New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16
THE LEAKS IN THE SEM TIE.
ABORTIvE EFFORTS MADE HERETOFORE
TO STOP THEM.
OCCASIONS on WHICH THE DIGSIFiED UPPER
HOUSE HAS TRIED TO vINDICATE ITSELF
EXPERIENCES OF SENATOR'S
TAPPNN AND CRhGIN.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRiBuSE.I

TAPPNN AND CRAGIN.
rBY rDIEGRAPH TO TIE 1RiBuSgI
Washington. March I5.-Thc ropor; that the Senate
has under consideration n proposition 10 abolish the
press gallery in retaliation for the refusal by news
paper correspondents 10 reveal the source OF noTma
ton upon whlc they based dispatches purporng 10
detail proceedings in sessions is not surprising
10 some the Old stagc~' here. who remember that
at different times years 20. similar talk INDUCED
H. and for somewhat similar reasons. The last
preceding Of that sort little more than a
dozen years ago. when account OF personal con
trovcrsy with certain newspaper correspondents who
enjoyed the courtesy Of occupying seats in the press
gallery Senator amlin proposed 10 cut OF the priv
llcces Of those men, and, "A preliminary move. in
troduccd resolution to cut of the supply Of stationery
allowed for of the press gallery. This led 10
Investigation and report by committee as 10 the
origin Of the practice Of furnishing supply Of sta
toncry to the press gallery. and recommendation
which the senate adopted. that tho practice should
be continued.
Nothing more than talk has come ont Of the
propositions to abolish the press gallery because Of
the papaby bad policy Of subjcctns the Of the
country to slight inconvenience. in order to inhict
punishment upon few individuals who had happened
To incur the displca,urc Of few senators. Nor did
the senate ever succeed in compelling any newspaper
man to dvulgc the from which he got iniorma
ton about senate secrets. II has been tried several
tunes, anu ca'H hltfHlp prNNfi an Nl'I h'' l"I"-
cnta5lc failure. In only three instances was It
actually proved that scnltoss had been guilty Of
violating the secrets Of the senate. the last Of which
affords Interesting reading at the present time
1t the ease OF Benjamin Tappan. the colleague
of william Alien. and the immediate predecessor Of
the great tom" COrwin Is senator from Ohlo Mr..
Tappan's term about 10 expire and his successor
lad been elected. lie had ideas Of his about
called secrets Of the senate lie gave 20 news
paper copy Of the treaty auncSng Texas to the
United states, which. with important accompanying
documents had been received from the President. and
had been printed in conndcncc7 for The u.c OF the
senate 4 few days later the Senate thrown into
"A great furry by the publication In New York paper
Of the text Of the treaty and Of the Presidents mes
sage and a synops, OF the content, OF other OF those
"conndcntial7 documents.
The Indignation Of the senator found relief
i'm the next secret session resolution appointing
Mc-sr-. William :. Archer Of Virginia Thomas H.
Benton OF Missouri John !. Crttcnien. Of Kentucky
George McDule. OF south carolina. and Ambrose H.
SEWER, Of Arkansas, committee Of five senators "tp
inquire whether any document or papers directed Is
the senate 10 be printed condentay for It's use have
been made public In violation II such order: and. II
such prove 10 be the fact. In what manner and hy
whose agency or participation such publication has
been mado ani what proceedings 20 may b. proper for
the senate adopt iu yudicaton II is privileges and
authority: and that such committee have power to
send for persons and papers.- II took the committee
only two days TO ascertain aud report the facts. The
nIst move wa, fo direct pr,ccs. De served the
publisher Of the Ncw-Nork paper iu which the ICON
ndcntal7 documents had been publ he'd requiring hl
attendance before the committee.
