The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-06-06

known everywhere. have them (hold-
Ing a packuge). / claim / have
the entire right to these letters, not only
by natural right but on all precedents
and principles Of law. The man who
held them in his possession held them
wronglulIy, and the committee which at
tempted 10 take these letters from this
man for use against me, proceeded
wrongfully. 1t proceeded In the boldCst
and most defiant violation Of the ordinary
personal and private rights that belong to
every American citizen. am willing TO
meet the Judiciary Committee OIL that
point. ! wanted ihat committee TO in
troduce il. ! wanted the gentleman from
Kentucky, (Knott), and the gentleman
from Virginia, (Hunton), to introduce
that question on the floor, and they did
mot do 1t.
Mr.. KnOtt-Qn his seat) Oh no you
want to be made a martyr Of.
Mr.. Blaine-Yes, and you did not want
IT, there is the difference. l will go lit
.le farther md ny, You did not dare to do
Mr.Ksot4 swiil no. talk about dar-
ing.
a question OF order, is the gentlemans
language parliamentary.
Mr.. Blaine-Yes, entirely SO.
The Speaker pro TEN. Cox in the
chair--It's for the chair to decide.
Mr.. Blaine-I understand the Judi
ciary Committee to have abandoned that
issue against me, but there has gone forth
an idea or impression. that because |
would not permit that man or any man
when could prevent it, from holding as
menace over my head my private cor
respondence there must be something in
it most deadly and destructive TO
my reputation, / would like any gentle
man on this floor, and all Of them are
presumed to be men OF affairs whose
business has been varied, and whose
intercourse has been large, TO stand up
here and say that he is willing and ready
10. have his private correspondence
for the last ten.years handed over and
made public. Does il imply guilt? Does
it imply wrong doing? Does it imply
weakness that man will protect his
private correspondence No, sir; it is n
mans first instinct 10 do it, and it is the
last outrage to violate it. ! have detied
any power to takrthese letters from me,
and | do it still. speak with all
due respect for the Housc, | know iu
powers and trust that respect them.
But say that this house has no more
power to order what shall be done or not
done with my private correspondence
than it has 10 order what shall do with
the buEture, and the admonition Of my
children, no. one particle more, but |
am now to show these letters lhOlding
them up in his hand). thank God Al
mighty that 1 am not ashamed 10 show
them. There they are. There's the very
original package. With some sense OF
humiliation, with modification which
! do not pretend TO conceal, with sense
Of outrage..which think any man in my
position would feel, invite the confidence
uf iorty-iOur millions. of people, and !
will read thCsc letters. Applnuse, which
the Speaker pro TEN endeayored to sup
press. Many Of these letters have not
the remotest bearing on the subject, but
some Of them will requirea little expla-
nation; some Of tliem may possibly in.
yolyc humiliation, but ! would good
deal rather take that than take the evil
surmises and still more the evil inferenccs
that might be drawn il did not act with
this frankneN.
Mr.. Blaine then proceeded 10 read and
to make passing comments on And ex-
plantations OF the various points in the
several letters. The allusion TO the
Spencer contract he explained by saying
that in the summer Of 1861, two years be.
fore he first came TO Congress, he bad
been asked il he could get an opportlini-
ty for the inventor Of the Spencer repeat
ing rifle 10 bring that new arm to the Az
tention OF the Secretary Of War lie
came on to Washington, and had an in
terview with Secretary Cameron. Mr.
Cameron gave orders 10 have IL tried by
the Ordnance Bureau, and it was thor
oughly tested and the experiments were
so satisfactory that a preliminary order
for 10000 rifles was made, Hebad been
paid not an exorbitant but moderate
lee for his services in the case, which he
had tdst rs much liberty to'keep Us any
lawyer or agent had TO take . fee.
Subsequently he had taken and paid for,
slo,o0o worth Of STOCK IN ine company,
that was the whole story Ihere are the
tiVe letters, there are ihe whole oil .hem,
and mere Il MuiIlgahs memoranuum, l
Keep II a: protection ior mysen 70 snow
the identity oil tue letters IN every re-
spect. ,,.,,
MI; dIovernWlii you nave 'h"t -meni'
NJ Mr. R!sine5IwiI Hs6v. ,tIs DO .xS,;, So ,,v.,
Mr.. Hale-Does THIS EXHIBIT cover ev-
cry paper that came from Mnlligan!
MI biaine-EveFy solitary scrap
Mr.. dlover,Let mat memorandum DE
read atthe clerks aesk'
Mr.. Blaine-(sending i to the clerks
neaH ~. ieT' W. .a9 70 mnHc H. re"o ~
,,;II;0,n ill., ,'.'0""s 7" '"e 1is"'' A'""' u
IL, oc;ohsr A 1sGo-Ro,,,irc N the
,oha,S % ~ H. Ions ,nJ A. RJo;n.',
leTae % ~ ny ae IN i,onSs Gs anu @ Hss, I'D p,A'Ia IT,
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