The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-01

On Monday last Mr.. Covert, an ex-Alder-
man and gentleman of undoubted respecta-
bility and financial experience, gave evidence
in the Joseph Walker case which is likely to
secure for his name the honor Of becoming
proverbial expression. He was the gentleman
it will be ecollected-who, according to the
evidence Of Walter r. Jones, agreed or pro-
missed or was to have agreed or promised, to
:" stop the discussion of the Joseph Walker
of the sum of one thousand dollars from Jones
Being called to the stand, and Intercepted, this
virtuous man confirms, in the fullest manner,
all that Jones swore. II thought" says he,
modestly, II could stop the resolution in the
Board Of Aldermen. Now understand make
no secresy as to what did. told Mr.. Lane
would like to see Mr.. Jones on the subject.
didn't say much to Jones anyhow. Mr.. Lane
did all the talking. Only when there was
remark by Mr.. Lane to Mr.. Jones that it would
take some six or seven hundred dollars, l said it
would take thousand. I was in the market
or anything of the kind" He declared
hard working Covert that the thousand dollars
were for " his services" but when asked what
these services might be, he prudently replied
that that was " in his own mind after he had
the money secured" Being further pressed,
however his ingenious nature could no longer
be controlled, and he said: II would have
gone, for instance, to you, Alderman Ely, and
said it would be impossible to have that ship
raised in sixty days, and that it could not be
done in sixty years. In this way would have
endeavored to have kept out the report" What
other means he would have employed we can
only conjecture from his oft repeated avowals
that, ''if he had chance he would make thou
sand dollars out Of any man."
This is not the first occasion on which an az
fectation of candor has been resorted to in
cases like this. The trick is an old one. And
though it is not easy to perceive the motive
which could have induced such men as Barnum
and Durham to step out Of their way gratu-
tously in order to exhibit themselves to the world
at the confessional, there are and have been cases
in which self accusation presented at least the
small advantage Of taking the edge of novelty
of the public indictment. And in like manner,
the gentlemen who endeavored to promulgate
new theory of honesty and corruption
in their evidence on the Colt Investigation be-
fore committee of Congress, did SO in al
probability from the same principle which in
duced the Roman to commit suicide rather
than fall into the enemy's hand. " is clear,
however, that such unblushing avowals of i'm
morality constitute, in themselves, q distinct
and separate offence. II is not fitting that men
in the position of ex Aldermen, or in any other
conspicuous rank, should be allowed to say pub
licly that they are ready to commit any i'm
proper act for money; and that the saying
should 60 into families, and be read by the
growing youth without word Of antidote
Loudly enough do we hear complaints Of the
corruption, Of the mercenary tendenc es, of the
want of principle displayed by our city boys:
but what can we expect if such avowals as that
of Mr. Covert, and such books as Barnum's are
put into their hands? Can they read justiGca-
tions OF every species Of deceit and dishonesty
from day to day without being contaminated!
The thing is impossible.