In the interval. however" say, the committee In
it, report before the period indicated for the return
Of this process, letter ad'rcssci t. The chair
man OF the committee. under date Of The 3on 81
April. by Che Hon. benjamin Tappan. senator from
the state u Ohlo ia which De informed the committee
81. a ...ffY IL
question had been made from the copy 81 the docu
mcnis furnished him under Tie uil.s II the senate
which hc Lad given 20 "a person allut leaving TIE CITY
for New YorA. with 100 injunction u 'conc'ilinent'
From TIE examination of the person 70 whom tho
document wa, delivered ly senator Tappau, II ap
pclrcd that the document was handed to him without
The protection Of an envelope. with an expire. per
mission to perl.c TIE contents. and with request
10 the said person f. become the instrument N rs
conveyance ono Il the editors 81 thr new paper IN
which the publication subsequently, appeard.
The fact The violation Of the order Of the senate
lcin. thus established and the persons a-cci.ned bf
Whose agency and participation Il lad been a.
,omp.shcd. TIE committee proceeded t. cnlist'n the
senate as 10 what proceeding, 1t may De proper for
the sona,, - nf lpt in vindciton 81 j., privilege, and
autyr.tyr TIC committee. stated TIA; IL regarded
the cxp'.urc II document which the senate had seen
IL 10 order should bc held ia confidence a. a grave
offence not only from Tho Ill pcct which b. involtc,
peculiar mis-. ,vou,pc,, Of tie effects with which The
impairment Of IL, authority in t, respect might be
attended.
"Occasons must occur In the progress Of the GOV
eminent the committee SAID. In which free c 'm-
munication ana entire unrc-ervc between the two
branches 4 the Executive, The President and senate.
will be required IN relation TO transactions the
premature or undue exposure Of Which would operate
very dcirmcnially to the public Interests. nor can
occasions on subjects bc supposed To which tins r.
mark ha' an Application moro appropriate or f'rcl'in
than those OF negotiations with foreign power. ~
relation 10 Which disclosure, AZ improper moments
Of pending proceedings. might bc ii~n-ht with Inn
mutation on the fith II the Government Illustration
Of high objects Of public policy dmdoncc on the part
Of other Governments 10 negotiate with u ON dccatc
| tran.acons and disr7-t on the part Il the read
Of the Executive. not only preventing import mt
communications to the senate but rcprc-,Nc Of that
freedom If consultation and advi-"ncnt which might
be cn.nently conducive to The public service.
at were superfiuou, to ada tat no guarantee
ro,niu. for the AVOIDANCE Of these mischcf,. and TIE
| preservation Of tic required conf cnrf and comfy
lcwecn the branches 81 the Executive, II detected
example, Of the breach 81 this confidence Ao permitted
| 10 pass without an adequate rcprhcn'ion. In U'
! instance under con-Iicratlon the committee nave !"
regret that the violation of the confidence rcp'se'
| lv the head Of the Executive IN The senate ana Ivy
,bc Senate i'm the fidelity Of It's own members 10 iia
| bonor and authority has been brought home t. a
member Of the body q, tho source OF the "niFi'r.
The act too has been dc-igrcd. deliberate, and -
far ~ the committee can pcrc' j. m"fhed by ITO
| color Of excuse.
| GTwo cases Of similar proceedings on the part 81
| members attracting the notice Of The senate h'V'
presented Themselves to the research Of The committee
The first appears 10 have occurred before The adoption
Of the present rule uhibng disclosure rs regard pro-
cccdng. on treaties which VIII Dee found I" explain inc
ou.. ion Of any resolution Of ccnsnrc on the occasion.
| tlf .Il.t ali
member had been guilty 81 violation OF the rules "i
thc senate evidently designed mild form oi cen
sure Wa, adopted. The offence ~ that ease me use
| Of paper, in the Senate, communicated '"hhdo"t'"N
| some years prcvou,Iyj admitted oi BENG eHPH''he"
into rni-aprrchcisio and lacked. therefore, the agra
walton of the present ca,, in which the breach oil Inc
ulo Of e senate has been deliberate, aud presents 40
| nspert Of c,tcMHatiyn