Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1879 — STEALING MESSAGES. [ARTICLE]

STEALING MESSAGES.

Interesting Gossip in Regard to Such Thefts. [From the Philadelphia Telegraph.] In several instances portions of President Lincoln’s messages were published, and the matter was attempted to be investigated by the Judiciary Committee of the House. When it wa3 fonnd that the inquiry would be likely to lead to a good deal of scandal connected with the ladies of the White House, it came to a very abrupt termination by the President going to the Capitol himself and directing that the investigation should be suspended. The next instance was in the time of “Andy” Johnson, when, through the obljvious condition of his son Dick, a copy of tbe message was handed to a correspondent to read over and see what he thought of it. The correspondent took advantage of the opportunity and had a stenographic copy made, returned the manuscript and pronounced it an excellent message. The next morning the President was considerably astonished when he found the document in print. President Grant’s military methods were too much for the ingenuity of Washington correspondents, and in no instance did the text of his messages appear before their submission to Congress, except what he gave to one or two of his confidential friends or a correspondent. It waa.the custom of the General, when he had completed his message, to take his private secretaries —Pruden, Sniffin and Lucky—nito one of the most remote apartments of the Executive Mansion, and there set them to work to make six manifold copies for the use of the press, which, when finished, were taken by the President, placed in an envelope, and held until the committee of Congress reported the two houses. organized. He then submitted the manuscript copies for the use of the two houses, aud, upon the return of Private Secretaries Gens. Porter or Babcock, he authorized the disposing of the six manifold copies. While Mr. Boutwell was Secretary of the Treasury, on one occasion his annual report was made public in advance of its transmission to Congress. Upon investigation it was shown conclusively that the copy was given out by his private secretary. He was immediately dismissed and placed on the black list, and subsequently died in this city in absolute poverty, as the punishment of his breach of faith to liis superior. The present administration seems to have been very unfortunate with respect to the premature publication of the Preside! t’s messages, each message having been made public in advance of its transmission to Congress. Although, ns a rule, all the important features of the messages are anticipated, the eagerness to secure the text always makes the document a good marketable commodity. As high as $1,500 was offered for President Grant’s messages. The last message, however, was sold for SSOO, while Secretary Sherman’s report brought $450, the proceeds being divided between three parties, the purloiner and two middlemen who effected the sale.