The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-13
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1s, 1866.
Some More Corruption in the State of
New jersey.

VIZ had almost gro wn TO believe that TO Albany
and Harrisburg alone was limited the power OF
corruption, but the case of the Mountain Par
fridge" in New Jersey, compels us to count her
in. and thus complete the trio. Lately, how
ever. some more misdeeds have been unearthed,
and that ''goodly frame" of Trenton seems to be
ga foul and pestilent congregation of vapor5,"
aboundng in every species of bribery and Off
cal crime. 1t has been announced in all the
papers of the country that the Grand Jury OF
tbe State Capital had found true bills against
four members of the Legislature, and the item
thus furnished theme for the morallst and edi'
tors for several days. Much praise has been
awarded to the gentlemen Of the jury for
their courage and diligence, and we are rapidly
drifting towards the day when the jurors OF Jer-
sey will be held up as models for our imitation
and admiration. 1t is our duty, however to
withdraw the curtain and see what lays behind,
for there is something rotten in this modern
Denmark.
The facts as briefly stated are these The
Grand jury met on Saturday week, had a pro-
tracted session, and found true bills against
thirteen members Of the Legislature. They then
adjourned until Wednesday. Meanwhile, contrary
TO law, the fact that an indictment was found
against them was mysteriously communicated
to the parties, and they all hurried to the capi-
tai When the Jury reassembled on Wednesday
without taking any Lew evidence, and without
having any of the former testimony refuted, they
quietly quashed nine out of the thirteen. and
return to the Court only the remaining four
Now, to welregulated minds the question
naturally arises, why if the true bills were found
in the first place, should they be crushed In the
second ?-why the parties should be released, and
whether the influence they used was like che
arguments employed by Mr.. Parker to secure
the votes of the disiuterested citizens Of Eatins-
vile? These questions are such as demand an
answer, and we hope that the next Grand Jury
win examine into the action of their predeces-
sors, and thoroughly ventilate the mysterious
causes which conduced to secure the disappear
ance of the indicted legislators.
Again, in the selection OF the four scapegoats
who were to bear the sins of the session, we are
told that they were guided by Justice, but If it
was justice, then we had better have some de.
finite formula given, as there is evidently
method in it. The victims were two Democrats
and two Republicans. OF these one Democrat
was member of the Legislature, and also one
Republican; the remaining two were lobby men,
bers. II will be thus seen that an even distri-
the Jury may have, we grant they were impair
tial. The names of the indicted were G. H. VAN
WAGNER, BARCLAY HAINEs, CHARLES NJ. RUIZ,
and DANIEL HoLsMAN. But what were the
names of the nine whose bills were with
drawn? ''Theres the rub" We have dread.
full fear that JAMES NJ. soovEL was among them.
And we cannot but think that JAMES thinks so
himself. What Joy he must have felt when he
succeeded in suppressng his name! Did he not
strive todo SO, not for his own sake, but for the
sake of the Senate of Jersey9 Did he
not hasten to Trenton and have the little
matter hushed up? Did he not tele
graph to his friends, "I haze beaten the enemy
0coin ?n Alas! We fear that JAMES is back
slider. We had hoped that the eprompt exposure
of his first little villany would have acted as
means to prevent his descending the path of the
uneodly. We were influenced by desire to
prevent this rash young mans political suicide,
and we therefore have spoken feeiingly to him.
He has heretofore merited our censure, but If it
is true, JAMES, that you were among the select
thirteen, we heartily pity you. Before, you
hoped for office, but to be placed among the
common herd OF the bribed and bribers is fall
indeedl Under ordinary circumstances, people
ale supposed to be innocent until they are proved
guilty; but where a criminal is known to have
been guilty and Is again suspected, it becomes
him, if innocent, to prove himself upright With
that kindness we have ever displayed towards
the Mountain Partridge" we again open our
columns to him for any contradiction or justi6-
cation. But it is an act of simple equity that
the nine indicted be published and sent before
the incoming Grand Jury, TO investigate why the
same facts on Wednesday do not warrant the
same conclusion as that unanimously drawn on
the preceding Saturday.