Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-12-16
The HOuS1 Investigating Commit.
tee Fail to Find Anything In
Favor of Tilden In s. @.
C0RRE P0NDENOE BETWEEN THE
HOUSE COM. AND PRES. ORION.
TESTIMONY OF LOUISIANA OUTRA.
GEs BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY,
NEW YORK, Dec. Is. 1876.

W EsIERN l MON TELEGRAPH COMPANY, y
NEW YORK, Dec. Is, 1876. \
lion W lilam k. Morrison, chairman, etc, New
Orleans La:
Slr-SubpHnas have been served upon several
empoyes of this company directing them to pro-
uuce before the congressional committee of which
you are chairman, all messages in possession of
the company sent and received by the persons
named IN the subIpnas during several months of
the present year. | have delayed a reply to these
demands in the expectation that similar applica-
tons wou d be made by the committee of the SEN
ate, also charged with the investigation of matters
connected with the presidential election and can
vass IN several States 50 that the action of the
company being the same in respect to the mes
ssges of both political parties could not be atri-
bued to desire to prejudice or promote the in
terests of either. No subppnas have vet been
served upon us by order of the Senate committee
and as further delay might appear to be DIS
courtesy TO yourself and your committee it does
not seem proper to further postpone this answer
The subpenas were served before the investi-
CATION which the committee had been directed to
make was begun, and before the evidence had
been presented to the committee, either that the
persons named la the subpgnas had sent any
messages whatever, or that any messages sent BY
them related to the subject matter of the investi-
CATION.
1t appears to have been assumed that persons
holding high official positions under the FEEDER Al
ane State governments and others prominent in
public affairs were in the habit of sending MESA
ges by telegraph, and without attempting to as
certain if any of these messages were material to
the investigation. The officers and agents of
this company have been commanded to lay aside
the business in which they are engaged to be-
CONS spies and detectives upon and info mers
against the customers who have reposed in us the
greatest confidence concerning both their official
and their private affairs.
have never believed that the Congress of the
United States, with this subject fairly before
them, would permit committee to violate the
secrecy of the telegraph In this manner aud it
seems to me that the present IS opportunity
which 1t would be unwse to forego, for obtaining
decision directly from the representatives of the
people If the messages OF persons connected
with one political party spread before the pub
lie a like course will be taken in respect to those
those of the other party. Both parties, therefore,
have the same interest in publishing to the world
the secrets of telegraph offices, Of preventing
such publicity.
1t has therefore been decided to Decline very
respectfully, TO permit the employees of this com-
pany to produce before any committee of either
house of Congress messages sent or received by
represe natives Of either the democratic repub-
can party, at least until after Congress shall have
approved the subpenas of the committee and di-
rected that their demands be enforced.
am, with great respects, etc. etc.
(Signed)
WILLIAM ORION, President.
The following is the reply:
New OkLEANs, December l5
William Oiton, President, y. y.
have nothing to do with your motives for re-
fusng to obey the process of the House of Repre-
sentalives. My duty will be performed by in
vokng its aid in the enforcement of such process
Regretng your refusal of information necessary
TO obtain the whole truth as to the Louis lana
election, am,
Yours respectfully,
WILLIAM r. MORRISON.