The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-06-22
Bulitital.
GREELEY ON THE ABADMIssION
OF wHTTTRmOnR.
"Congresss or the Pealsentiary.n

"Conxress. or tho Pealsentiary.n
Under the head of "Congress, or the
Peniteutiary," We aud the following
outspoksn leading editorial In the Now
York Tribune of Monday last: T..
A man il presently to offer himself at
the bar Of the House for readmission,
concerning whom the same House re-
Gently adopted this resolution:
Resolved, That B. f. Whittemore,
late member from the First District OF
South Carolina, did make appointments
to the Military Academy at West Point
and the Naval Academy at Annapolis in
violation of law, aud that such appoints
ments were influenced by pecuniary
considerations, and that his conduct in
the premises has been such as TO show
him unworthy Of seat in the House of
Representatives, and is therefore con.
demned as conduct unworthy of the
representative of the people.
Is this corrupt man, who was un.
worthy ofa seat three months ago, to bo
readmitted as worthy now7 We hear
that he has been telegraphing TO his
friend and counsel, General Butler, the
news Of his triumphant re. selection that
he confidently expects to be admitted
without dispute that reputable men,
bers are deploring it in helpless sort
ofway, and going about dolefully asking
each other, "How can We prevent it?"
Really we do not know. The House
is made the cole judge as to the qualii.
cations of its members. Once it seems
to have had pretty decided notions con-
corning the qualifications of Mr.. B. F.
Whittemore. It grew less decided in
some similar cases finally it disgraoed
itself by permitting Mr.. Butler, of
Tennessee, to remain, albeit as guilty as
Whittemore himself now, perhaps, it
may think Mr.. Whittemore possessed
ofall the qualifications required for its
present standard. It is the sole Judge.
But wo can assure members that the
time is at hapd when larger body of
voters will be oalled to sit in judgmen ent.
Thus far the Democrats have promptly
spurncd and cast out every member Of
their party found guilty Of the cadetship
infamy. We assumed great virtue at
the outset then we furnished able
counsel for the Congressional cadet
merchants next we excused one be.
cause ho had been an unusually active
Republican, aud after that the whole
business broke down. We tell gentle
men THAI We have had fully as much of
this sort Of thing as we can stand. We
utterly and vehemently protest against
n fu Gal ~
in behalf ofthe carpetbag Congressman.
Here is man notoriously guilty Of
shameful and criminal acts. IF the
United States authorities had not al.
ready neglected their duty in the case,
he would have been admitted to the
penitentiary of South Carolina, just
about the time he is approaching the
bar of the House to take afresh
upon his perjured lips the oath of Office
The law of Congress explicitly pro-
vides that if any member of Congress
shall, directly or indirectly, receive any
pecuniary or other valuable considera.
tion for procuring any Office or place
under the government, he shall be liza
BILE to Indictment for misdemeanor in a
United States Court, and, upon convic-
ton, shall pay fine not exceeding ten
thousand dollars, and be imprisoned in
the peuitentiary for term not exceed
ing two years, and be thereafter dis
qualified from holding any Office of
honor, profit or trust under the Govern.
ment Of the United States. The House
has resolved that he has done these
things; it has itself prescribed this
penalty for the doing Of these things !; it
now asks whether, ignoring the guilt,
aud defying its own law, it shall read
nit Mr.. Whittemore-perhaps that he
may vote for tho repeal of the odious
law
We have consistently urged univer-
sal suffrage and universal amnesty as the
true solution for the problem presented
at the close OF the war by the conquered
South. We have never held that negro
suffrage, coupled with disfrars shisemsDt
ofwhites, afford such solution. We
point now to its disgraceful workings in
the case of this man Whitternore, and
ask "honorable membcfs-W hittemore
himself is soon to show an admiring
world what this high title, "honorable,"
means-to consider the result and draw
their own conclusions.
ANOTHER REPUBLICAN, JOURNAL
DISGUSTED Ar THE FRANKS OF
THE RADICAL RING I'm SOUTH
CAROLINA.
From the Philadelphia Telegraph
We hive before referred to the cor
lupt ring of adventurers that now rule
South Carolina, and has made Republi-
cauism term Of reproach with every
honest citizen of that State. After
Whittemore was driven from the House,
he demanded from his fellow plund
a reelection to vindioate himself. Gov.
Scott had but to take the stand demand.
ed 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 disgraoed
Congressman without striking at him.
self.
Congress had decided that either laws