Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-09
yARIoUs ErExs OF FOREIGN NEWS.
Continued Arrests in Ireland Under the
Coercion set.
DOMESTIC.
suit AGAINST Ex-senator norsev.

| DENVER tOu!-l, MAY oIu.-1ne IfiOuAi
says: Yesterday it was discovered that p,o
ceedings have been begun in the Distric
| Court of Arapahoe county against ex-Sen alto,
Dorsey, for moneys promised plaintiff fol
services rendered in procuring petitions, Gre
ating an interest among the people, etc., ir
order to increase the mail facilities Of certain
portions of Oregon. The bringing of the
suit here came about as follows: Some
months ago the plaintiff received frcm an
attorney OF Portland, Or, claim for ccllec
tion against Dorsey. The claimant is we'll
known politician of Portland, whose name
the Tribune does not state The latter had Q
number of letters written by Dorsey, prom.
Using him so much per day for his services,
and giving minute directions how to proceed
TO get the petitions, make contracts, etc.
These letters. with the claim, were placed in
the hands of Denver attorneys, and last win,
ter, when Dorsey came to Denver to look
after his mining interests, he was visited by
an attorney and a bundle of letters alleged to
have heen written by him shown him in sup
port of the claim. Dorsey pronounced
the claim a fraud, and pronounced
the claimant blackmailer Proceedings
were immediately begun in the District
Court. Dorsey instructed his counsel TO
enter demurrer on the grouni that these
contracts were Illegal Since then the mat.
ter remained in statu quo. One letter is
dated Washington, April r. 1879, and tells
the correspondent that he wants him to go to
Eugene City and procure all the petitions
possible for an increase of mail service from
Eugene City to Bridge Greek, to daily IN
stead of weekly; also, to have the time
made faster. The letter continues " want
ten or a dozen on this route, and also to get
people to write to the Postmaster General
and their Senators. We want prominent
Democrats to write Slater and Grover urg-
ing them to see that the increase is made
The correspondent is further directed to 81 get
ten or twelve different petitions on each
route; have large number of letters written
to ths Postmaster General and United States
Ser ators; to be sure to have all ask for a
daily and fast line; to get the State officers
and Chamber of Commerce at Portland to
write. will pay your expenses while
the means, will telegraph you suf-
fc;ent." The second letter, written
four days later, states that contracts are
inclosed for the route from Bridge Creek to
Eugene City, then under contract for one
trip per week, and says if the schedule time
is changed a new contract will have to be
made. The letter continues :. The best we
can do land there must be guaranteed bond
for the fulGlinent Of the contract) is $1,000
per annum for three trips weekly time 100
hours, which is slow walking time. No con-
tract to be binding upon US, but upon them,
till approved by N. Z. Riddle, the agent
want it fled. I will pay him monthly ii be
wants, but don't want my contracts on file
here" The letter closes by exhor.ing the
correspondent to send petitions, etc, by the
carload to himself, Slater and Assistant
Postmaster General Brady. Another letter
OF tie same suit relating to Washington
Territory contract is published. These let
tiers will be produced in Court as evidence 20
support the claim.
The Star Route Contracts.
NEW York, April Sth.-The Times to-
morrow will print the first of series of ar
ticles from Washington concerning the star
route contracts. The opening dispatch is in
good measure devoted to history of the
various routes and the means used to have
the pay for transporting mails over them in.
creased. TIE beginning of tie story is sug-
gestiye, and is as follows:
WASHINGTON, May sth.
The time viii come when the rings which have
plundered the Treasury OF the United States by
means OF contracts for carrying the mails will take
their place in history and the estimation Of the
American people by the side of the most Infamous
organizations OF their kind. That time is cary at
hand. The Tweed ring OF New York ard the Canal
ring Of New York have passed beyond the eriod OF
denial, explanation and attempted defense, and
their dishonesty and corruption facts firmly
established in history as the events OF the
war OF the revolution. The '.stdr servicen
rings are still in existence, but their con.
dition resembles that of snake that has lost its
head, and is seeking to replace it The head is
gone. but there is tremendous energy and power in
the body Nevertheless, without a head these
organizations must die. 1t IS great struggle in
which these rings are engaged, and their infiue
extends in almost every direction. Their sgents
are numerous in both Of the great political parties
Their operations have been interviewer with great
political undertakings. Their strength can be un-
dertood only by those who have sought for evidence
OF their corruption and the efforts which they
have put forth in their defense. There are in
teigent persons wEo predict that they will win
this their greatest BATTLE they have battles
before The people will make the fufiilment OF this
prediction impossible as Soon ey plainly under
stand the manner in which they have been robbed
To the people the facts must be shown, for with
them lies the enduring remedy through their rep
resentityes in Congress. In the past the people
and their representatives have innocently been
bulwark for the protection OF these rings Any at
tempt to lay bare the accommodations of wickedness
has been denounced attack upon the energetic
pioneers Of our growing West and Southwest, and
the honest influence OF these people has been suf
Gent to bring down the scale in favor OF the persons
who were robbine them under pretense OF brand
new policy for the thorough dissemination OF intel
ligence In the last annual report OF the Postmas-
there the following assertion :: 1.-The general
public cares only to know thai its correspondence
is conveyed to its destination with certainty, celer
ity aid security, and pays little attention to the
methods by which tn Sc ends attained" This Is
true, and in this trath may be the safety OF the
rings. When the people determine to pay some at
tention to these methods the rings will be at end
The Times article goes on to say that the
evidence which has accumulated since Mr.
J ames and Mr.. MacF eagb joined hands for the
prosecution and punishment Of the guilty per-
sons will be the basis, it is expected, for
larger number of important suits. These
suits will be carried On by the Governments
officers in many States and
Territories. The authorities who have
now the evidence cannot Of course give
to the public the inside history Of the fancy
routes. 1t is, however, notorious and refer
ence will be made to it in connection with
some OF the routes which will be described.
The main purpose Of these histories, how
ever, is to set before the people the methods
by which so much money has been given
away and thrown away, as shown by the
official records themselves. Washington was
the place where the official work was done,
but the inside plans were laid in New York,
where a house was hired and set apart for
opening Proposals for Mail Contract =
A Material Departure from the Usual
Custom.
WASHINGTON, May Sth.-On the 7th inst
.he awards for carrying mails in various parts
If the country, under the miscellaneous ad-
yertisement of March 10th, were finally de-
.ided upon at the Pnstofice Department.
The letting of these contracts is not what is
xnown rs the regular letting, but consists of
,ervice on such routes as from various causes
,annot be advertised and let at the usual
lime and manner. In opening the proposals |
or these contracts material departure was |
made from the usual custom in such cases. |
The law reads that all proposals for carrying
nails SHALL before being turned over to the |
Contract Office. be "opened and marked"
Heretofore with one exception, occurring |
eyeral years agc) the custom has been |
merely TO open the bids and stamp |
hem. work which some officials |
It tie Department say is practically Of no
,alue, and evidently not what the law con-
emplated, since. as 10 record of bids was
made, Others could be added after the opening |
If the bids in blank, and could be filed in SO |
IS to secure the contracts, or be withdrawn 50
"a to give some favored bidder the contract,
II could be changed for the same purpose.
Some years ago quite scandal was created
N the Department by some OF these very do
nes, and several employees OF the Contract
Office were dismissed In consequence but
.til, with the exception before alluded to. no
,sange in the manIar OF opening the bids WAS
made When the present opening was made,