New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-26
THE PRIVACY OF TELEGRAMs.

SUMMONS or TIE HOUSE TO THE WESTERN UNION
CoMPANY-REPIY or THE PRESIDENT THE
SENATE COMMITTEES ORDER AND THE REPLY
NO CONTROL OVER sUCH PAPERS.
The House Committee now investigating the at
fairs connected with the late election in Louisiana
having requested the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany TO furnish copies Of dispatches which passed
over the wires between certain persons con-
nected with the election, the president Of
the company on Dec. II addressed com
muncation 20 Sir. Morrison, chairman of the
committee, declining to do so. The reasons given
were that without attempting to ascertain If any
of those messages were material TO the inVestlga-
ton the officers and agents of this company have
been commanded to lay aside the business in which
they are engaged 10 become spies aud detectives
upon and informcrs against the custOmerSwho have
rcposcd in us the glayest confidence concerning both
their official and their private affairs" Since then
the following correspondence has ensued 1t was
sent ont Yesterday by the Western Union Telegraph
Company:
I.,curfyE OFFICE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH Co,
NEw-YoRK, Dec. 20, 1876.
10 ne Hon. WILLIAM r. MORRISON, Chairman Hee-
sn,: accompanying this / send you communication
mace by me this day Ia the Speaker OF the H0useor
Rcnrc cntatiycs In respect 70 paper served upon me-
nn which requires the scrgeantat-Arns OF me House Oh
I,,resrntafiyc. To summon 10 appear before your
,,pnIttac NJ New Orleans ON the 10Th Of December.
do not suprosr il is thought possess any personal
knowledgr concerning any OF the matters TO DC 'eS'i
am 5nt now recovering from long and serious Ill
moss and NV health is in such state that could not
thnut great Inconvenience and risk. as well as uli-
necessary eN"ense TO the GOyerhhen Shr % t to
ioufney rs that 10 Nrw-Orcans trust therefore, thit
mny Ie relieved from personal attendance, ana tnat
such report IA You may think proper 10 make 70 inc
sneaker OF the House may not involve me III contempt
fdr failure 10 auucaT personally. possess 10 hhOwi-
edge i'm respect 10 any matter conhded TO you Tor nVeS
plop or In respect to Tie papers winch you sees "hen
gouId he ~ any yyIue TO YOU II were there. a, very
rmoosu us. WILLIAM ORroN.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPATf'(
EEw-YQRK, Dec. %, 1876.
To he Hon. SAMUEL j. RANDALL, Speaker Of the House OF
RrOrescntdircs, Washington, ~ o. . T., o,,, %,
sIR: on the 10th day OF December paper tcoIy VI
which is hereto annexed was hahueu 20 ,h' a.
Arms ar his special messenger ana ssn.u y! os go
speaker, by which paper ne 'aiG NJ New
before the special committee or the n",Sroi ,na
tvcs OF which tie Hon william H. Moillsoh hi - tr
man ALI telegl7lIns IN his .esSOn or ulcI h ~
received or sent by William r. Chandier Hacn CIn
j. Don Cameron NJ Ed9uq 1ds james Gs.c N H. q. Pit
Kin Henry G. Dibbcll. IL: c. Warnoth heoTEc NWhto
and Cen Augr from aud at 6 Tie arst dny
ton city, ID. G., heW-lorh ''''' ~ ''
i2 vnmcr also appears to require said Thompson to
oiu "la -, sT,rar before said select committee at
summer time and place then and there 10 testify touch
o itcrs rf nutiiry committed 10 SAID committee.
'nt t, tbai aid papcr is enormously supposed 10
eoutan SOME command addressed 70 lc iln de-
produce before 81 cohlnitte ,T3 ,a~ rontTo / be-
ari,,,inn iu my possession or Gnuef my Cohtlo &c
i gprnectily to inform you that II any SUCH mes
sages have existed, OF when ma g J onv p9
session Of them; that have heES u irII,O TIcronb
them kept as an agent Of the western uniou
",,ay Through and by the cOOpeIatlOn OF slDOIouu-
0te ngc,is that the western mon tcvt u an y, hui
has Wltlout any knowledge or participation on ty pa
tr iroU, mo an powpr and control over an MESSAGES
ong n, The possession Of the company. pes 49, 49,
Te,Iectfully TO be excused from c1npahee
Viii he aforementioned requirement. never having
been at any time since the sela 70 ,ytb the same
being not now in my power u oo'nPyI WuiJIu ORION
yeTy rspsetia &c s;,, ro, ss ferioaay APPEARED
guy ana Go.M sg o. ~ December 1876 William Or
ton TO me personally known, wno Osihg Sod ~ The
siol VandnIl Speaker OF the House OF REPRE-
sentatycs Is true and that the SAINT Is nao sb
his return TO the certain paper pnrporRs 70 1G
Notary Public, City aud County Oh new oiN'
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
wrsTFnS ISIoN TELEGRAPH COMPANf,i
NEW.YoRK, Dee %, 1876
The Hon. o. p. MORTON, Chairman @ co9'"'''ee" 1'''
tieges and Elections, Washington ~. -. Us,i,oto,
s,p I'm resuouse TO your notice dated Washington
re, 10 is-C Ccrchy am required 10 produce, with
out deay before the Committee OF Prlvicgos anu E =,
lions OF the United states seats ~ m en fm the
telecr7p Offices at salem and P0rah otatS oi oIeko,
from the first day Of November 10, 70 be IN
tSs name Of j. n T. Patrick or ]. n p Patrick,
aIso Charles Diamond, or Charles Dmonu, also husDn
e 20 aiso Laid 4 Bush also Eugene CaSseriy, als3
William NJ Gwin, or TO said Gwin, or IRON MN, ian9
all dispatches where the sum OF Se,Ooo Is @
ali dispatches OF p0itlchl ona' s yorai los Of
sent or received referring To Tue eeoto1m ~
oregon the inellgbiiity OF Watts as Presdehtuai
elecor and also all dispatches OF political eh"raGser
hy SvIiomsoeyer sent received, WITHIN lhe HerlOu
paed be Elm beg leave respectfully 10 say that have
neer control of any messages sent Dy inc
Wesiern Union Telegraph Company, ah9 nm uliple
hJora either 10 ascertain whether such dispatches OF
as Won describe have existed or to comply
WIN '"' WILLIAM ORION.
Gin and County of Yec York, Personally appeared
49,, ~ ne iris 33d day OF December. 1876. William