Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-24
LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT.


The following correspondence ensued
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, COMMIT
TEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE TREASURY
DEPARTMENT, W~AsHINaroN, d. c., Jan.
81, lS7S.-To Hon. Rutherford B. Hayes,
president Of the United States; Sir-It
is painful yet true that for years the ex.
ecutive department of the federal GOV.
M have been increasingly corrupt
and oppressive, and that the rights and
liberties Of citizens have been trampled on
without redress in these departments of the
administration, while organized combina
tons in the departments have existed 10
protusion, based on plumber, and have sport
ed with aud preyed on the freedom, the for
tunes and the happiness Of oyer forty nil
lions OF people who, while this protuse ex
penditute of their hard earnings and this
habitual violation of their rights have oc.
CURED, have grown poorer aud poorer till
this misrule has wrought wide misfortune
and distress. No man, nor one set of men,
is responsible tor this mass of evils or their
fruits. The vast extension of the powers
of the government during the late period of
civil war and disorder has thrown on exc
cutive heads such great, m%ultifarious respon-'
sibillties that it is impractical for the head
OF any department to know much of what
49, wv u u ACauS vi W
reaus, and even of divisions, in very many
cases are necessarily .gnorant OF the real
nature and effect OF the acts of their subor-
dinates. Opportunities for irresponsible
wrong doing are hence so large and so
many, that those who seek to misuse them
have tor years contrived to got possession
ofsuch opportunities and have long banded
together with the advantages of official ex-
periesce and intimate knowledge OF official
affairs to secure themselves secrecy and i'm
munity. Among the methods resorted to
for this purpose are mutilatinr. alteration,
c%oncealment, withholding and destruction
of books and papers and documents of
record and intimidation OF witnesses. The
latter method of insuring secrecy for corrupt
and oppressive practices has become habitu-
al and goes to unspeakably cruel and infa-
nous extremes, where its ingenuity is re
markable. 1t is a fact that men walk the
streets of Washington to-day whose families
and selves are in in danger of hunger and
homelessness through persecution which
they have suffered for telling the truth. while
many others bear in their minds the knowl.
edge of wrong whereof they are innocent,
but which, seeing the fate of those who have
been brave dare not tell. Believing tina,
you are anxious to end this terrible state O.
things for which you are not responsible and
that you appreciate the necessity for con.
gressional investigation and ascertainment Of
the facts before remedies can be applied O,
even shown, l would call you attention tc
the resolutions introduced by me and passed
by the house of representatives the 18th inst
directing needful investigations which wert
provided for under the presidency of Madi.
son, but for many years neglected till of late
begun, shall go on. Believing you are de.
sirous to stop and as far as practic .ble re
dress the outrages whereby honest men and
women are prevented from telling the truth
about misdeeds by persons connected with
the government, l trasmit herewith a reso
luton adopted BY the committee on expen
ditures in the treasury department and re
specially a k that you will at the ~earlies
practicable moment take steps needful to aid
not only my committee, but also all com.
mittees of the house in their efforts to ascer
tain the facts concerning the alleged abuses
and that you will give assurances that wit
nesses will be protected. Should you tax,
this course you will do much to enable tn
INVESTIGATIONS of the house to conform to tn
high standard of patriotism, thoroughnes
and impartiality, and will carr the esteem
and gratitude of your countrymen.
IHy
T Chairman of the committee on expenditure
of the treasury department.
THE PRESIDENTS REPLY.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C
Jan. 2l.-Dear Sir: I am in receipt of tn
resolution adopted by the committee of tn
house Of representatives ON expenditures il
the treasury department requesting my CO
operation with the committee in its investi
cations of alleged abuses in said depart
ment. l shall be glad to cooperate hearth,
with the committee in the proposed investi
cation and to that end will issue such prop
er directions to all officers of that or AM
other department as may be required to Sc
cure prompt and effective assistance in tn
conduct of the investigation. Touching tn
suggestion contained in your letter that wit
nesses who may testify before the committe
may be apprehensive of losing their place
if they testify truly and fully, you are a
liberty to assure all subordinate officers tina
the fact of their testifying before the com
mittee shall not be used to their prejudice
(Signed) r. B. HAYES.