Mr. BOUTWELL.Mr. Speaker, that is not strictly true. The testimony taken before the committee was more or less connected with the documentary evidence which was received by the committee from the War Dept. This gentleman, understanding perfectly well bet ter, indeed, than anybody else the nature, the value, and the relations of the evidence in the War Dept, was engaged in examining these papers, in connection with the testimony which had been taken before the committee, for the purpose of aiding me in solving diflicul ties, that I might present a clear report. At the time the Gentfrom NewJersey came in I had given directions to this gentleman to allow no person to examine or take possession of these papers. In this, I think, I did no more than [ought to have done. Still, under the circumstances, I gave to the Gentfrom NewJersey a written order if you choose so to call it to the gentleman who had charge of these papers, saying that the Gentfrom NewJersey might examine the papers in the room of the ComJudiciary, but that he was not to take any of them away. Very soon after that the clerk of the ComJudiciary came to me at my seat and informed me that the Gentfrom NewJersey had with him a phonographic reporter, a person who was unknown to the clerk of the committee. but who, so far as he could judge, was engaged in taking in phonographic characters copies of some of the papers relating to the case under consideration. I went imme diately to the committee room, and found there a man whom I did not know, who said that he had no connection whatever with this House; yet he was engaged then in cOpyin or taking extracts from the papers connected with this case. I at once interposed. I told him, I told the Gentfrom NewJersey, that while the papers where in my charge nothing of the kind should be done; and I took up the papers, I dare say with some feeling, but not with any animosity toward the Gentfrom NewJersey. I thought that the interests of the government were unnecessarily and improperly exposed: and I took possession of the papers, placing them in a trunk where they had been ept and closing the trunk. I have since made some inquiries concerning the person who was yesterday in the employment of the Gentfrom NewJersey, and lask the Gentfrom NewJerse whetherthat personis notan Italian or a Frenc man named azauran.