the wish Of the House or OF the gentlemen tho
other sido have he should cheeriuily assent
Unfortunately he had thrown in tho basket the
anonymous letter, as he did all anonymous
letters as he received from ten to twenty
a week. Therefore its handwriting could not be iden-
ti6ed So, too. with the envelopes, they had been
thrown away, and il u remarkable fact that mono
the letters received by him to-day presented any
appearance OF having been tampcred with.
Sir. KAssoS, trep OF Iowa, said he had favored the
Introduction OF the resolution not merely because II
concerned the administration OF an officer Of The
highest reputation but especially because the public
confidence should not DO destroyed without cause IN
the Post ONCE Department During his own conncc-
ton with that department, nt the opening OF the
late war; sacred was the rule OF InvoIublty OF
rcspondcnce that although repeated representations
made by local postmasters as TO the Importance
of ascertaining hostile proceedings through let
ters deposited in the Post Ulhcc, an order
was issued IRON the department probiblling tho
tampering in any way with sucn letters. The only
alternative Tor tho investigation suggested was that
tho Postmaster General should make IT, But that
official had not the power which the House had TO
make thorough investigation lie might send special
agents, but the power TO summon witnesses aud TO
take testimony did not exist IN HIM did a CON-
miltce OF the House Unless, therefore, the ger
man INF. deWitt) WOulu SATISFY inc puOuc MIND by
stating that he had sufficient ground his charge,
he did not that the House could withhold assent
to the resolution.
WHAT STILL REMAINS TO THE CITIZEN
Mr.. HALx said IL was very clear 10 hun t.at this
n matter which the House should not let drop. The
nvioabity OF The Post Office Department was a thing
that should be maintained and upheld by every power
of the government II was all the more important
now that that department should be undislurbcd and
unmocsted Since yesterday the House had taken
from another branch Of communication between
and man all that IL ever had OF nvoabi,y. The post
and a.,
better IN the exercise OF It's highest power than ferret
and probe such matter to the bottom. Let tho in
vcstiguon be made most searching anu complete, and
let tue House know whether nerc had been any inter-
ference with the correspondence OF any gentleman and
more especially OF the leniicnan ron New York tMr.
Hcwit,l who he d foremost place In one OF the poll
tica parties o the country.
THE rgLhGRAM QUESTION
The SPEAKER laid before the House n tclcgraphc
commun cation from w. II. MORRISON chairman of the
Louisiana investigating Committee, transmitting a
record OF the proceedings before the committee in the
OF h. W. Barnes, manager OF the Western Union
Telegraph Company ut New Orleans who refused to
obey the subpoena duccs tecum, ana produce the tcc-
grams which hc had been ordered 10 bring with hin.
Tho order OF the committee was that the Chairman
should communicate 70 the House tor its Information
the refusal of Barnes TO produce the tclcgrams
The reading oil the papers having been concluded,
Mr. GARrELp OF Ohio called attcnlIon TO the TACT lhal
the report did bear tue signature OF Mr. Morrison
but the handwriting OF the telegraph operator.
Mr.. KNOTT, tdcm. OF KY. then offered resolution
directing the speaker to issue warrant Tor the arrest
and bringing TO the bar OF the House without delay
H. W. Barnes answer Tor contempt OF tho authority
the House aud breach OF ITS privileges refusing
10 produce the ecgraphc dispatches, that he may be
dealt with US The law under the facts may require.
Further objection was made TO taking action on
tclegraphic communicat as II were Official re-
port, but the Speaker overruied H.
Mr. KSorr moved the previous question on his
luton, and declined 10 acccde TO Mr. Garlelds request
to allow some time for discussion.
When the vote came TO be taken scconding the
prev question the republicans resored 10 tho plan
Of Withholding their votes so that shere should bo
quorum voting
Again Mr. GARFIELD suggested that time
snould be allowed for discussion, but Mr. Knott's
reply TO 1t was motion for call OF the House.
The first roll call showed the presence Of 106
members
Mr.. WOOD, tdem.) OF n. r., then rose and said that
his side the House had disposition to prevent dis
cusson, and he suggested that the question
should be considered seconded and that the hour
winch Mr. Knott would then be entitled should be d.
vidcd equally between both sides Of the House
Mr. GARFIgLD-That IS all wc have been ting on
The suggestion was agreed TO.
Mr.. KAssoS, of Iowa, then submitted In writing a
urder lhat the report heny Without xerllca