The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-05

statement.
This office has on file. in grea
number of cases. letters opposing il
strong terms the pardon Of many pris
loners. These letters are required b,
the law to be kept on file in this office
land clerks are paid out of the public
Treasury to file, keep and preserve
these documents. They certainly are
not my private property Their pre-
servation is at the expense of the pub
tic treasury, and yet. would not fur
lnish a copy of these letters to any
person. If / were to do so, citizens
of the State would at once refuse tc
furnish me with true and full infor-
nation with reference to the life and
character of applicants for pardon
lest their statements becoming public
the criminal at the expiration of his
term Being cogniZant of them. should
wreak his revenge upon the people
who sought to keep him from being
Ipardoned / am certain that you will
recall the famous case in which Pres
ident Cleveland refused to furnish to
the Senate of the United States the
charges upon which he had removed
| Federal officeholderS, and this not
withstanding the fact that these
charges were kept on file as public
documents, their filing and preserva-
| ton being at the expense of the Uni
ted States government and notwith-
standing the fact that the Senate of
| the Unied Saes has he power to pass
upon nominations made by the Pres
ident and to confirm or reject them.
Some years ago citizen of this
State was appointed by the President
as Federal judge. When his nominal
tion was sent to the Senate charges
were filed against him. The Senate in
vestigated the charges and took much
evidence. He was never confirme !.
Repeated efforts have been made to
obtain these charges for use against
the nominee, but the department at
Washington has always refused to
furnish them or to make them public
holding that it is essential to the
conduct of the public business that
charges when made shall not be given
to the public, for the reason that if
made public, citizens will not freely
furnish the government with infor-
nation concerning the fitness and
character of nominees for office.
''In our own State the reports to the
Auditor made by corporations,-in
many of which the members of your
Chamber of Commerce are interested,
are kept secret and no citizen of the
State can get copy of those reports,
although the reports are the basis of
the taxation of the corporations. The
reason underlying this refusal is that
the exposure of the business of the
corporation to it's competitors might
he injurious. think that your Cham
Der of Commerce will agree that this
is a sound view with reference to this
matter and if SO, then suerly, where,
in the opinion of the Governor the
public interest may be injuriouSly af-
fected by publication of reports made
to him for his information, he not
only has the right, but is becomes his
duty to withhold these reports from
publication.
Now | am perfectly certain that
the committee appointed by me and
whose report you request, would upon
the slightest intimation of a request
on my part, consent to the publication
of their report. There is nothing in
their report which reflects upon any
body or any community; but, if
should make their report public, it
lessons for the future the frankness
with which defects and objections
would be pointed out for it is certain
that no committee would wish to have
resolutions of condemnation passed
upon them for expressing preference
for one place over another Such reso-
luuons would undoubtedly be passed
Tor II the Governor is not eXemtp from
them, then it is apparent that a com
mittee of his choosing would them
selves become the subject of resent
ment if they ventured to suggest that
one place is more desirable for en-
canlpment than another. If as you
assume their report points out
Wrightsville as preferable to More
mead, then they would have subjected
themselves to the condemnation of the
Chamber of Commerce of Morehead
City and in fear of doing so, might
have been tempted to praise both
equally and leave me uniformed as 10
the roel situation.
1f-'I.. .,ffdrr :. 1908 79O$7S9O7S90
81 note further that your resolutions
after charging mel with conserving
the interest of Morehead City at the
cost of the military service of the
State and with having done Wrights-
Vile a grave and deliberate injustice.
requests me to furnish
your Chamber With a copy of the re-
port in question, to the end that you
may know what are the shortcomings
of Wrightsville and the superior al
vantages Of Morehead City.
1T has not been the habit of citi-
zens of Wilmington from the time
When in conjunction with their COM
patriots. they seized the stamps senr
there by the British Government.
~ ~ lilC pICoclll, 10 request what
they had a right to demand | know
too that you are we'll verSed in the.
use OF words and when you 'reoues.'
me for copy of this report you by
the use of that word, recognize that
you have no right to it For, if YOU
are entitled to the report. your de
mand would not only be proper but
would be promptly honOred.
No citizen Of this State needs to
request of me any right of his. If
have any disposition to deny his right |
sincerely hope that he will have the
to demand it. and I am GER
tain that this is what the Chamber or
Commerce of Wilmington would UNI
hesitatingly do.
You will permit me to say I hope, !
that you cannot want this report for
the purpose of ascertaining what the
of Wrightsville are, be-
cause you assert in the beginning OF
your resolution that any one familiar
with the conditions at MOrehead City
must readily concede the superiority
Of Wrightsville.. What everyone con-
,edes needs no further proof, and the
'eport cannot therefore be of the |
value to you.
'In conclusion / must acquit myself |
If any injustice to Wrightsvile, de |
iberate' or otherwise. 1t is certainty
of he 1aIi nj