Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-08
SPIRIT OF THE MORNING PRESS.

SPIRIT OF The MORNING PRESS.
The Union, noticing the fact that the
New York Herald and Times proclaim that
there is vast organization for corrupt pur-
poses on the floor of the House of Representa-
tivss, extending outside Of the hall with rami'
fed affiliations, says of the statements of those
journals:
The misfortune, however, il, that the charges
fail TO command credeDce because the wit
nesses have proved each other to be as great
rogues and plunderers as they assert the
lobby agents to be. Ii has been the daily &C.
cupstion Of these two journals to hunt and
pile up evidence Of villany against each other,
and, If there is a lingering doubt IN the mind
Of any one that they are a pair of unmitigated
scapegraces, that doubt must hang upon the
belief that neither Of them is credible wit
ness.
It Is rare spectacle to see two such prose-
cutters coming forward TO ''turn States evil
dence" against public plunderers. There may
be, and we fear there is room for suspicion
that the legislation Of Congress is being some
times made available for the advancement of
personal and private schemes Of aggrsndize-
ment. But We doubt much whether those " ho
are guilty in the premises have not their surest
guarantee against detection and punishment
in the fact that their prosecutors can get 70
one to believe their testimony on account Of
the notorious infsmy Of the witnesses There
Is consequence. however, which may follow
these repeated charges Of corruption, which
might be well considered by the parties i'm.
plicsted. An incredible witness may repeat
his testimony so often that it may finally gen.
crate a suspicion of guilt, which is almost as
fatal to public man as proof of the fact,
especially If the charges are allowed TO be re.
peated, again and again, without refutation
or contradiction by the parties accused For
example: The editor of the Times, who was
the late Lieutenant-GOveInor of New York,
says in his issue of January 9th:
1--WE know that a corrupt organization Of
members Of Congress and certain lobby agents
at VI ashington has existed since early in the
session Of last year. We are we'll satisfied
that this organic alton holds balance Of power
in its hands sufficient in most cases to Kill or
carry any measure pending in the House Of
Representatives, and that It's power has been
exerted in favor Of measures where its price
$1,000 per vote generally, or its equiyalent,)
was agreed TO and that il has been used to
prevent favorable action on equally aeritO-
rious measures which were unable or unwill.
ing to submit to the piratical tribute"
Here is d direct charge, and the editor pro-
fesses to O. knotc'' lis truth Taking into view
the fact that the editor Of the Herald hes
again and again proved that the author Of The
charge is just IS Infamous as q witness - him.
self, the charge would hardly be sufficient to
raise a suspicion OF guilt; but suppose the
charge is repeated, day after day, in the same
confident and defiant tone, and none CT the
implicated parties confront the accuser ard
repel his assaults. Tie natural consequence
would be that there were grounds for suspi-
eior, which would soon ripen into conviction
Of guilt.
Who the parties are that are thus implicated
We neither know nor conjecture The Times
makes one remark, however, which induces
Us to add another word of comment That re-
mark is this:
90 This organization is confined to no party,
but embraces members Of them ail-sor it is a
singular and notorious fact that. while patriot
ism cannot rise above partisan considerations,
villaDy can"
According to this allegation, there are Dem
ocrats implicated in this infamous charge. 1t
is neither cur business nor our wish to allude
to those CT the other parties implicated. We
hope, for the koECr Of the nation, that lone
are guilty; but so far as Democrats are con-
cerned, We are interested to know what foun-
dation there Is for SO gross charge, and ole
which We believe to be vile calunny.
Denying these allegations rn toto, SO far as
the Democratic members are concerned, the
Union calls on the Republicans and Know
NOthings to clear their skirts of them.
The Lnteihgsneer is to-day devoted to news
and Congressional proceedings.