The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-08-12
SIDNEY CLARKE.
From the wyandotte Gazette. ]

Sidney Clarke, with an e, is supposed
to be candidate for reelection to Con-
gress. We propose to inquire, candid
ly, for a moment, whether he is entitled
to another nomination at the hands of
the Republican party, and another cleo
ton at the hands of the people.
In the first place, we wish to be dis
tinctly understood that we have no per-
sonal i'll will against Mr.. Clarke. We
are not aware that he ever did us any
wrong, either intentionally or other
wise, and we make no war upon him as
a personal enemy, not believing that he
is such to us, as we know we are not to
him.
We shall oppose the nomination of
Mr.. Clarke for a fourth term in Con-
gress for reasons connected with his
public life, and especially since he has
been in Congress.
One of the first things ever charged
against Mr.. Clarke, after he came into
public life as a protege of Lane, was
that he purposely lost his carpet bag,
containing claims of soldiers, so that he
could, through his friends and strikers,
buy up those claims at discount, and
thus by robbing the soldiers, line his
own pocket. We are aware that Mr..
Clarke tries to explain this matter, but
we have never heard that his explana-
ton was fully satisfactory to any but
himself and those interested with him.
Another game of a similar character
is charged upon him i'll regard to the
Price raid claims. II is believed by
many that he, being the sole Represent
alive in the lower house of Congress
from this State, might have got a bill
through years ago, allowing all just
claims and making an appropriation to
pay them, had he been disposed to do
| so, but that he has refused or neglected
| to encourage the passage of such a bill
with the intent of buying up those
claims either by himself or his friends
| at an enormous discount, thus turning
the Just claims of his constituents for
property destroyed, for labor done and
services rendered in defense of the State,
into gold to fill his own capacious
pockets.
This charge may not be true, but the
| fact that similar claims were allowed to
other States long ago, looks very much
as if ours might have been allowed, had
our member done his full duty in the
| premises. One thing is certain: Some
body, whether through Clarke's conni-
vance or not, is making a big pile of
money out of these claims, and his con-
stituents are robbed, yes robbed in the
meanest and most contemplate way by
somebody, as they would not have been
had we had representative in Congress
/ of sufficient honesty and capacity to Sc
cure, as truly capable and honest man
m;gh@ have secured, the passage of a
bill through Congress allowing these
| twice audited claims.
| 1t is openly charged by men whose
character for truth and veracity are GER
| tainly as good as Mr.. Clarke's, that dur
| ing the tendency of the Usage treaty,
which he now claims credit for oppos-
ing, he offered to do all he could for it
if the railroad men who were to become
the purchasers would give him money
enough.
Mr.. Clarke wrote letter only few
months before Grants nomination,
| which if it meant anything, meant re-
| pudiation of n portion of our railroad
debt, and very pompously offered to sus-
tain that position before his constitu.
ents on the stump, in opposition to all
corners on the other side.
| The anti-repudiation plank in the Re-
publican platform took the kinks out of
him, however, and he kept very still
afterwards about his reputation doc
| trines.
Mr.. Clarke, by his advice and counsel,
encouraged the settlers on the neutral
lands to take the law into their own
hands, to destroy property and threaten
life, and generally to break the peace of
the State.
During the tendency of the tariff bill
in the late session of Congress, Mr..
Clarke, on some of the most important
questions voted with the free traders
and the enemies of the American labor
ing men.
Three years ago, when the question of
woman suffrage was before the people
of this State, he protested to be a friend
of the measure, and then, in an under
handed way, did it far more harm than
any open enemy did or could do.
1t is now within a few weeks of six
years since Mr.. Clarke was first nomi-
mated and elected to Congress. In our
opinion he has not shown himself SO
great and good man as TO give him a
claim to q fourth nomination. Let us
try and select better man.