Year: 1879

In a recent debate in the Lower
House of Congress, the subject Of the
Cipher Dispatches, made famous by the
Tribune and which the Potter Commit
tee have determined at last to inter-
view, came up for discussion. There
was a running debate of an hour, partlci-
pated in by Potter, Butler, Hale, Conger
and Hewitt, the last named member
speaking as follows:


Mr.. Hewitt said Personally have
no desire to take part in this discussion,
but foresaw that something would be
said that would make il necessary tor
me at least to make some explanation
Of the circumstances which have led to
this result. II Will be remembered that
when, in the Forty fourth ConSfuss,
motion was made in this House to COM
NIT the officers Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company for contempt, for
not producing kilograms (probably those
now under discussion), said to this
House that | thought that such pro-
ceeding could not be defended on any
principle of Justice or OF law: but was
compelled TO add that, as Chairman of
The National Democratic Committee at
that time, / had never sent or received
n despatch which might not be publish
ed, and | authorized, then and there,
the officers of that company to produce
them all and lay them before the Com
mittee of the House and before the
country. So now, in regard to the
pending proposition. While make no
controversy with the gentleman from
Massachusetts, Mr.. Butler), and can
make none, desire TO remind him that
there are occasions in life when there
is something higher even than Judge or
lawyer or member Of Congress. 1t is
when the sense Of manhood strikes TO
the human heart, and then, in spite of
law, in spite of precedents, the answer
comes, "Let justice be DONE" And /
stand here now to invoke the fullest in-
vestigation Of these telegrams-those
which have been published, or may not
have seen the light of day, or any and
all telegrams that mat effect the char
acter and standing of any Democrat who
had part in the late Presidential cleo
ton, either as a candidate for Office, or
as an officer or agent of any recognized
Democratic organization. Whether the
cipher dispatches published in the Tri-
6URe are genuine or not, | have no
means Of knowing. | never received
one of them. was never cognizant oil
their existence until they were pub
lished. Neither do | know whether
the alleged tranSlations are true or false.
But this | do know, that not one ofthem
containing a reference 10 the use Of
money 10 influence Returning Boards
or electoral votes was ever addressed
to or received by any officer of the Ma
tional Democratic Committee. I am
aware that the newspapers have cred-
tied one of those persons TO whom tele-
grams were addressed with having been
an officer OF the Democratic Committee,
but say to this House and to the coun-
try that this is an error. He never held
any official connection with the Com
mittee. These dispatches came from
and were addressed TO persons who had
no official position in the organization.
That they were jealous Democrats. and
anxious TO secure the fruits Of the VIC
tory which we had unquestionably won
in a contest of unparalleled effort on
both sides is very evident. But what
they did was action of purely Volun-
tary and individual nature, without con-
sultation either with me, who was
charged with the conduct Of the cam
paign, or (as am here authorized to
say) with the candidate of the Demo
cratic party in that memorable struggle.
[Saiirical laughter on the Republican
side Of the House.


You gentleman may laugh because
you are deaf TO the voice Of Honor and
Truth. I tell the gentlemen on the 9TH
er side that when they laugh in that
spirit il is because they fail TO appreci-
ale the manhood which | ventured TO