The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-09-14
PUl.dQRillG.


ence to the effect OF the pardoning bust
ness, as now managed in Washington,
are being realized. When the pardens
We're first issued there was rush OF bust
ness, andl the lawyers took their fees as
rapidly and as anNiously as thouhh they
We're ordinary claim cases. Finally the
rush became SO great that scandal was
created, and the President, hearing of
the business, put his foot down. The
Washington jobbers are not to be fright
ened by the stamp of any mans foot,
and so they took care not to be again de-
tected. The news we have from the
Capital, every day, assures us that the
business of pardon brokerage is being
carried on furiously. Rings are formed,
with agencies extending into the South,
soliciting the patronage of all gentlemen
who desire par6lons; and the Washing
ton gentlemen, in that quiet, easy, hid
den way so familiar to them, are making
tons i'll passing through the bureaus,
the care and thought given by the Presi-
dent to each case, only make the appli-
cants more anxious and business more
brisk. Influence is required, and intiu
ence must be bought. Gentlemen known
to the President must be induced in
some way to interest themselves, and
SO they are interested. The pecuniary
Importance Of a pardon is great, apart
from other consideration. When rebel
is not pardoned, his property is liable to
cOnfscatiOn-he has no political rights
he is man without home and country.
When a rebel is pardoned he receives
amnesty for all offences against the
United States during the late rebellion;
he obtains all his property rights, even
where legal proceedings are pending
under the confiscation laws. Ifany suit
has commenced in the. United States
court the pardon has the effect of quash-
ing it upon the payment of costs by the
party pardoned.. So we see what good
thing a pardon is to a man who has a
large plantation and good amount of
money. He will gladly give one-fourth
of what he owns to possess the re-
If we look over the Southern papers
we find advertisements about agency
for procuring special pardons." One
especially sets forth "that Wright and
ellison, In Georgia, have secured the
services of able and influential gentle
men at Mi1ledgeville and Washington"
At Mil1edgeville Gov. Johnson's friends
are to be fixed, and at Washington
President johnson is to be approached
by table and influential gentlemen"
Who these gentlemen are we are not
told, but Wright and ellison have con-
fidence. in them, for they say tour
facilities for securing a speedy decision
in all cases presented by us are such as
to offer Inducements to parties interested
to make their applications through u.s."
Henry w. billiard, attorney at Augusta,
also announces that he will give This
personal attention. to the business and
Washington firms also advertise their
facilities. This is above-board and shows
system and care, and a laudable desire to
| meath? What is done by sly gentlemen
over their wine in private parlors? How
many nice presents are sent by pardOned
Rebels to wives of table and influential
gentlemen" who would crimson with
rage if the word paWn-broker was whis
pered in their presence? How many
ten-dollar pictures are sold for thousand
dollars to passionate admirers of art who
come from the South, and by some
mysterious agency find themselves high
in Presidential grace? The thing is
done, and done nicely. How, we cannot
always say. Col. Baker and his detec-
tives might find out.
We do not for an instant censure the
President. We believe Andrew john
son to be a pure, good man, and above
the suspicion of tampering with his high
and merciful prerogative. But he is a
man, and sadly worried and burdened
man. He is neither Omniscient nor
omnipresent. He is surrounded by a
class of corrupt, bad men, who fattened
and robbed in Washington long before
he was born, and who will fatten and
rob long after he has been gathered to
his fathers. If there is money in any
thing they will most certainly find it,
and there is money in this-more, indeed,
than in any job outside of the war that
was ever managed in Washington. He
can. end the robbery by ending the
systemAby pardoning all whom he
intends to pardon at once, and letting
the rest go. This will certainly be done
i'll the end. Why not do it now? Justice
and mercy will be rs efiectually served,
ord a vast amount ofscandal AVOIDED
,Nt y. -YaibUle. - Es'-4'' t''
FIVE years ago, Nevada Territory
was hardly known, except as the refuge
Eof grisly Bears, .andsa Wild district in our
far western domain Now it contains