Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-26

ker, are justly subject to all the charges
presented by Bliss, and think they should
be removed. No men holding public ap-
pointments should be permitted to use the
influence and power of their position as
they have used theirs, or be permitted to
interfere with such prosecution or any
prosecution urged by the government in
the vindication of law.
Third-The man Helm, recently ap-
pointed to the head of one of the depart
ments of the public printing Office, is by
law incapable of holding that Office, mas
much as he controls public newspaper,
but will further add that the paper he
controls is paper notoriously and con-
fessedly owned by one of the defendants,
a defendant the most culpable of all,
since it was by his official criminal NAL
feasance the corrupt orders were
made and frauds successfully
perpetrated. His paper has
been engaged from the beginning of the
prosecutions down to the discharge of the
jury, in the most violent abuse of all who
were supposed to be interested in bringing
the defendants to justice. The judge was
not even spared; this counsel we're persist
emily siandered, and witnesses openly as
sauited, denounced and terrorized, by one
continuous current of personal abuse and
calumny. I am of opinion that this man
be forthwith removed. and am astonished
that those who have charge of the govern
ment printing office with public knowl-
edge OF these facts should have ventured
to appoint him. He is not man to be
trusted in the responsible position he
holds.
Fourth-Ia conjunction with Bliss 1 re-
specially call your attention to the con-
duct of Geo. E. Spencer. Upon the day of
your departure from this city, Immediately
after the adjournment of congress, a COM
munication by Bliss and other counsel in
the case was sent through me lodging
with you a complaint against Geo. E.
Spencer. These papers did not reach you
at that time. This was during the latter
weeks of the trial-in fact the evidence had
closed and counsel were addressing the
jury. Those papers are now before you.
Bliss, by his letter, which you have referred
to me, called your attention to them. By
them it appears that Spencer is a delin-
quent and absconding witness; that he can
testify to material and important facts,
and that he left this city, and has ever since
secreted himself and avoided process of
law. He holds an important public posi-
ton, and is the last man who should hesitate
to be present in court to testify in a case
of this magnitude and in which the honor
Of the government and the administration
Of public justice is concerned, and because
CT his unprincipled delinquency, unite
with Bliss and other counsel IN the case in
asking his Immediate removal. Time
enough has been given him to appear and
explain. Not one word has been heard
from him, and as he has disappeared as if
he were dead, have directed a most thor
ough search to be made for him. and thus
far no trace of him can be found. That
search will be persisted in, and if he can
be had he will be had and brought into
court and made to answer for his act of
gross contempt ard disobedience, and
obliged to testify to those facts which are
within his knowledge, and are so essential
to maintain the prosecution of defendant.
Fifth-Geo. O. Miller, one of the police
of the district. in the recent judicial in
quiry, with the audacity of a criminal,
confessed under oath that he had been en-
gagged and retained in the service of de-
PENDANTS in the star route case, and had
persistentiy assisted them during the trial.
Because of this confession so made By him
l applied to the commissioners of this
district to remove him. That removal has
taken place.
have never forgotten your instructions
on ny first accepting Office to pursue this
case with vigor and rigor SO that the inno-
cent should be acquitted if clearly inno-
cent, that the guilty should be punished if
clearly guilty; and that there must be no
ha]f-hearted sentiment in the purpose of
the government and its officers in this
prosecution. After serious and prolonged
deliberation over all the details of the
case, my Investigations satisfied me that
the men who were indicted were guilty
men and merited the extreme punishment
of the law. They had projected under
cover of official power and under cover of
official authority systematic plan of de-
liberate robbery of the public treasury.
To carry out that plan they had
laid their hands upon fund
given by law to great public service,
service that is conspicuously one Of the
fruits and causes of our civilization, our
social comfort, our commercial prosperity,
our national growth. Millions of that
money they perverted to their own private
gain, and divided it for their own personal
purposes. It was a condign act of in
1dIuouS conspiracy. anu uoSofsoS Iue SeNof-
est punishment the law can infiict. Such
men are traitors to social and official duty,
and they are public enemies against whom
the authority of law must be exerted with
out hesitation or reluctance. The higher
their past positions, the greater their sin,
and the sterner must be their punishment.
desire to call your attention to the fact
that officers of the law and those who
have directly been aiding me in the dis
charge of my duty in this business, have
been from the first encircled with snares,
pitfalls, aad every species of vile device
that could be invented to harm them,
hinder their usefulness, and prevent the
administration of justice. Some portions
of this community who surround these de-
PENDANTS and who have enjoyed, or do
still enjoy, minor Official positions, know
no allegiance to any one but
this band of robbers, and render
no service to any one
but these evil employers. From motives
of gain or other corrupt considerations
they are saturated with afiinities for these
bad men, and they have contributed, by
every means in their power at the bidding