The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-16


l.back fnt6 slavery 10 thsy i got Demo
cfuts In. power tiIat they WatiId no Idng
er have any schools. Some of the negroe,
did not desire to vote, saying = was no use !.
| il did them no good. They vera told i
they did not. vote sl,eir Names would b.
taken, and they would zee what senneof tf
He had mnde two speeches during thee cam
pafgn-one at. ,Iunisbufg and the other al
MIR. Stanton plantation. While raakang
the speech at TuHssbsrg the negroes had
frequently interrupted; him With ttireats Of
would have his throat cut. 4
PRESIDENT ORION OF THE WESTERN UNION
TELEGRAPH COMPANY, DECLINES 10 PgR-
NISa THE CONGRESSIONAL CoAATTTEE al
. NEW ORLEANS WfTH COPIES or THE TgLE-
GRAMS DEslRED-HIs LETTER TO Mr.. AoRRI-
CON. AKA -sjs j: .s!E4..s.!4
80. Executive OFFICE, H.
WESTERN Union TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
NEW York, December 10, 1876. u I.
Hon. William r. Morrison, Chairman, de-,
Ne,o Orleans: ....t;s.sft 80 ...ssI !.
several employees OF this company directing
them to produce before the Congressional
Committee, of whichyou are chairman, all
messages In the possession of the company
sent and received by the persons named In
the subp9nas, during several months Of the
present year. - /. 5l,r,.,@ .s7i.i !
Ihave delayed o reply@to these demands
in the expectation that similar, applications
would be made by the committee ct the
Senate charged with the investigation Of
matters connected with the presidential
election and canvass in several States, so
that the action OF the company, being the
same in respect to the messages OF both po-
liticaf parties, could not be..attributed to. o
desire to prejudice or promote the interests
Of either. No StbpgRdS have. yet been
served upon. lis by order OF the Senate COM
mittee, and as further delay might appear
TO be q discourtesy TO yourself andssour
COMMITTEES it does not seem!proper, to fur
ther postpone the answer. IN .5s.yJ .4;s
The SubD9nds were served. before the
investigation which the committee had been
directed to make was begun and before evil
dence had been presented to the committee
either that the persons named in the SUD-
pgnaS had sent.any messages whatever or
that any messages sent: by them related to
the subiect-matter of the investigation. It
appears to have been assumed that persons
holding high official positions under the
Federal and State Governments, and others,
prominent in public affairs, were in the
habit of sending messages by telegraph, and
without attempting to ascertain II any OF
these messages were material to the
Investigation. The officers and agents
OF this company have been COM
handed to lay aside the business
in which they are engaged to- become spies
and detectives upon and iniormers against
the customers who have reposed confidence
in us-the gravest condolences, concerning
both their official and their private affairs.
I have never believed that the Congress Of
the United States. with this subject fairly
before them, would permit committees to
violate the secrecy Of the telegraph In this
manner; and it seems to mo that the
present is an opportunity which it would
be unwise to forego Of obtaining q deci-
sion directly from the representatives OF the
people. II the messages OF persons
connected with one political party
are spread before the public like
course will be taken in respect to
those of the; other party; both parties,
therefore, have the same interest in pub
fishing to the world the secrets OF the teie-
graph offices, or Of preventing such pub
LEFTY. 1t has, therefore, been decided to
decline, very respectfully, to- permit, the
employees of this company to produce be-
| fore any committee Of either house OF Con-
tgress messages sent OF received by the repre-
sentatives OF either the Democratic or the
Republican, party, at least until after Con.
gress shall have approved the subpoenas OF
the committees and directed that their de-
mands be enforced. % ~.
am, with'grcat respect, etc., etc.,
.......,.-.., WILLIAM ORToN, President.
| .,,...... ~. Il, FLORIDA. s,5 af54.,..
SLOW WORK OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT
| TEE-THE AANDAMUs CASE TO BE DECIDED
! TODAY. ',f' ',i '..'f-.' - ,
TALLAHASSEE, December a15.-The con
gressional committee. is still OF work OF
Leon county, and appears to work quie