National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-07
WAYNE MACVEAGH
Continues His Testimony in Relation to the
Star Route Gases,
Telling How EnergeticaIy He Urged
Their Vigorous Prosecution.
He AVows Himself Sentimental, with Low 0pin-
ion Of Practical, Politician
And Pays His Respects 20 EI-District
Attorney Corkhill and Others.

Ex-Attorney General MacVeagh continued
his testimony yesterday before Mr.. springer's
committee relative to his connection with the
star route cases.
Those cases, he said, would present them
selves to anybody's mind as having very
grave political complications. One of the
gentlemen accused Is. w. Dorsey had been
United States senator and had been an active
member of the repu blican party in the recent
canvass. Another gentleman whose name
was the subject Of common rumor was then
q republican United States senator wv. p
Kellogg, and at that time the senate was
republican by one majority. In addition to
this there was perfectly well-marked and
universally known division of opinion in the
republican party. Mr. MacVeagh remem-
bered explaining very fully to President
Garfield, in tho presence of the postmaster
general, the very great gravity of the initial
steps of the investigation. At first appear
ance the figures were SO startling, and the
uniformity of evidence of inismanagemont
was so absolute, that 1t seemed to him
that as chief executive Mr.. Garfield
ought to consider before taking any
step from which retreat would be impossible
what the consequences Of that step would be-
If he (MacVeagh) were joined to these cases
and started them, there was no way Of stopping
them short of exhaustive examination before
jurors except the resource the President
always had of dispensing with the attorney
generals services, and that might be embar-
RAISING also, 1t was one of the misfortunes
of the cases, Mr.. MacVeagh said, that up to
this time no efforts had been made to secure
the indictments of tho three gentlemen most
prominently mentioned-Dorsey, Brady, and
Kellogg 1t was, then, absolutely impos-
sible to make an intelligent presentation of
the cases. II had said to Mr.. Dorsey and his
COUNSEL" Mr.. MacVeagh continued, that we
had no charges to formulate. We were not
then in a position to do so. l had found GER
tain records which evidenced guilt. We had
also started train Of inspectors to invest-
gate, but not until they reported could We
tell what ought to be dono. / had no doubt
that unless there was something to change
the impression given by the records We would
have to proceed against these gentlemen"
The witness entered into details of the pro-
posed manner OF conducting the prosecutions.
He said he found himself at tho postofice
department with Postmaster General James,
Mr.. Dorsey, and Mr.. Ingersoll. 1t was then
supposed that the investigation through the
regular judicial channel would be feasible.
This prosecution" Mr.. MacV eagh said, twas
source of anxiety, and might say distress
to President Garfield. 1t was understood that
he favored prosecution in the courts. Other
methods, however, of correcting the wrongs
we were pursuing were suggested. Dorsey
asked me If l proposed to disregard tho
wishes of the president / answered that
had no knowledge that the president wished
any other method of procedure than the ordi-
nary channel.
In tho latter part of June / went to New
England to see my sons graduate. While
there received from somebody here tele-
gram demanding my immediate return to
aft &c nj nth ara
to have me turned out of the cabinet. If /
replied at ALL / said that the object was not
near enough to my heart to shorten my visit,
and did not come back until l expected to.
When l returned l was told that vigorous
efforts had been made to turn me out on the
ground of base conduct, it even being init
mated that / had engaged in plot to steal
papers sent to the President. i was only
interested to know If the President had seen
fit to receive such charges. He said that he
had declined them. These charges had been
made by Rerdel."
Where did he land at last?" Mr.. Springer
asked.
"In shame and everlasting contempt
replied Mr.. Stewart.
The witness continuing said: The efforts
to remove me were made by those implicated
in the star route fraud. / could not imputC
their motives. / will just lot the committed
judge. They would say that they wanted
Until the death of the president thought il
my duty to remain with him. They wanted
me to 20 out, After his death l thought il
my duty to leave and they said it was my
duty to remain. A torrent of abuse was
poured upon me for declining, and the sta
should remain. Others joined in thu
demand for me to remain and bt
responsible for the prosecutions, and rep
resented that the prosecutions were ben.
left naked and detenseless, and that / wa
running away from them, when, as a matter
of fact, you now know and | knew there
were four special counsel employed in tho
case, quite as many as could be useful to the
department. Of justice. l thought ] wa,
leaving the cases in safe hands The reason
OF the change in the attitude of these gentle
men was perfectly apparent to me. | wa!
known to have been in very ardent politica
sympathy with President Garfield. On al
the questions about which the republican
party was so strenuously divided--almos
into two hostile camps Mt Chicago -upor
every ono of those questions had been il
as hearty accord with him as
had been in hearty and strenuous opposition
to President Arthur. Mr. Arthur was wei
known to entertain and to have given expires
sion to very low opinion of sentimental
politicians, of whom | was one, aud | wa
known to have long entertained and fire.
quently expressed u very low opinion o
practical politicians, OF which he WAS one, an(
these gentlemen certainly must have seer
that the President who had called me here
and had sustained me under great obloqu,
and abuse in these prosecutions being nov
dead and buried, | was in 10 position what
ever to bring to these cases the requisit,
moral support. The opinion of thes
gentlemen was intensified by newspa
pers edited by Hastings and Gorham
They had steadily taken the side o
Arthur, and as steadily had opposed
me, with rs mean words as their tongue
could express. When Arthur came here
found him in close utilization with thes,
editors. When you, gentlemen, consider thes,
things and when you add tho condition u
affairs as they existed in the arena Of The
District of Columbia, l think you will Sc,
the improperly of my remaining in thI
prosecution against such gentlemen. You en-
also see why it was my duty, in selecting
counsel to select gcntlem on in whom Pre5iden
Arthur would have confidence. / think tha
he felt at first rs | did, and when ! publishe,
my reasons for leaving had no reason to be-
lieve that had anything but the cordial ap
prevail of the President in my action,
Mr. MacVeagh then spoke of the relations
that Mr.. Corkhll, United States distric
attorney for the District of Columbia, bore t.
the star route prosecutions. He said he hat
been told almost at tho first of the investiga
tion that Mr.. Corkhill had not the confidence
of the gentlemen engaged in the prosecution
that he held cordial relations with tho de