Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-04-28
A Hornets Nest-Tho President ana
the Secrct-Seryice Fund.
[washlngton Dispatch april 2) to Chicag

the Secrct-Seryice Fund.
[waphlngton Dispatch april 2D to Chicago
Tribune
Caulfeld'e Committee has probably stirred
up a very lively hornets nest in It's bunging
efforts to convict the President Of ordering
an illegal use Of the Secret-Scrvicc fund OF
the Department Of Justice. The gigantic
election frauds which were formerly perpe-
trated in the city Of New York in the interest
and under the direction of the Tammany
Ring have never been seriously denied or de-
Tended even by the Democrats themselves.
The whole subject has been one which Demo-
cratic politicians have studiously avoided,
and no one supposed that by any blunder Of
a Democratic Investigating Committee the
history Of these frauds would again be
brought out and spread upon the record
Of the House Of Representatives. But this
seems to be just what Caulhcld's Com
mittee is doing. After u brief and very
superficial investigation, in which the
committee obtained sufficient information 10
have given it q clue to the whole matter, the
committee, seemingly without stopping to
inquire whether any law had been actually
violated or not, allowed the most sensational
and one-sided report Of its proceedings to be
printed. The result was that within twenty
four hours Davenport, Chief Supervisor Of
Elections at New York, was on his way tn
Washington, bringing with him not only
vouchers and receipts for the money spent,
but also the voluminous papers and docu.
ments showing the extent OF the election
frauds formerly perpetrated In New York,
and the manner in which they were checked
and, to some extent, at least, prevented.
Ddveuporps examination was begun by the
committee this afternoon in open ses-
sion. Caulheld, the Chairman OF the
committee, conducted the inquiry with very
little show Of courtesy to the witness, who
seemed to have nothing to conceal, and not
only the substance OF many Cf his questions,
but the manner in which they were put, was
such as TO be almost offensive. After answer
ing number Of irrelevant questions in re-
gard to his age, former occupation, places Of
residence, political preferences, etc, Mr.
Davenport was allowed to begin a complete
statement Of the manner in which the money
paid him through the SecTet-Seiyice Bureau
was used. He made but little progress to-day
before the committees adjournment was
reached, but he had sufficient time to explain
the character OF some Of the frauds which he
undertook to check in the New York
elections. His further examination to-
morrow will probably DC very inter-
esting. 1t is generally GOV ceded in
Washington to-day that there was really very
little foundation for the sensational writing
which has been indulged in in regard to the
expenditure OF a portion Of the Secret-Service
fund OF the Department of Justice by Super
for the detection and punishment Of crimes
against the United States, and II illegal vot-
3cg at Congressional or National elections is
Il crime against the United States, as it has
been made by the election laws, then its de-
lection was proper object for the eXpendi-
ture Of this money. The reports of the Presi-
dents feeling and remarks on this subject,
have been grossly exaggerated.
The UNANIMOUSLY and maliciously unfair and
meanly partisan version OF the testimony re-
spectng the President which seems to have
been given out by Democratic members of
the Caulfeld Committee, has at last caused
the fair minded men Of both parties in the
House TO realize the monstrous injustice
which results from secret Investigations.
In former Congresses, when the Republicans
had two-thirds majority in the Lower House,
they not only Investigated the abuses OF the
Administration, but always did SO openly.
The Democrats have adopted the contrary
policy, and for the reason that is admitted
il not avowed, that legion of slanders may,
at the end OF the season, be sent to the coun-
try without an opportunity for reply. The
Democrats have selected the plan of star
chamber inyestig alton as the initial step in
their foul campaign Of slander. Probably
the most conspicuous example OF this is the
Caulfeld Committee, The Chairman Of that
committee made very loud pretense that no
man should be DETAINED through his com
mittee, and that no man should be dishon
ored or condemned unheard, yet the most
disreputable scandal hounds, detectives
charged with infamous offenses and the yilest
passions, outlaws from civilization seeking
TO escape from prisons by pleading their own
infamy in their attempts 10 ruin others, can
be daily seen hanging as witnesses or as
repositories of libeIous information about
that cOmmlttee-room door. The er pdrte sto-
rieS Of such persons have been peddled out
in distorted form in the shape OF halfuuths.
which were lies by some person who must
have heard them, and the lof;Y pretense of
the committee has proved a Pnarisaical
mockery, since the lying tittle-tattle Of par
tisan defanlers has sought to peril The fame
of the President Of the United States. The
consequence OF this disgrAceful occurrence
Was observed in two ways at the Capitol to-
day. The storm of indignation was 80 grt at
that the CaulHeld Committee was compelled
to open its doors, and the House, by vote
of 10 yeas to 4S nays in the resolution re-
speeding the Cate and Bristow inyt stigations,
placed Itself on record against secret Investi-
cations. 1t is TO be noticed that the forty
eight were Democrats, and that the yea aud
nay vote was forced upon the House by Kas-
son in the face Of the protests Of the almost
united Democracy. Tue principle recorded
in this vote applies to all committees, and
the Democrats are likely to hear more OF
this.
Yesterdays infamous sensation fell perfect
ly dead in the face of an open investigation
which the Committee was Obliged to have
The fact came out at once that the money
used had been legally expeR1ed, and there
was nothing to justify the Infamous story
Caulheld saw fit to let go out without ex.
PLANTATION, which he had. Many Democrat;
are much provoked at the several roorbacks
he has worked up and given out only to bt
exposed in the next issue Of the paper:
which contained them. This had a good
deal to do to-day with the vote of all but
thirty Democrats in favor of an open investi
CATION under the late resolution.