The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-11-07
SENSATIONAL.
Macveagh Reprimanded by the
President.
AN ALLEGED SCENE AT A CABINET
MEETING.
A story to be Taken With Much Hesi-
tatiOn.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.--The following para
pranh published by the Star tonight, double
loaded, with faring head lines IS pronounced
to be absolutely without foundation by well in
formed friends of Arthur and HacVeagh,
na;tber of whom is here to speak for himself:
"a very important meeting Oh the cabinet
was held in President Arthurs parlor directly
after his return from Yorktown. Every mem
Der of the cabinet was present. Inc resident
as soon as all were seated, stated mat ne had
called the members together to consider the
question of the prosecution OF Guiteau; that,
from facts which had come to MS knowledge,
he believed the government 10 De entireiy un-
prepared for the case. he adoed WIN good
deal of emphasis, and accompanying his words
with clinched fist that came down with some
force ON the table, that he would consider it
prominently disgraceful to the government, II
ia the Guiteau case, as in the star route cases,
the government should confess itseli unpfepar-
ed to go on and be compelled to ask continu-
ancp. The President, noticing Mr. MacV eagh's
silence put the question to him directly as to
the preparation of the government TO proceed
in the Guiteau case. The attorney general re-
piled that he did not consider 1t any part of his
business to give attention to the criminal pros
ecutions. The President replied that this was
A great state trial, and that the whole country
looked to Mr.. MacVeagh to see that 1t was con-
Quoted properly and efficiently. Mi. Mac
Veagh said there was no law or custom for the
attorney general to appear in criminal trials,
and said he had been told so by Judge Jere-
miah EBlack. The President then, quickly and
somewhat angrily, asked Mr.. MacVeagh how
it had been in the Aaron Burr trial. oh, but
that was trial for treason Mr.. MacVeagh
replied Yes said dsA the chief ma and
ttffate Of the nation, and, to my mind, it is a..
positive duty of the attorney general to take
charge of the case Mr.. MacVeagh then relt-s
Grated that the law never contemplated that as
any part of his duty. The President replied
that the statutes of the United States author
lied the attorney general to appear for the GOV
eminent at any time, in any federal court, In
any case in which he might deem it his duty
to do SO, and he referred Mr.. MacVeagh to the
particular section of the law. By this time
there was a good deal of excitement around the
cabinet table. The lawyers of the cabinet be-
/ ing appealed to, they all agreed with the Pres
ident. AS Mr.. Macy eagh maintained his posi-
ton that it was below the dignity of the attor-
ney general to appeae in a criminal case, the
President then asked him If he had done any
thing to obtain counsel to assist District Attor-
ney Corkhill in the prosecution OF Guiteau.
Mr.. MacVeagh said he had not; that that was
| q duty which belonged to the district attorney
himself if he desired additional counsel The
President with considerable warmth, said
| that that was new suggestion to him, and
| that either Mr. MacVeagh or himself was very
ignorant of the law, for, according to his read
| ing of the United States statutes, it was made
| the express duty of the attorney gen.
| eral to engage assistant counsel IN any
| of the Government required it. Mr.. Mao
| Veagh said that he took different view OF his
| duty and did not consider himself bound to
take any part in the trial of Guiteau, or to pro-
| cure additional counsel for that purpose. He
| said that in the Star route cases Col. Corkhill
| had suggested a desiretfor the employment Of
| Mr.. William A. Cook as additional counsel,
| and Mr.. MacVeagh said he had nothing to do
| with it, and Gel. Corkhill could do as he
! pleased in the matter The President said he
| was determined the Government should have
| able counsel, and he would himself direct, il
| Mr. MacVeagn declined to do 30, that Judge
| John K Porter, of New York, and Walter
Davidge, of Washington, be employed as adj
ditional counsel in the prosecution OF Guiteau.
| Mr.. MacVeagh then said that, If the Pres-
| dent desired 1t to be done, he would employ
| the gentlemen named"
| 1t is said that, at the close of this somewhat
| remarkable Cabinet scene, the President re-
| marked that the Attorney Generals knowl-
| edge of the law would be greatly improved BY
| reading the statutes of the United States
| which define the duties of his office. Inas-
| much as the relations between the President
| and the Attorney General have been exceed
| ingly friendly, if not cordial from the day
they met to this day, so that each has remarked
| upon the extreme courtesy and klndliness OF
the other, the story is improbable on its face.
The author of the article in the Star says he
| got his information from a Cabinet Off
Friends of MacVeagh and Arthur assert that.
ton. They are confident no such scene ever
occurred, although it is quite possible that the
President may have expressed to Mr.. Mac
Veagh his desire that Guiteau should be Wig
orously prosecuted. As a matter of fact Presi-
dent Arthur had been informed days before by
Mr.. MacVeagh that he had practically closed
his administration of the Department of JUS