The register. (Monroe, La.) 185?-1861, 1860-05-24
From the Constitution.
The Committee for Scandal.

At every step which the Covode 1nquisitiou
takes the public eense Of decency become,
more and more shocked. The discussion of it,
origin and manifest objects is renewed in the
press with every fresh instance Of Its unconsti.
tutional and inquitous conduct. Although ou,
readers may, perhaps, be weary Of the general
theme, yet it seems proper to acquaint them
with the judgment pronounced by independent
journals on the latest demonstration by this
committee, viz the case Of Mr.. Van Dyke.
The Boston Courier, we are assured, only indi.
Gates the sentiment Of right-minded persons Of
every party in the following structures
This is the first committee ever Instituted in
Congress for an investigation against public
officer, without any complaint, charge, or
specification previously made-but depending
upon vague rumor, private insinuation, and the
chance of what might be discovered In the
course Of the inquiry. Starting out without
chart or compass, and with the feeling that
they were clothed with absolute power, this
long sitting Covode committee has become a
sort Of runp tribunal for the collection Of scandol -
embodying all the worst principles and worst
usages incident to such business, and all those
violations Of private right and public Justice
and decency. which ever gave odious distinc-
ton to the Star Chamber Of England, or to the
inquisitons Of Spain or Portugal. Calumny,
hearsay stories, opinions, Impressions, the whole
category Of vague belief, are dragged forth,
by means Of authoritative inquiry, by intima-
tions Of imprisonment, by the aid Of party pre-
judice, by turning to account the malice Of for
mer disappointed partiaans-and oil these are
published to the world, thus libeling and de-
flaming private and public persons on surmises
which would not stand moment as evidence
in any civilized court Of Justice. In England
such attempts have been made in the House Of
Commons in times of high excitement, and have
been met with stern rcmonstrance by those
generally impartial protectors Of the liberty Of
the citizcn-the courts Of law. The po,eer and
f right Of the House Of Commons to orar or to Jus
tlfy the publication Of s,amerous matter, under The
gse Of their authority, .chaher presented in speech
or the report of committee, haze been persiaenty and
sccessfully resisted by those tribunals. The great
cases of Stockdale and IIansard will rccur to
the minds of readers familiar with such matters.
The latest Instance Of the inquisitorial power
thus exercised by the committee Of our own
House of Representatives, the details Of which
appear in the newspapers, is in the procurement
and publication of friendly and confidential
letters of Mr.. BUCHANAN TO Mr.. Van Dyke, late
United States attorney for the eastern district
of Pennsylvania. These letters relate solely to
the recent removal of Mr.. Van Dyke, for the
reason that between him and the collector Of
Philadelphia there existed "a state of such open
and invetcrate hostility US to forbid all per-
sonal and official intercourse with eecl, other.
Upon this public ground the removal is made,
accompanied with the strongest expressions Of
regret at the necessity by Mr.. BUCHANAN, and
referring to former personal communication
between himself and Mr.. Van Dyke, in which
he had exertcd his influence to heal the breach,
and exhibiting the strongest manifestations Of
personal goodwill on the part Of both. We
do not enter into the grounds of the quarrel
between the district attorney and the collector.
Mr.. Van Dyke gives his own views in regard to
them, but they are not alluded to by the Presi-
dent
Whatever may be the history of the transac.
tons In dispute, the letters Of the President are
kind, concilatory, and friendly in every re-
spcct, placing his own action in the premises
upon the basis Of apparent public necessity.
A man might write such letters 10 the dearest
member of bis own family and they contain
nothing whatever in the slightest degree affect
ing injuriously either the private or the official
character Of Mr.. BUCHANAN.
The Lexington (Kentucky) Statesman very
pungently asks: What is to be thought of the
kentuckians. or other Southern politicians,
who support this man Helper Covode,' who,
after he commended the Helper Book. assais
the President Of theUnited States for the avow-
cdpurpose Of promoting the success of the black
republicans and for no ohsr Object The question,
what must be thought Of such Kcntuckians is
one that must and will be answered, and it will
be well to promptly inquire what answer must
be given, and name found to extinguish all
such people.
thought it certainly does great injustice to any
coteric whatever, young or old, by putting
them on level with CoUode E O..
We do most earnestly object and protest
against this conversion Of the Congress Of the
nation, under the factious rule Of a party ma
jority, into coterie Of old women. picking up
scraps and driblets Of gossip, prying into pri-
vate letters, and retailing them out-in the
case of the President avowcdly only to affect
the minds of weak bretheren-in manner
eminently unworthy of statesmen, gentlemen,
or men.
WOman's Love.
Oh, woman's love holy light,
Aud when tits kindled neser can die;
1t lives, though treachery and slight