Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-29
THE SECREST OF TELEGRAMS.

THE SECREST OF TELEGRAM5.
One question which ought to, and proba-
bly, will, come up in connection of the cipher
kilograms, is that which has frequently arisen
Observation-Disclosures or not Geographic COM
munications are privileged and inviolable.
Anterior to the war they were always so re-
garded, and the courts have held that to di-
vulge Geographic message was INSIDE
meanor subjecting the offender to the penalty
of fine and imprisonment. But during the
war, when Stewards little bell was busy tink-
ling, and its owner consigning men to i'm.
prisonment in military fortresses without
form of law or pretense of trial, the inviola-
bility of kilograms was but little regarded.
The war and state departments had their
spies all over the country watching the tele-
grams received and sent by those men who
fell under suspicion of disloyalty. They OBJ
tanned access to these dispatches by stealth,
and it was not until after the close of the
war that Congress declared in favor of re-
moving the seal of secresy that had previ-
ously guarded these communications, and
practically made them public property.
lack Chandler, Matt. Carpenter and Ben.
Butler were the three men in Congress who
first had the hardihood to declare that the
telegraph office was less sacred than the post
Office, and to demand for partisan purposes
the surrender of kilograms that were sent
under the suppos;tion that their privacy was
lnviolable. At first the telegraph companies
resisted the demand, but were overpowered
by Congress ordering their officers impris-
oned for contempt. Now, however, it has
come to be regarded as matter of course
that all demands for the production of tele-
grams shall be complied with. The compa-
MES are compelled, on the or1er of any
court Of justice or Congressional committee
to produce specified kilograms, and even
drag-net subpcenas are served upon them
under which they are required to furnish all
kilograms which may have passed between
certain parties or certain places within two
given dates, and these kilograms are raked
over in the hope that some of them will have
bearing upon the subject under investiga-
ton.
sisted in will lead to state of things to
which the despotism of Bismarck would be
infinitely preferable. Communications sent
over the electric wires ought to be guarded
by the injunction of secresy az strictly as
communications sent by mail. 10
divulge their contents is a shameful
violation of confidence that ought to be rig
orously punished. If Congress and the
courts, whose duty it is to defend the priyacy
of these kilograms, are the first to violate it,
what is to hinder any private individual from
invading the telegraph Offices and filchine
whatever dispatches may suit their purpose
using them, perhaps, to obtain possession OF
business or family secrets to the great in.
Jury of the sender or receiver The policy
adopted is so manifestly at variance with
principles of justice and equity, that it is
high time it was reversed. It is, moreover
dangerous power to be given to either
Congress or courts, for it lays bare to the
pablie the aost private affairs OF The citiaer