The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-11
ObStraCting Investigation.
The Presidents Way of rotectlng
Himself and His Friends.

WASHINGTON, April 24.--The effect OF
the exposures of Grants unwarrantable
and illegal orders to the Attorney-Gener-
al to divert the secret service fund OF the
Department of Justice to partisan polltl-
cal purposes in New York city, is shown
by the extraordinary action OF the Pres
ident in ordering the Secretary Of the
Treasury not to allow the Committee on
Expenditures in the Department Of JUS
tice to have the United States MarshaFs
accounts and those of the Chief Supervi-
sor of Elections. The committee on Sat
urday last, through its chairman, Mr.
Caulfeld, requested Secretary Bristow to
send to the room of the committee this
morning these original accounts in the
custody of clerk who was familiar with
them. 1t was expressly understood be-
tween the chairman of the committee
and Secretary Bristow that the accounts
were not to be retained, but were to be
returned the same day with the clerk,
The committee did not desire to call for
copies of the accounts, as this would re-
quire great deal of labor on the part OF
the clerks in the First Comptrollers Of
fee, to which the accounts properly be-
longed, and therefore Mr.. Bristow was
consulted, and the arrangement alluded
to above made.
On Friday last the accounts referred to
were sent to the committee by CLERK,
and taken back by him. The committee
desired to make further examination of
them to-day; hence the Secretary was
requested to send them back this morn
ing in the custody Of clerk who under
stood them, and could explain them to
the committee. Among the number
called for was the extraordinary account
of the Marshal, which the accounting OF.
fcers of the Treasury refused to pass, and
which the President ordered to be paid.
Secretary Bristow, in answer to Mr., Caul-
fields request, sent the following this
morning: N
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, D. c., April "a, 1876. !
Hon. B. G. Caulfeld, Chairman Of Commit
tee on Expenditures in Department Of JUS
tice!
SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter Of the 22d inst,
requesting me to send to your committee
all the accounts of United States Marshals
of the Southern District Of New York
from the spring of 1871 up to the present
date; also the accounts Of the Chief Su-
pervisor of Election in the city Of New
York during the same period, and to have
the same placed in the charge of person
thoroughly acquainted with and who
can explain them to the committee.
In reply have to say that in compIl
ance with an executive order prohibiting
the removal of original papers from the
files of this department, | must decline
to grant your request | will add how
ever, that if you desire it, a suitable room
in this department will be assigned tothe
use of yourself or any member of your
committee for the purpose of enabling
them to examine any or all papers above
referred to, and that clerks familiar with
the accounts will be directed to attend
upon such examination, and furnish all
the information they have bearing upon
the subject.
Very respectfully,
B. H. BRISTow, Secretary.
By this it will be seen, that in obedi'