Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1855-01-18
Rrg,TT et.RAps r<ROsr THE BEAuTIFUIs
RECORD or HENRY 4. WISE.

Il has been asserted in high quarters Hat thfts
5 not single faw 10 he political Fseofd q Def.
denry 4. wise, Inc Democratic candidate ~ Gov
.rucr, srld grave attrmpi has been made g snow
IS, Ne Ess,4 has ever been with Iure hnd unde-
lied DeEnocracy.s We have heretofore presented
ftw f4cts in the political history of iAas gsaae-
nan. oEhemselres pFicient 70 upset thf lndicsoos
claims il Immaculate consistency which are sefi-
ouslr rrged BY his Democratic friends il these ial
,er times. By way Of s.clinching the Hailr hoy
ever I'LL as gurn again for moment y mat ofla-
liant portion Of Mr.. Wises career n which ne a.
CURED iii the reputasion that he nov p9sssssses,
In The year is3she was acting with she Wang par
". and we shall endeavor toshow from ne senfon-
;clss 81 tbs tin1es, and from no sss epm Pe'sn'
Wines han Mr. Wise himself, that has kari was
v III he Wing party too
on Friday, the2tss day Of December, 1888, Aif'
wise made celebrated speech in the House q
Representatives. which occupied. whfn printed,
txe4ty-eigh columns in the National Lste9 'geHsSr
almost as lengthy as his speech in the Virginia
Convention, the publication Of which was eom-
m.nced ID the I'M aortal Supplement- but We be-
Have never concluded That speech in The House
Of Represeata,iFes was remarkable, nof only ior "
extreme length, but for ilsherce assault upon ex-
isng corrapiions lis bold denpnciatioa 81 certain
ofcials, and lis convincing proas bf the speakers
deadly hostility 10 Democracy which be preferred
10 denomnate. in the bitterness ofhisE heart Leo
hs II sJ III o66 SAshsg sreciai
object inexposnre Of that vile corruption Of the Ad
minis5ration, generally and Of Levi Woodbury., the
Secretary Of The Treasury, ID particular From
this speech We proposeto Gull fewexttacts, which
mill IL. ~.
stands now pracisely where he stood III 1888
The Honorable gentleman commepceds his re-
marks by laying down the following proposition.
Lsthim speak for himself and the public will bet
ter understand him
"Lst gentlemen understand me | measure nv
terms i speak in spirit of brayado. / declaias
not when say that, If majority of this House
would do their duty without fear, favor or affee-
item, the Secretary Of the Treasury would before
this HOUSE adjpurns, be i'm peached. III ever fell
en deserved The hangnan's knot the Secretary Of
the Treasury, Levi Woodbur, deserves impeach.
mentt That is the proposition which viii now
preceed 10 temonstrate.
Mr.. Wise proceeded to review the history Of tie
previous ackson Administration OF which he saws
the administration, of Van Buren, was only con
tnuaion-''a different stage of the same disease"
and declares that, although the Administration Of
Gen, Jackson anne into power professedly re
tam administrator" as soon as itsiha4 been long
enough in power 10 coaceipe iaigltfi af bring fyI
corruption and crime Blaeker nan had
erer btorc bseN perpetratedS" different tone was
heard from ''the party
"The cry Of corruption was now heard from an
other quarter the trumpet blast came ldud and.
long tom differentpoin of The field The Post
Office Department was first charged with every
crime in the calendar Of malversaion and malfeas-
ance In Office. The charges were denied, those
who made them vili6ed and investigation was |
scorneh and sc6fed at, until the complaint became
too popular To- be UNDECIDED longer; al committee
was al last granted by both HeIfses OF Congress.
exposed more bribery and corruption mbre fagrant
violations Of official duty and crying abuses ofoffi-
cial power and trusts, than had ever been charged
or dTeamed TO exist The Administration made a i
narrow escapes they run the gauntlet through this
exposure, and they were by il taught lesson which
they have ever since emembered-notf ooltstlv a.
