Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-06

tions, they will blush to find that the chic
officer OF their Government has for te
months been subjected to the scrutiny of
secret star chamber inquisition, unpara
leled In its character in the annals of civil
cation. A drag net has been put out t
catch every malicious whisper Throughout
the land, and all the vile vermin who ha
gossip or SANDER to retail, hearsay or other
wise, have been permitted to appear an
place 1t upon record for the delectation @
mankind. Spies have been sent all owe
the land to find something that nigh
blacken the name and character of thu
Chief Magistrate of our country. Tn
whipped knaves have given information 0
fabulous letters and documents, that, lik
| the fgnuS fatuus, eternally eluded the grasI
| of their pursuers, and the chase ever re
suited only in aiding in the depletion o
| the public Treasury. That most notoriOu
character General l.. G. Baker, . chief o
the detective force" even had the effronteI,
| to insult the American people by placing
/ his spies within the very walls of the Elk
| ecutive Mansion the privacy OF the Preai
dents home, his private life and hapits an
most secret thoughts have not been deem {
| sacred or exempt from invasion the mem
berS OF his household have been examined
and the chief prosecutor has not hesitateC
to dive into the loathsome dungeons and
consort with convicted felons for the pur-
pose of accomplishing the object of ar.
raigning the President on charge of in,
famous crimes.
When we consider all these facts, and
that the investigation has been secret e.
parte one, that it has been SO persistent and
untiring, and carried On at I time Of most
unparalleled party excitement when tie
masses OF the dominant party were lashed
into a wild frenzy, and led to believe that
the President was g1ilty OF treason when
thousands all over the land really thought
chat 1t would be a righteous act to get him
out of the way by any MEANS fair CT foul,
and when he has been hunted down by
partiZan malice as no man was ever hunted
and bounded down before, it is really Won
Ierful that SO little has been elected that
tends in the slightest degree to tarnish the
tair fame Of the President. The American
people ought to congratulate themselves
;Or the sake Of the reputation of their
country, that the failure has been SO en-
phatic and so complete. In what We have
said OF ine character OF evidence taken be-
lore rs, and the means used to procure it.
we must not be understood Us rejecting
upon the action OF the committee or any
member thereof. Such an Interpretation
II our remarks would do great injustica to
us and to them. Whether such latitude
mould have been given III the examination
II witnesses We Will not now inquire. In
N investigation before q committee it
would be difficult, and, perhaps, imp0sSi-
BILE to contine the evidence to such as would
De deemed admissible before a court OF
justice. Indeed, it may be questioned
whether it would be proper SO to restrict
1t, and 1t IS, perhaps, better even for the
President that those who were managing
the prosecution from the outside were per
mltted to present anything that they III ght
call or consider evidence, as the world can
thus the better comprehend how utterly
destitute OF foundation is al this cIu.nor
that has been raised against him.
The first witness examined was General
Lafayette &. Baker, late chief OF the detec-
ave police, and, although examined Oh
oath time and again, and on various occ;t-
IONS it is doubtful whether he has in any
me thing told the truth, even by accident
In every important statement he is contra
ucted by witnesses OF unQuestioned credi-
oility, and there can be no doubt that to
ais many previous outrages, emitting him
an unenVIab-e immortality, he has added
hat OF WllfuI and deliberate perjury, and
We are gIad to know that no one member a
he committee deems any statement made
b hlm as worthy OF the slightest credit.
W nat Il blush OF shame will tiUge the cheek
the American student III future ages
then he reads that this miserable wretch
Or years held as it were in the hollow OF
lis hand the liberties of the American PEG
pie. That, clothed with power by reck-
.esS administration, and with his hordes OF
tnprlncipIed tools and spies, penetrating
the land everywhere, with uncOunted thou
sands OF the peoples money placed in his
uands for his vile Purposes, that creature
uOt only had the power to arrest without
crime OF writ, and 1mprison without limit
any citizen OF the Republic, but that he ac-
.ually did SO arrest thousands all over the
land, and filled the prisons all over the
country with the victims OF his malice, or
that Of his master. This whole system, such
an outrage upon the constitution and every
principle of free government, SO anti-Amcr-
lean and antI-republican, has, with its orig
lnatOrS and supporters, already, thank GOD,
been damned to eternal lnfamy and it is
pleasant to reflect, that not only the system,
but It's INSCRIPTIONS agent, will 60 down O
pOStenty loaded with lnfamy and followed
by the curses OF millions
1t sometimes happens that the admins
tratlon OF the most dangerous u8urpation
is placed IN the hands of men Sc respecta-
BILE for character and talent as to disarm
and conciliate even those whose
liberties are endangered. We have reason
to be thankful to an ever kind and merci
ful Providence that this worst feature Of
the worst Of despotisms, when the attempt
was made IN an unhappy war to transplant
it to our free American soil, was placed for
its administration in the hands of a class of
men SO destitute of manhood and character
as to arouse the undying scorn and indig-
nation OF the entire people. And rs these
infamous Outrages were not sanctioned by
any precedent in our own country, it is
hoped and believed that they will never
throughout all time be deemed worthy OF
imitation. It is not our purpose now to
attempt an analysis or discussion of the
evidence taken before us, or to point out
the gross absurdities and Inconsistencies of
a very large portion of it. It will be read
and considered by the American people,
and We cannot doubt what their verdict
will be when those who have been attempt
ing to load with disgrace and infamy the
Chief Magistrate OF our country shall stand
pilloried III the undying scorn and indig-