The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-03-10
70 ROBBERY RIGHT :

II
sophisticated people that but one answer
o.n he made to this question 10 c'yLized
communities, As a general statement this
would unquestonably be true, but it is i'm
Dortapt not to overlook exceptions The
United States, all will agree, is civilized
community; Congress is the United States
sitting in Washington: II Congress there
fore, shall declare that robbery is right, then
there is clearly made exception to the
general rule that among civilized people
robbery is wrong. In the beginning Of the
late war the United States government took
forcibls possession of large building in
Washington belonging to w. W. Corcoran,
wealthy banker of that city, which has
been occupied ever since by the Quarter
masters Department of the army. Apph.
cation has been frequently made by the own
er for the surrender Of the building and for
compensation for its use, and as often refus'
ed. 1t is alleged as the ground of this sin.
gular refusal that Mr.. Corcoran sympathized
with the south during the war, and consort
ed with other rebel sympathizers when in
Europe. There has been no allegation of
acts Of hostility to the government--no
bearing of arms, no secret communications
with or hsrboring of its enemies. The
gravamen Of the charge against him and the
sum Of his alleged crime, is that he thought
the south was right and so expressed him.
self in conversation, and associated with
people-part Of them his own family who
entertained the same opinion. True the
silly charge is made that at the house and
in the presence Of the Russian Minister Sen
ator Bayard declared during the war that he
would give ten thousand dollars for the as
sassination of President Lincoln, and Mr.
CorcOran added that be would give ten times
that amount This was not too absurd "a
command the willing eredence Of commit
tee of the United States senate who proceed
ed to take evidence to prove it, when its
falsity became as apparent AZ was its pre-.
posterousness before. The fact that the
story was youched for By a negro probably
accounts for the committee giving credence
to it. If a white servant had reported such
attrOcous sentiments to have been uttered
by member Of the United States senate at
the table and in the presence Of Minister
% one Of the FIRST powers in the world aud
one, too, which sympathized more fully than
any other with the government to which h
was accredited, such a servant, we say, would
probably have been dismissed from the pres
ence Of bis auditors for his efFrontsry. Bu
it was not deemed proper to doubt the truth
OF statement youched for by a negro, No
matter how improbable in itself.
But suppose, for the sake Of the argument
it we're true that Corcorun did approve aud
adopt the wicked and foolish speech attrib.
uted to Senator Baysrd, and suppose that it
be true, as it likely is, that he sympathized
with the south in its attempt tn disrupt the
Union, and that he did further say so in con.
versatiou and preferred the society Of those
who agreed with him in these respects, yet
do all these things either Justify or excuse
the refusal by great government like this
to pay one Of its meanest citizens for the use
Of his property? We cannot believe that
any but minds dwarfed by the most binding
passions car think so. General amnesty,
which in the hearts of the American people
had long preceded the proclamation of it by
the President has been proclaimed to all
who have borne arms against the govern.
meut and yet the Congress of the United
States refuses to pay man who has been
constrained to become the creditor Of the
government, what is acknowledged to be
reasonable compensation for the use of his
property, on the pretext that he has express.
ed sympathy with its now pardoned enemies.
Mr. Corcoran's claim against the govern.
ment amounts TO about $4,000. Among
the last proceedings Of the 40th Congress
was the report Of a joint resolution to tn,
senate from its committee which had beef
investigating Corcoran's claim, instructu
the secretary of the treasury to withhold tn
amount until he shall take the test oath
tie will probably be required thus to b
gagged as condition precedent to the pa
ment to him of his dues the object of II
committee no doubt being to defeat Il
claim altogether.