The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-22

WASHINGTON Dec 21-The following cor
respondence has been furnished for pnbllca-
ton:
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
w oshingloD, Dec. II.
To Hon George Bliss, Of counsel IN the Star
Route mail cases:
Sir-From ali examination of the records of
this department | have been convinced tn at
money has been paid out of the funds of the
Government TO certain persons under circum-
stances which brings such payments within
section 4057 of the Revised Statutes in a num-
Der of instances Evidence, which seems to
sufficient to maintain snis by the United
States to recover such moneys, Is on file III this
department. Copies of much of it are already
in your hands In compliance with the law l
hereby request that unless you Shall dlher
from me as to the weight of the evidence you
will cause suits to be instituted in the name of
the United States for the recovery OF said
moneys Illegally paid from the parties who re-
ceiyed the same. Very respectfully,
THOMAS l. JAMES,
Postmaster General.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 49,
The request contained i'll your letter OF yes
terday that suits should be commenced to re-
cover money illegally paid to contractors with
the Post Office Department is received. When
l first became connected with the cases known
os the Star route Gases called the attention of
the Attorney General to the propriety OF COM
meuciug civil suits such as you suggest. He
DELAYING in CONSEQUENCE of the unexpected
labor connected with the preparation of the
criminal cases. was and am unwilling that any
IDEA should go forth that criminal proceedings
we're to be for borne or delayed, and civil pre-
Get dibgs substituted Ii frauds such as be-
lieve can be shown to have been committed in
these cases cannot be punished by convictions
in criminal courts, it is more important to show
this fact to The law-makng power and public,
aud thus secure change in law, than 10 recover
st,a biol Of 10 Iar
amount wrongfully taken from the Treasury.
| do not believe our criminal laws defective. A
United States Statute in all criminal matters
SO defective that crimes such as these are not
punishable Nor do believe their would be
any hesi alton on the part of Jurors in convict
ing on proper evidence, such evidence as be
lieve we can present nnder this connection l
have temporarily put aside the question of civil
suits and have devoted myself to criminal
cases. Even you, familiar as you are with
these cases. can have little idea OF the amount
of labor which has necesssa lily bee bestowed
upon the preperatioa of them. Witnesses are
scat tered over thousands of miles Hardly
one of them is less than 1900 miles from this
city and many of them are twice thai dis
tBnce.
These witnesses have been sought out by
your inspectors with an energy, fidelity and
perseverance, rarely combined in subordinates
either in public or private life The thousands
Of pages of testimony thus gathered, together
with InaC IuTDlSUeu ny Inc fOluuiibOouS
records of the post office and treasury depart
meuts have been examined, arranged and at
stracted: first by Inspector Woodward aud
then by counsel with an amount OF personal
labor far beyond anything Ianticipated when
] came into the cases and far beyond anything
/ would then have been willing to undertake
in this examination. Breaks aud omi ssiohs III
the chain of testimony have been dlscoxereu
aud supplied. Criminal cases naturally divide
themselves into four or five great comoina-
tious. We have this week completed to eur
satisfaction preparation for the grand jury and
for the trial of evidence as to one of these COM
biuations. Through as general rule we pre-
fer not to say anything as to that we expect
10 do. may mention that l intend to issue
this week subp9nas for about oo
Witnesses to appear before the grand
jury as soon after the new year
as iha body will be ready to examine them
A good deal OF progress has been made ia the
preparation Of criminal cases connected with
the o. her great combination; so much Indeed
that SO far as / can perceive there is no danger
that The statute of limitation bar any of
the cases. l hope they will be ready for the
grand Jury aud for lrial as soon as the jury ana
court can attend 10 them. Under these CIR
cumstances your request for the commence
of civil suits seems to me timely PERSONALLY
have no au hority to commence such suits, but
YOU and know that the senior counsel VINO
was Yesterday confirmed as Attorney General
will not hesitate to give the requisite author.-
~: for one of the chief reasons for his selec'
ton for that position was his avoved deierml-
nation 10 press the star route cases. shall al
once transmit to him copy of your letter and
ask his approval when received. will cause
civil suits to be commenced in those cases Ill
which 'idence in possession of the govern
me,,t seems to Justify such a course. Yuo will,
| know, agree with me that these civil suits
should not in any way supersede criminal pros
ecutions; for punishment of offenders is OF in
tiuitey more importance than the recovery OF
money. -,
pushed as rapidly as is consistent with justice
to the government and to the defendants,
though it is quite possible that you will not
find the progress so rapid as you desire.
Your Obedent Servant,
GrnRcE RITSS Snecial Counsel.