The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-10
WASHIN
now rMR CIPHER DISPATCHES BE-
CAME PUBLIC.
The President u the Western Unien Teie-
graph Company Explains Its Con-
uerrfou with rtae FfUhers

WASHINGTON Feb g-The following fmpor-
tant letter explains itself It was received by
Hon. Clarkson N. Potter. chairman Of the Potter
Committee from DR.. Sorvfn Green, president OF
the Western Union Telegraph Company:
NEW ToHE February g, 1879,
Hon. CIarkson " Potter Chairman:
SE-The testimony recently elected by your
committee. censurfng this eomBanyis acIion IN
respect to political kilograms taken from Us In
1861 by the Senate and House committees
sD1eaFs2 ar 2 20 nave lave 0een &c a. g 80
seem proper TO amplify the same BY way Of
guarding against ike aDDrehensiens on the
bers OF the House. Accordingly respectfully
submit the following brief statements Of facts,
all Of which alrea1y apDear upon he s re,
before your COMMITTEES and spread upon
record, 70 the end net only, that Al
appear, but that. at the same tine, q simple act
of Justice be done thereby TO the company
which have the honor 70 represent IN the vim
from any charge Of political bias in the conduct
of its business. The plain truth is that the
company. realizing great moral obligation 70
preserve sacred from q threatened exposure all
kilograms committed 70 its confidence and
keeping. both before and after the service of
Dronsr device. consistent with fue respect for
the authority OF Congress, to prevent such
exposure by timely transfer Of IFS
and officers likely TO be called upon to produce
them TO the executive otflc4rs In New York and
thence by resolution of the executive commit
tee Of the board OF directors. from the custody
of the executive officers to that OF the executive
committee itself. When. therefore, Manager
Barnes of the Negv5riaans office was subuoanaad
by the Morrison fCommiftee almost AT Of
the kilograms that he was called on 20 produce
mad been taken from his cus-ody. and ne mad no
president vas brought to the bar Of the House
for contempt, ne was enabled to plead thar ne
nad not the custody II the messages called for
in his subpoena
The proceedings Of the House OF Representa-
tfves. as published in the Congressional Record,
show that Mr.. 0rtDn himself on this occasion
disclosed TO the House the full information az
20 where the messages could be reached but.
Notwithstanding this fact. no members OF the
House or OF its committees saw it. at the time,
70 act on the Information thus given. The
Senate. however took the initiative and send
ing 90 New York on the next day. served every
member OF the onpanyss executive committee
with sweeping subpGsna which demanded
the production Of all messages 20 and
from all the principal Offices Of the COM
Dany where any important political
kilograms we're supposed 10 have been sent or
received. Upon receiving this subpoena the
OF the members OF the two political parties, pro-
ceeded With the messages 10 Washington, where
soon aILer snslr arrival Ineg were served WlIn
A meeting of the executive com mittee YVES there
upon held and. by resolutions then passed it
Was decided TO report the service on the COM
pany's president and the company alike: and 70
surrender 70 the House committee all the mes
sages covered 5y lis subpoena 20 President
subpoena from the committee OF the Senate. and
TO surrender 70 the Senate committee
all the messages covered by it's snb-
paana. this list being prior IN time
Of service 60 the ike subpoena from the com
mittae of the House @ was further resolved
in order 20 comply aa lar as possible with con-
dieting 5ubpFna1, that whichever committee
failed 70 receive original messages should have
copies OF all such originals as we're delivered to
the other committee. or If it should be con-
Guided that the immense labor of copying might
be saved, rhen that The committee u either
house receiving original messages should agree
that members of the committee of The other
house which mad called for them should have
tree access TO examine such originals
and make copies therefrom IL de-
sired. A copy Of these resolutions.
Of which the foregoing is the substance vas
served upon each committee January 70. and
on the twenty fourth January Senator Sargent
wrots. to the company stating that the commit
tee of the House had accepted the alternative
feature sf the above mentioned arrangement,
committees. The surrender Of the messages
was then made, but not till the company had
urgently eudeavOred TO impress upon the re-
spectfve committees the necessity Of guarding
kilograms from theft and disclosure 20 others
than those who, from their position upon the
committees, we're entitled to their inspection.
II will be seen that the eomuanF's action in
these matters was strictly fair and impartial.
We we're powerlsss TO take further precautions
in the premises. and We are tn no manner re-
sponsihle for the subsequent loss of the tele-
grams tnEtrusted 10 tbs Senate Committee.
nave the honor 70 rnm8in, very respectfully,
Tours. NoRVIN GREEN. President