gain h graatgT yield to another Investigation, To
appease the pubic indignation Mr.. Barry, the only +
honest man among that den of thieves, was given I
over ID the tender mercies of--what2 FOREIGN 4
MISSION O. 3 Brown was permitted to resign |
with eelat and The gains be had laid OBJ against a
day oftroube from The profits of favored mail con-
tractors and thu rest and worst Of the robbers were
retained 10 their places
Bot Mr.. Wise was not for permitting the Ad-
ministation 70 be 'ietipped and elcared amer con-
viction upon Indictment against one Department
alone. He believed that investigation was more +
necessary in the Treasury Department than any
other.= Although the knowledge Of Swartwcu s i
and o.her outrageous defalcations twas kept snug
~ concealed ID the chamber Of Mr. Woodbury's |
cret cabinet Mr., Wise s..guessed" a great d, a.,
challenged The opportunity investigation, and in
1897, 'iit was granted "-grudgin beusively, /
is true, butit was granted" OF +
he disposition to cover up The corruption Of the |
Government ofieias Mr. Wise thus spoke, address
ing hitnselfto james X Polk, the Speaker Of he
House2
sSiTI the whole party, from the Pfesilentd down
o g0t Isir, resortedo every device 10 evade, and +
inallYIdefef and denounced all inquiry and all T
Investigation. Yen an attempted ID bsA The cat!-
You warned the rats. Yonhid them. Atterosten-
full scope in the resolution ofinquiry
. gull the Peqple~with fair preensions, you shut
he doors OF the Departments YOU sfended all res
buttons and nIerrogation5iH the committee room!p
Under the resolution 81 January, 1893, a Com
nittee Of investigator was appointed Of which
Mr. Wise was Chairman Thiscommittee, which
Mr. Wise declares was stocked" by Mr. Polk. |.
consisting Of siF good liege and trhe to tree
n favor ofinvssligation, " made three reports Mr.
Wise gave at length the history Of that Committee
ind investigations and referring % ne letter OF
he President, thus speaks of Gen. Jackson and
Amos Kendall:
Sir, the President, in this letter, pr1ted about
he records ofthe Government and TIE! public doc
imeuts as il he had read and examined lhem.s f
loubt whether he ever examined, or read to exam
ne, any one subject thoroughly whilst he was in
,fice No, sir; | venture tx guess that Amos Ken
lal-'honest lago,-whose Official misconduct was Il
most likely TO tie exposed wasthe INFAMOUS author
Il this daring outrage; he wasa tool I'll to be its.
uthori OF every word and letter aud doctrine of IL
ls, was the Presidents hiakiEg maehine, and his
rrttiag machine Sir, II General Jackson had
zen elected t9r the third term, 0pe great good
would have come Of the evit-Amos KsrAfaU leoaEd
7pc 5sfR ic9r1eF % death! Poor wretch as he rode
lis. Ro$iaante down Pennsylvania avenue. he loog-
d liSe EDeash-on the pale horse-he was khiefover-
ecr, chief Reporter, amanuenss, scribe account
at general, man of all work-no hing Was web
one Without The aid Of his diabolica genius" II
Referring toIthe Investigating com mittee, Nj
Wise said 10 Mr.. Polk, Now, sie, propose Is
how you that gqar COMMITTEES obeyed ill., win Of
heir master Yes. as ron had done, by paeting
nd s,oskfag ths Committee II twas yout Commit
e. Ii was yopr COMMITTEES peculiarly and en-
haiically yasr4--;ts appointment its conduct, its
onor or iAfaay will forever attach ftsalf Is YOUR
ameH
Comparing tae case Of Tobias Watkins Awho
'as iacarceSasd for four years for a lie defafca.
on 81 less thap four thousand dollars, with thatof
wartwout, Price and others, who walked awav
nforbidaen, the Speaker Tins accounts far the dif
renee: