The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-11-10
ARTHUR ANGRY.
A Decidedly Breezy Cabinet
Meeting.

HACCDAAA
WASHINGTON, NOven- Der 6'-The Star
publishes the following. Avery import
ant meeting of the Cabinet was held in
President Arthur's parlOr directly after
his return from Yorktown. 1t was of
unusual length. and the secresy main
tanned by members, and the OminOus
looks which followed all questions re-
lating to the subjects discussed, Oc-
casiOned a good deal of comment at the
time, particularly among the cores
pOndentS of newspapers. Putting this
and that together and taking one con-
sideration with another" the Star is
enabled to present a tolerably accurate
history of the meeting. Every member
of the Cabinet was present. The Presi-
dent, as soon as all were seated, stated
he had called the members together
to consider the question of the pro-
secutiOn of Guiteau; that from facts
which had come to his knowledge
he believed the Government to be en-
tirely unprepared for the case. He adj
ded, with a good deal of emphasis, and
accompanying his words with his
clenched fist that came down with some
force on the table, that he would con-
slider 1t pre-eminently ~disgraceful to the
Government if in the Guiteau case, as
in the star route cases, the Government
should confess itself unprepared to go
on and be compelled to ask a continu-
ance. Attorney General MacVeagh was
present and gave no sign. The Presi-
dent, noticing MacVeagh's silence, put
the question to him directly as to the
preparation of the Government to pro-
coed in the Guiteau case. The Attorney
General replied that he did not consider
1t any part of his business to give atten-
ton to criminal prosecutions. The
President replied this was a great State
trial, and that the whole country looked
to MacVeagh to see that it was conduct
ed properly and efficiently. MacVeagh
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 jeremiah Black. The President
then quickly, and somewhat angrily,
asked MacVeagh how it had been in the
Aaron Burr trial.
"Oh, but that was a trial for treason"
MacVeagh replied.
"Yes," said the President, "and this is
a trial for numbering the Chief Magis-
trate of the Nation, and to my mind it
is the positive duty of the, Attorney GEN
eral to take charge of the case"
MacVeagh then reiterated that the
law never contemplated that as any part
of his duty.
The President replied that the statutes
of the United States authorized the At
torney General to appear for the Gov
eminent at any time, in any Federal
court, in any case in which he might
deem 1T his duty to do so, and referred
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 being appeal
ed to they all agreed with the President.
AS MacVeagh maintained his position,
that it was below the dignity of the At
tOrney General to appear in a criminal
case, the President then asked him if he
had done anything to assist District
Attorney Corkhill in the prose-
cGutlOn OF Guiteau. MacVeagh said he
had not, that that was a duty which
belonged to the District Attorney him
self, If he desired additional counsel.
The President with considerable warmth
said that was a new suggestion to him
that either MacVeagh or himself
was very ignorant of the law, for ac-
cording to his reading of the United
States statutes 1t was made the express
duty of the Attorney General to engage
counsel in any case where in
Judgment the interests of the Gov
eminent required it. MacVeagh said he
took different view of his duty, and did
consider himself bound to take any
part in the trial of Guiteau, or to procure
additional counsel for that purpose. He
said that in the star route cases Col.
JOrkhill had suggested a desire for the
of Vim. A. Cook as ad
litiOnal counsel, and MacVeagh said
had nothing to do with it, and Col.
JOrkhill could do as he pleased in the
The President said he was determined
hat the Government should have able
counsel, and he would himself direct, if
IacVeagh declined to do 80, that Judge
IOhn K. Potter of New York, and Walter
)avidge of Washington, be employed as
additional counsel in the prosecution of
Iu1teau. MacVeagh then said if the
President desired it to be done, he would
'mplOy the gentlemen named. 81
1t is said that at the close of this some
What remarkable Cabinet scene, the
resident remarked that the Attorney
feneraIs knowledge of law would be
greatly improved by reading the statutes
4 the United States which define the
luties of this office.