New-York tribune., 1876-03-01

Il
itself open to be snubbed when it passed Mr..
Lords resolution calling upon the Attorney
General to explain his letter "alleged to be in
contraventiOn of the long-estabiished RUE
"relating to the testimony OF accompllces III
"criminal actions Mr. Pielrepont was not
bound officially to know what the House re-
ferred TO, or to take notice. as Attorney
General of obligations" made by what the
Administration is accustomed to regard rs
reckless veral, and diabOlical newspaper press.
1t was the most natural thing III the world for
him TO say that he was not conscious OF having
written any such letter as the House described;
and indeed we do not see how he could nave
done otherwise with due respect to himself
and to the dignity of his office. Hence the
House got neither more nor less than 1t
deserved when Mr.. PierrepOnt returned the
following answer to the resolution:
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, ls76.)
To Me Hon. ne House Of ReDresentatires:
lam in receipt Il following resolution ofthe House,
namely: Feb. 2l 1876. On motion Of Mr.. Lord
Resored That the Attorney General be required to
inform the House by what authority and for what pur-
pose he recently gave instructions to his suborhateS
alleged TO be In contrav enon OF tho longcsablishcd
rule relating to the testimony Of accOmpcts In criminal
actions"
To which in reply have the honor TO suggest that the
resolution must have been introduced under misappre-
henslon No instructions have been given by the tor
n,yGcneral to his subordinates In contrayention OF
any rule relating the testimony OF accompllcesn cr
iuaI actions, and instructions that had any such
purpose or intent any instructions to which any sueh
purpose could be fairly attributed The only specific In
strctons which hive been given on the subject are those
in certain districts whore whisky frauds being prose
cuted and these are merely in confirmation and ap-
proya arrangements made To use the testimony "I h.
complies. As these arrangements and Instructions re-
late to progress the House viii readily see the
proprety OF Withholding special information relating
thereto until the trials over have the honor to add
q AZ In no instance since have been Attorney General
has there been proposition OF any subordinate OF mine
relating to the testimony Of accoinplices In criminal
actions which met my prompt and cordial zane
ton have the honor to remain yours very opedehty'
EDw ARDS PIERREPoSr, Attorney General.
This communication does not abound with
Interesting information, but it may serve n
useful purpose in teaching raw House OF
REPRESENTATIVES that certain rules OF decornm
must be observed in the transaction of busi-
ness between Congress and the heads of the
Executive Departments.
The fact remains however that Mr.. Pierre
mont wrote a letter Of instructions to the Dis
trict- Attorneys of st. Louis, Chicago and Mil
YANKEE which needs explanation, and lest there
sbould be any further difficulty in identifying
it we reprint it for the benefit of the next
member of Congress who undertakes to draft
a resolution of inquiry:
=" DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
wAsnINCTOS Jan. 26, 1876. )
The Hon D. P. DYER, Uni'ed states District Attorney So
LOUIS 40:
SIR: NV attention has been called t0 number of news
papcrs stating that there would be no further pI2sec
,,,,Itt, phn oufsa a9p(, air
crimes in ST. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee. cannot
believe this to be true but the assertion has been
made that 40 many guilty persons are 10 remain unpun
Ished have forwarded letter TO each OF these cities to
inform each District Attorney Of the fact.
know that many rumors find credencc in these times
OF excitement and that your sound Judgment VIII
prevent any wrong and anything that might look like
fayorng or protecting who have defraudcd the
Government II the repeatedly expressed wish of the
President that guilty should escape. am not
aware that any of the officials charged with the
ton OF the laws contemplate TO favor protect any OF
the accused and the appearance of such favorable
treatment should be carefully avoided.
write this ~ matter OF caution for am determined
TO have these prosecutions conducted that when they
are over the honest Judgment Of the honest of the
country which generally falls to hit the right will
be that no one has moiciousy prosecuted that
one has escaped through fayoritism Partially and
that guilty person who has either been convicted or
tcho hos confessed his guiH ras len unp,oJshed.
EDWARDS PigRHEPONr, Attorney General.
II will not be worth while to ask Mr.. Pierre
pont whether he meant by this extraordinary
letter to "discOuIage Witnesses for of course
he will say No. What effect the publication
of such letter would be likely to have upon
the informers whose confessions supplied the
prosecution with all ITS most important evl-
dence in these cases Congress and the public
can Judge without assistance from the Dis
trict- Attorneys office. The letter speaks for
itself But there are some questions connected
with it TO which Mr. Pierrepont should be
pressed for a reply. Is it true that it was
written by order Of the President, and that
the President wished the threat against in
formers to be still strOngeri How did it hap
pen that these confidential instructions TO the
prosecution were Immediately made known to