The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-16
FAIR WARNING.
GREELEY ONTHE READMISSION OF
WHIITEMORE.
"congress, or the PenItentiary."

|
"Congress, or the Penitentiary."
Under the head of Congress, or the Peni-
tentiary," we find the following outspoken
leading editorial in the New York Tribune OF
Monday last:
A man is presently to offer himself at the
bar of the House for readmission, concerning
whom the same House recently adopted thls
resolution:
Resolued, That B. F. Whittemore, late member
| from the First District OF South Caro!ina, dla
make appointments to the Military Academy at
West Point and the Naval Academy at Annapolis
| in violation OF law, and that such appointments
were Influenced by pecuniary considerations, anu
! to show hIn unworthy OF seat in the House or
Representatives, and Is therefore condemned as
conduct unworthy Of the representative OF ,he
| people. -.,-. 90 i,
seat three months ago, to be readmitted as
worthy now? We bear that he has been tele,
graphing to his Afend and counsel, General
| Butler, the news OF his triumphant reelection;
that he confidently expects to be admitted
without dispute; that reputable members are
deploring it in a helpless sort of way, and go
ing about doleiully asking each other, "aoW
can we prevent it?"
Really we do not know. The House Is made
the sole Judge as to the qualifications OF lts
members. Once it seems to have had-pretty
decided notions concerning the qualifications
of Mr.. B. F. Whittemore. 1t grew, less ae,
cided In some similar cases; finally 1t dsgaced
to remain, albeit as guilty as Whittemore MINI
self; now, perhaps, 1t may think Mr. Whltte,
more possessed of all the qualifications required
| for its present standard. 1t Is the sole Judge.
| But we can assure members that the time Is
at hand when larger body OF voters VIII pe
called to sit in judgment Thus far the Demo.
Gratis have promptly spurned and cast OUT
every member of their party found guilty OF
this cadetshlp infamy: We assumed greaI
virtue at the outset; then we furnished able
counsel for the Congressional cadet merchants;
next we excused one because he had been an
unusually active Republican, and alter tnat
the whole business broke down. We tell gen
tlemen that we have had fully as much Of this
sort Of thing as we can stand. We utterly ana
vehemently protest against assuming any
more parry responsibilities IN behalf of the car.
pet.bag Congressman. Here is man notorl-
ously guilty OF shameful and criminal acts.
If the United States authorities had not al
ready neglected their duty In the case, No
would have been admitted to the penltentlary
of South Carolina, Just about the time he is ap-
preaching the bar of the House to take alresh
upon his perured lips the oath OF office: The
law of Congress explicitly provides that IL any
member OF Congress shall, directly or Indirect
ly, receive any pecuniary or other valuable
consideration for procuring any office or pace
under the government, he Shall be liable to
indictment for mlsdemeanor In United States
Court, and, upon conviction, shall pay line
not exceeding ten thousand dollars, aud be iln-
prlSoned in the penltentiary for term not
exceeding two years, and be thereafter dis
qualified from holding any Office Of honor.
profit OF trust under the Government OF the
United States. The House has resolved that
he has done these things; it has itself prescrib-
ed this penalty for the doing oil these things; IL
now asks whether, ignoring the guilt, and de-
flying Its own law, it shall readmlt MIR. White
more-perhaps that he may vote for the repeal
OF the odious law
We have consistently urged universal suf-
frage and universal amnesty as the true solu-
ton for the problem presented at the close OF
the war by the conquered South We have
never held that negro suffrage, coupled with
disfTanchiSement OF whites, afforded such u
solution. We point now to It's dsgraceiul
workings in the case Of this man Whitlemore,
himself Is soon to show an admirlnS world
what this high title, "honOrable," means-to
consider the result and draw their own con-
clusiOns.
Another Republican Journal Disgust
ed at the Franks OF the Radical Ring
In South Carolina.
We have before referred to the corrupt ring
of adventures that now rules South Carolina,
and has made Republlcanism term Of re-
preach with every honest citizen of that State.
After Whittemore was driven from the House,
he demanded from his fellow punderers re-
election to vindicate himself. Governor Scott
had but to take the stand demanded by every
consideration of official and personal integrity,
and Whittemore would have been driven from
South Carolina as he was from Washington.
But he could not strike at the disgraced Con-
gressman without striking at himself.
Congress has decided that either laws OF in
diyidual action calculated to intimidate legal
voters vltlates majority, If employed In fur
therance of that majority. Will it now inquire
into the laws and acts OF officials Of South CAR
ollna, by which the defeat or Whittemore was
rendered impossible, regardless Of the vote
cast by the people? If the Republicans in
Congress do not vlndicate the name Of the
Republican party from completely with the
systematic corruption and lawlessness of the
banded thieves in South Carolina and other
Southern States, Republlcanism. Will become
Kissing reproach both North and South, and
the better elements Of the nation will accept
any form Of opposition to overthrow the ad-
yenturers who cloak the most shameless
wrongs under the shadow Of the Re
publican party. Let Congress meet this
question now with q prOmptness and
determination that will demonstrate to the
nation that it can have no sympathy or fel
lowship with the political hlghwaymcn who
are now roaming through official channels In
the South, in the name of Republicanlsm; and
the Republicans in the North, and the Rcpnb-
licans in the South, will be saved from the de-
feat that must inevitably follow open disgrace.
Let Whittemore be met at the threshold and
sent back, because he left criminal, and re-
turns doubly criminal by the frauds he employ
ed to effect his pretended reelection, and hon.
esty in the South wilrtake courage and bring
forth good fruits, and Repubicanism every
the vampires who have so basely prostituted
Republican power in the.Southern States.
EUROPE,
The Revision Of the Bible.