National Republican., 1883-02-20
THE sEcRErARY,s REPLY.

Z.
acknowledge the receipt Of your letter of yester'
day, IN which you renew your request for the APP
poinImsnt 9i eGitee Py ,ne senHte m 70 lnS1s an
its proper status IN the public service have
read your letter with care, but do not find IN II
sufficient reasons for disregardlng the consider
atoms upon which felt compelled to disapprOye
your original application. Whatever may be the
Importance of an investigation by the senate for
status OF your bureau in the public ser.
vice with reference to the propriety Of
the passage Oh one or another ot the pllls now now
of ach house of congress to determine, without
suggestion from this department, what measures,
II any, IL will take to obtain information In ad-
diion to that already possessed by ii on which to
base its action, aud that IL would be an unpre.
cedened and improper step for this department.
10 request the senate TO obtain such information
through the extraordinary insrumentality of
committee Of Investigation. The action Of con-
guided by general Information and consdera-
tions of general policy on which charges relating
to the personal official conduct of officers
now engaged in carrying on the work OF the
weather service have no bearing. The charges to
which you called my attention in your letter of
the fourteenth instant were the stated cause OF
that letter being written, and constituted as un-
derstood, the subject matter which II wys espe-
cally desired should be investigated. Their
py 10Y So Ih
the signal bureau In the public service as the
official fidelity OF some of Its officers. would Ger
any of It's officers, aud regret to observe the
EXPRESSION Of you your feeling that justice
that the right of appealing to such a tribunal
composed, as Il must he, Of brother officers, was
singular pUieg9 OF Of SEe5' rs d Si iae pt army lor Sma
concerning legislation; but the matter Of legisla-
tive can be left safely 70 the wisdom OF congress.
The duty Of this department is to administerpro.
perly the laws pertaining to It as they are and TO
use, II necessary, the means provided by lay TO
ascertain whether or not imputatons like those
ft, well fnnndad 1 with
that an Investigation of the truth of those impu-
tations must be had, but l cannot concur ,r
depnift@ent fS S Appealing to the The senate to
direct IT,. II Is provided by article li6 Of section
| 1912 Of the Revised Statutes that court Of In
| Quiry to examine into the nature OF any trans
action OF or accusation or imputatiOn against any
officer or soldier may be ordered by the president
sa,eS y bS, sort OF INJURY Shall never bo or
| dered by any commanding Othcer except upon a
demand OF the officer or soldier whose conduct
court OF inquiry is not asked for to investigate
and report upon any matters which may be laid
beioreit mpugning the official fidelity Of officers
engaged In the performance OF the duties OF your
| bureau, l shall feel II my duty TO advise the
President to appoint committee for that pur-
Of Yesterday be- given to tie press, You have my
assent TO It's publication, accompanied by this,
have the honor to be, very respectfully your
RoBERT t. LINCOLN. Secretary of War.
| Con. W. b. HAZRS, Chief Signal Onlcer, U. s, A.
GEN. HAzEN's REJoIEDER,
The following communication was sent tC
the secretary of war yesterday afternoons
| 10 THE HONORABLE THE SECRETARY OF WAR
| Sir. have the honor 10 acknowledge the re-
ceipt Of your letter OF tho seventeenth instant
The motive OF the chief signal officer in asking for
| a congressional Investigation Is very clear. Tive
bills are pending before the legislative branch o
the government, one favored by the secretary OF
| war, us / understand his annual report and hii
letter of the seventeenth instant, and one favored
| by me. Assertions have been made In the public
press that false, aud that make difficult fail
discussion of the merits Of the proposition in
vOlyed. IL has not seemed proper 20 the chie
he desires fuller Investigation than such eour
can give. He is surprised 10 learn that any
one familiar with the sources OF the charge. oI
with their true character, should deem any In
quiTy necessary except for the Information of the
public, and he Is sure that congressional in
vestigauon Is best adopted 10 that end. The chiei
signal officer is as determined that fair investl.
CATION OF his bureau shall be had us any one car
be, He has thus far merely expressed his desire
as to what means shall be employed, The chic
signal otfcer is also surprised that the secretary
should understand him as saying that he feel
that Justice may not be done him by court OF in
quiry. He said that he desired Justice for hi
bureau and himself and the text OF his lette
shows that in saying that the desired end cOult
not be obtained by court of inquiry, he mean
simply that an investigation by such trlbuna
could not be broad enough 10 accomplish what Ia
believes all friends Of the service desire
lam, very respectfully, your obedientseryce,
w. b. HAZEN,
Brig. and By't Major General,
Chief Signal otlicer U. 5, A.