The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-24
THE MARTYRED MEMBER.
From tie N. 2. Tribune.

From the NJ Y. Tribune.
Mr.. b. F. Whittemore, member of the late
House of Representatives from the First Con-
gressional District of South Carolina, was
found guilty upon irrefragable evidence of
official corruption, q. e., of selling cadetship
at West Point. He said that he sold his ap-
pointing power and his official authority that
he might give the money to his needy con-
stituents. A more extraordinary plea never
came from Representatives. was, in fact
the confession of new crime Finding him.
self in tight place, Whittemore saved him
self from expulsion by resigning; he went
back to his constituents, and they, grateful,
doubtless, for his pecuniary consolation, sent
him back to the same Congress; the House,
not caring to stultfy itself, and being, by
the provisions of the Constitution, sole Judge
Of the qualifications of its own members,
returned him his credentials. His grateful
constituents showed signs of sending him still
to the next Congress; but MIR. b. +. Whit
temore, in letter exhibiting the virtuous ex-
altation of Mr.. Pecksniff, and thinking it
doubtful whether the next House would prove
more placable than the last, has declined
in letter of mingled dignity, wrath, aud
sorrow. He recites his many services to the
body polite; he declares modestly that for
''five years and more he has been identified
with South Carolinas destiny" II have
tried,' he says, ''to do my duty wherever
duty called" 81 have received, he declares,
generous maj jorities;' ''niy acts, he urges,
''haye been unsel6sh; my motives for the
the general veal; and here 1 am, he might
| have said, as good as twice kicked out of
Congress, and with every prospect, should
| be reelected, of being kicked out third
time! And all through the action of "Logan,
! the wilful deceiver" / am the victim of an
unprecedented and unconstitutional act"
''Tne sacred rights of electors have been sub
verted! Magma Charta has been despised!
Law, reason, justice, preeedents have been
disregarded!!! We, the governed, have no
| longer the prerogative to say who shall gov
ern us!!.!" And all this through the assump-
tions of 'sLogan, the wilful deceiver.'' Verify,
Mr. Logan has great deal 10 answer for.
And so on, through quantities of what we
must be excused for calling the very purest
hapdoodle!
Hold hard, Mr.. b. f. Whittemore! Stop
moaning and groaning and signing and turn
ing up the whites of your eyes for a moment!
Don't you see that the main question is
whether or not you took the money? You
were either knavish or foolish and, in either
case, you have proved yourself to be unfit foi
seat in the House of Representatives
Whether you be an ass or something morally
worse, does not make the least difference
except to your own conscience. A man who
in perfect innocence, commits penitentiarN
otfense isn't the person to assist in makine
! the laws of the Republic He may be
model OF mature piety, the most patriot,
creature breathing, a very incarnation o
beRevolence, but the place of honor ar,
safety for him is the private station.
Yet we should not fail to express our al
miration of MIR. Whittemore's course In refus
: ing to be again a candidate. Whatever crsii
he is entitled to let him. in the name o
.oi-l-oL -II-@I;'y receive. =. Keep of y