The New York herald., 1876-12-22


ferred TO the judiciary Committee, and careful inquiry
made whether the paper read could be properly ana
rightiuiy treated authentic report Oi Commit
He also begged the House 10 look at the other
SIDE OF the question, aud imagine committee caing
for the tccgraphic poncerce OF tue democratic
maeuates OF the country for the last nine months. II
the telerrans OF seven could DO called Tor,
why, he asked, should not those OF 100 and u 100
why those OF all Of the adult population OF America
II was, no said, naked, ioundaiionless demand,
made without proof OF the existence OF the dispatches
called for
Mr. NcCaARY (rep.l OF Iowa, said he would take for
granted that the telegraphc communication was gen
uine, and he would not question It, He desired 10
fairly and squarey the other important question,
whether telegraph companies be required to pro-
ducc the OF CITIZENS without the com
miticc having before IL any testimony that any de-
spatches material to the inquiry are in tho hands OF
the telegraph company II an aihrmative decision
on that question made by the House there was no
gacredness Tor any private papers, and the provision
OF the constitution which declares that citizens SHAH
be against unreasonable searches would Oc rem
dered nugatory.
Mr. wooD OF New York, expressed his regret that
the whole question not under some statutory reg
uiaton, Tor he was opposed to either legislation OF
Congressional action mere matter OF expedicncy
TO meet particular emergency lie believed there
should be general laws the subject passed
ut time when there was no puoiic
excitement like the present He differed, how.
ever, with tho gentleman as to the sacred
character OF tcegraphic correspondence. Letters
passing through the mails were known only 10 the
writer and tho receiver, but IL was with tee
graphic dispatches which we're not only known to
writer and receiver but TO the operators at each end
of the line relegraphc had lost al privacy
and secrecy, go much so that all important commun-
cations IN commerce and trade were conducted IN
cipher Ho believed, however, that II would be very
difficult to trace IN any political dispatches any thing
10 ocriminate anybody He therefore did not take the
position which he did because OF any belief that the
committee could procure anything or substantial I'M
portancc from the telegraph Offices, but II tho House
would carry out the rule adopted BY II yesterday this
witness would have be brought before the
House TO answer for contempt
Mr. HOAX, trep) Of Mass, suggested that inasmuch
Mr.. Orton had expressed his willingness to ba
governed by the order OF the House, peremptory
OF should not be issued until this witness
had an opportunity 10 go again before the committee
yesterday he Is willing to obey the order OF the CON-
Mr. wooD replied that thero was no difficulty about
that because II the witness should obey the order
OF the committee the warrant OF arrest would not be
executed
the belief that IL would be better to ask the Judiciary
Committee 10 examine the report and ascertain
whether there was any legal ground for tho issue OF
warrant OF arrest The House could not be TOO care
tul in the business OF arresting citizens He thought
that all the members Of the House would feel better II
the Judiciary Committee would make more careful
examination oi the report
Mr. Kxorr OF Kentucky, fortified the position taken
by the House yesterday in declaring that tclcgraphc
communications were no more privileged than oral or
other communications, and quoted decision made by
the Supreme Court OF Pennsylvania sustaining that
idea That dccison he said should dispel forever the
spurious aud sentiment that there something
about a ielegraphc despatch which made 1t
sacred than the holy name Of the Deity which Tor
merly could only be pronounced once year, and that
by the high priest in the sdnctnm sdnaoraa az,
OF the temple. The order OF the superintendent OF tho
company to this manager not TO produce The de-
spatches did not excuse him. Who had made tho
Superintendent his mastcrY Who had given the
Superintendent the right to abrogato the law Of tho
lands So far from that prohibition being binding on
the witness, 1t only rendered the superintendent him.
self liable be arrested and brought up for contempt
OF the privileges OF tho House
The vote was then taken, and tho resolution adopted
without q division.
THE LArg SENATOR cApERTox.
Tho SPEAKER then laid before tho house the action
Caporton OF West Virginia, when remarks appropriate
10 the occasion were made by Messrs. Hereford,
Faulkner ana wilson, o. West virginia; Gooae ana
The customary resolutions were adopted, and tho
House at halt past hvo 7. H., adjourned
WHAT IS KNOWN AND THOUGHT IN NEW YORK
OF MR.. HEwITT's cHARGE-A MYSTERIOUS
SOUTHERN LErTER-A CARPET-BAG THEORY
MR. K1NsELLA's oPINIoN-A PARALLEL CASE.
Mr.. Hcwitt's charge. made on the floor Of the
House, that his mails violated by republican
Post Olce employees, has created quite stir in po-
litcal circles OF this CITY II is wonderful how the
Rubicon of politics divides public belief almost
every topic While the republicans pooh-poohed tho
charge rs a basclcss fabric OF Mr.. Hcwtt's fertile
Imagination, the democrats as rule, believed It to be
true reporter sent to investigate the facts as
far they known TO the intimate personal and
political associates OF Mr. Hewitt, and, the sequel
will show his inquiries resulted IN establishing tho
fact that the alleged tampering with Mr. Hewitts
malls had been spoken Of here by him and his friends
long before he went TO Washington. The result OF
these inquiries shows that Mr. Hewitt not led by
the heat OF acrimonious debate to mako a sudden
onslaught upon the republican party and to spring
this unexpected charge upon tho other side of the
House, but that he had already previously complained
OF the tampering with his nails
coRKoBoRArIvE CIRCUMSTANCES.
In this connection another fact should be mentioned
which goes TO lend some color OF probability 10 his
story-namely, the wholly partisan made by some
OF the republican posmasters Of their ofc al station
during the recent campaign. In justice TO Postmaster
James it should be stated that complaint was
ever made OF the New York Post Once but in certain
small towns republican charged with
having purposely delayed political documents and
other printed matter coming from the democratic
committees If not with tampering with private mails
All this shows that this startling story, while stiIl
lacking the positive evidence which should be cons
cred necessary to establish il in the minds Of lair
minded of either party, Is not entirely without
color OF probability.
PETER coopER's STATEMENT.
The first gentleman visited by the investigator OF
this charge was the venerable phlantnropst, Mr.
Peter Cooper Mr.. Hewu's fathcr-in-law. Mr. Cooper
anu Mr.. Hewitt reside in the house. They are
the intimate relations, and, IL anybody, Mr.
Cooper should certainly have boon Informed by Mr.
Hewitt OF the 1acts hr Cooper, however, said that
MIR. Hewitt had been SO preoccupied with Governor
Tien and The election business generally that he had
his sonn-law but very httlo during the last |
month or two IL was probably ior this reason MIR.
Cooper thought, that Mr. Hewitt had tailed mention
the matter TO him However, Mr. Cooper gave II Az |
his opinion that Postmaster James, this city, |
would not DO guilty of tocra,iug SUCH mn out |
rage as The, the vlslaiion OF private mats, and |
II such thing took place that II must have been the
work OF some subordinates who acted without the /
Poslmaster's knowledge and were briped otherwise
influenced by some reckless and INSCRIPTIONS mana
gers OF the republican election machine. Mr. Cooper
recalled, with glow OF personal interest the
before the war; when. he said the chiefs OF the pro-
slavery party we're 50 reckless IN the pursuit oil
objects that they even did not scrupo TO voato the
sauctity oil Their mails.
THE ENVELOPES HAvK BEEN KEPT.
Mr. King, tho secretary OF the Democratic National
Committee, was found nt the Everett House. where |
paror Is stiIl apart Tor tho onlmit-