The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-07
TIE CIPHER DISPATCHES.
uHaT THE POTrER CONiMfTfEE FOUND
orr 4BOUT THfIR HISIORE

T,ner nnd Chandler - NJ. 1iidcn TNor-
erntcd hat some or his Friends Ccnsurcd.
The Committee for the Investigation ~
Frauds In the Electoral Count which, hy the
resolution NJ the House Of Jan ~. 1879 wore
directed ~ inquir" into certain cipher dos
matches g.. respectfully report:
Tint IN the autumn OF lS76th Western Union
rclc.rnph Company gave orders to It's em-
,l9yces 90 all points to or from which such dos
matches had been sent or received or repeated
IN forward u It's main OHIO nj New York all
desrn'rhcs anil copies of dispatches relating
70 the Presidential election " 1876. and thesnme
were thereupon collected aud forwarded to New
York where they were assorted in packages
with reference to the points from which they ,
came. The purpose Of the company was TO
keep the dispatches from being exposed TO pro-
cess from the courts and from Congress. and !
thus keep them from publication. With that ,
view they directed that the assortment of them /
be conducted under the care Of Mr.. Gary |
on go attorney " the company-and that when !
assorted they should remain in his charge. as /
being person ltss likely 10 bc summoned to !
produce them than the proper officers of the !
company. In this selection all cipher and other
dispatches referring or supposed to refer in
any way to the election. including all dispatches
In respect Of which the operators were I'm
doubt. we're collected and came into Mr. Cary's
charge 90 the number 81 something over 80 OOO
SuhpTnas having been issued 10y the Committee
Of the House VI Representatives on Louisiana
Affairs Of which Mr.. Morrison was Chairman
calling for particular Louisiana dispatches.
and boy the Committee Of Privileges and Flee
tions Il the Senate Of which Mr. Morton was
Chairman. calling for particular Oregon de-
spatches. the same were selected from the mass
thus put in the charge Of Mr. Cary and pnr-
q tln
general subpoena having been served upon
the members Of tho Executive Committee Of
the Telegraph Company. commanding them to
produce all dispatches relating IN any WAY 10
tho election Of 1876 before the Morton Commit
toe. tho company directed Mr.. Cary to deliver to
Mr.. Whitney. the manager Of the company at
Washington. all the dispatches in his charge.
and Mr.. Whitney. after having taking there
from the specific Oregon and Louisiana de-
spatches aforementioned. placed tho rest 81 the
dispatches. amounting in number To- % 275 in
airunk. taking an inventory only ~ the num-
h'r sent from or to particular points. bnt no
further designation Of the date. sender. re-
ceiv"r or contents. The particular dispatches
required by the Morrison and Morton Commit
toes were delivered on the 23d and 2iih II Jan
uary. 1877. The remaining 20 275 dispatches
were on the 25,h day 81 January. 1871 pur-
suant 10 the direction 81 Mr.. Sargent. one Of
the Morton Committee in charge Of the matter
delivered by Mr. Whitney. either to tho clerk Of
that COMMITTEES. Mr.. Burbans. who was n
brother-in-lnw Of Mr.. Morton. or to the person
for the time being in charge Of the committee
room. locked in trunk. the key Of which Mr.
Whitney at the same time delivered to the clerk
Of that committee.
The Louisiana dispatches received by the
Morrison Committee were In due time returned
10 the telegraph company. Those received by
the Morton Committee both the specified lot
Of 2Il Oregon dispatches and the remaining
lot Of 29275 undesienat"d dispatches. re-
mained In tho custody Of that Committee not
open to general or careless inspection. but. on
the contrary. kept close and under guard until
the 18th day Of March. 1877. when the telegraph
company. having been notified They could re-
cover thu same. nuphed through Mr. Whitney
g Tho oih'rr- oi the Committee, and received
na'k tho trunk m Whi'n they had ii"l ivor"t fh"
despatchrs 90 the Committee, locked. tng' ther
WIN IN" Key - Oh" Same. a'romraul"i ly thc
statement mat th,s" were al the dispatches
which had been delivered hy m" company 10
That Committee. This trunk. with th" les-
patches thus believed TO b" enclosed. WAS for
wnrded 10 New York and in due time. under
tho regulations Of the company WAS opened.
ty burning
The telegraph company were not aware ut
the time that there had not been returned 10
them all the d.spatch,s which they had de-
lyered 10 the Morton Committee. In point II
had been nhstracted while they we're in the cu-
tody of that Commitce. or these about ZOO
N mere or rate E My lS nk 9 %S OF
had h"cn the messenger % that Committee. and
protege Of It's Chairman Mr.. Morton. md
Thomas J. Brady OF Indiana. the Second As
t.s'ant Postmaster General, amt others from
logne. Upon the eve of his departure. in May
1873. and Just inter your COMMITTEES had been
u ms friend. the Hon. !. J.. Evans of this
House, who passed them overt9 Mr. Brady tor
hneAeu .Me k"rpinE, VINO n"u, tth'4 H. cop'',u
and alter consultation with Mr.. nae ana
others iurn she'd those copies N part 20 Mr.,
william /. Chandler. Secretary Of the National
York Iriw'e. so that from Mr.. Brady or Mr..
chandler ether directly or through others.
copies 81 all these dispatches came into the
Some Of the originals thus nssorted 10y Bull
lock out Of the whole lot II 29275 t"legrnms.
Mr. Brady forwarded anonymously 10 the Trib-
nff a. a tim" when u WIS rlalusi That journal
ofisinaIs Brad" gave Sir. 'tCGnni"r. Who leit the
same ~ ia" once Of Gen. Butler, a member Of
quainUng him from whom they cana ana in
who's" possession No" Committee found them.
Ihe Irtb"ne pro ur"d iheropi"s Of deg patrhes
which il had thus obtained to bee translated by
Mr. Hussard and other gentlemen ln liz ON
IiNym"nt, in which work they rNhllied very
my cipher could h' translated II enough % Il
could bee obtained ~ work upon.
We have caused ia" dr~unirnrs, so far NJ they
were ia cipher. 20 b" -lithogruphed. and
q" others rraling iu any way To- th" "l- tlon 10
W. nav. nlso aaiisei tha dos pntriIr- 10 he
translated boy Prot Elwari s Holden u the
N,N" o.7rIvatoty ana rIuih m.' r'p,Ii h"t1'
WIN, ltloush. ~ r"uls", h' WIS, IarE, Y ing
81 10 %. the prior TRANSACTIONS mad" hyth" IiIb'
W" -.'N whl'h' however from inlsulh"- lh th'
cops nr othrr causes contained some errors
Generally the telegraph COMPANY seem "a
ha'e exercised due car" IN respect ~ tho
preservation and privacy ol ihrlr d"spntehe-
and the tuolt aud publication Of IN" d"spntohe-
IN question DO not seem 10 bee IN any way th"ii
iaun;, the sumo ilme we cannot bat -u-pee'
that Mr.. Orfpn. tnr President OF the company