Year: 1872

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Baek--The Public Printer Exonerated--


Who is to Blame2


Especial dispatch to the n. Y. Tribune.l


WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE New
Orleans investigating committee has
not yet reported. Whenever the
members of that committee have been
asked, during the past month, why
the testimony taken in Louisiana, at
great expense, has been suppressed,
their uniform reply has been that the
report was written within few days
after the return of the committee, but
that it was impossible for them to get
the testimony from the government
printing office, only forty eight pages
having been put into type. Some
members of the committee have even
gone further than this, and intimated
that some mysterious influence ema-
mating from the Senate had some
thing to do with this delay in the
printing office.


Every member of the committee,
who has been spoken to on the sub
iect, has laid the blame on the public
printer, and on him alone. lnvesti-
CATION at the government printing
Office proves that the excuse that has
been given by the committee for de-
laying its report is wholly without
foundation, and very unjust. The
fault lies entirely with the committee
itself, who have held back the testi-
mony, furnishing to the printer, thus
F1r anlY nhnJ1f Of
Every line OF. copy sent to the print
ing office has been promptly put into
type, although there has been no order
given by the House to print it. Mr..
| Clapp, as matter of courtesy, treat
ed this committee as he does every
other, and put into type for their use
as much of the testimony as they sent,
in anticipation of the order of the
House. An explanation from the
committee, it is suggested, will now
be in order.


Meanwhile, some interesting rumors
are floating about the capitol, and
some of them are in such definite
shape as to be almost susceptible Of
positive proof. There is no doubt
that some of the testimony taken, and
so far suppressed, is very damaging
to Collector Casey, the Presidents
brother-in-law. Everybody, friends
or enemies of tie administration, who
has seen or heard the contents of the
testimony, admits this. Casey him
self is reported to have called on the
chairman of the committee, and TO
have asked his advice rs to appearing
and answering the charges made
against him. The reply he is said to
have received was that if he was inno-
cent, he could do nothing wiser; but,
if there were any truth in the charges,
there were sharp lawyers on the COM
mittee who would be likely to handle
him roughly, and leave him in worse
position than that in which he then
stood. Having received this advice,
Casey did not request the committee
to examine him. Another report, the
truth of which has not been ques-
toned, is that, on the return of the
committee from New Orleans, the Re-
publican members of it called ON the
President, and told him that some OF
the evidence was very damaging to
Casey, and recommending n speedy
change in the office of collector of the
Port of New Orleans. Shortly after
the President was furnished with &
full copy of the testimony concerning
Casey, so that it can no longer be sale
that he is ignorant of what has taker
place, or by any excuse throw off re.
sponsibility of keeping Casey in Office


The Tribune says editorially:


1t tnrns out that the blame has beer
unfairly laid upon the public printing
establishment, for the unexplained
delay in the publication of the repor


of the House committee who inyesti


gated the New Orleans complication
The superintendent of public printing
claims that he has put into type
portion of the report which has beer
sent to him, but only about one


fourth of that document has ye


reached his hands. The investiga


ting committee returned from New Or


leans over two months ago. Thei
F report was shown to the President
it was damaging to the President


brother law, Collector Casey; i
has not been submitted to the House
it has not been printed. Now, then
who is huddling out of sight this re


port, which is suspected of being un
,, favorable to an administration ''whic
courts investigation !"