The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-07
EVACUATION DAY

JOINT resolution adopted some time ago by
the State Legislature provided that this day
should be signalized by the joyful event of
its adjournment. AS the fate of all bills at
Harrisburg, however, seems to be determined
by accident, and nobody knows exactly what
a bill means, or how it has been or has not
been amended, the people could not prepare
too prematurely for their rejoicings over
their deliveranee from their inveterate ene-
mics. If any unfinished scheme of iniquity
could have been consummated by an extension
of the session, the mischievous labors of the
legislators would have been prolonged. But as
in righteous fear of outraged constituencies,
or from inability to discover any additional
methods to plunder taxpayers, the legislators
did in truth evacuate Harrisburg to-day,
the whole State should resound with the
rejoicings of temporarily ly-relieved people,
and bells should be rung, cannon fired, and
bonfres be set blazing as tokens of the pre-
vailing JOY at the abatement of the fearful
annual nuisance of the Commonwealth. We
have ceased for some time past to comment,
in detail, upon the wrongdoings
at the State capital The voters,
last fall, in spite of repeated
warnings, reelected men who were known to
be incompetent and untrustworthy. It was
vain to expect good laws from the bad law
makers who were unwisely invested with the
law-making power, and if a thorough reform
is not speedily made in the choice of repre-
sentatives the Legislature of Pennsylvania
will continue to degenerate, year after year,
until it becomes by all odds the most venal,
inefficient, and contemplate representative
body in the world. Indeed, it is questionable
whether it has not reached that point already.
FERNANDO WOODS ASSAULT ON
GENERAL HO WARD.
In the House of Representatives yesterday,
Fernando Wood made series of specific
charges against General o. o. Howard, which,
if they are true, in whole or in any essential
part, imply that the head of the Freedman's 8
Bureau is guilty of malfeasance in Office, and
that he should not only be deposed but dis
graced in the eyes of the nation. Fernando
Woods own record is by no means unim-
peachable. For a long period he was re-
ported to be the most desperately corrupt of
the corrupt politicians of New York city, and,
if he has not been shamefully belied his
Golfers have been filled with moneys
wropgfully wrung from the taxpayers of Go
than. IT, however, the old maxim be true,
that you should set thief to catch thief,
the ex-Mayor's experience in plundering a
rich municipality will assist rather than re-
tard his efforts to detect and expose he,wrong-
doing of an officer of the National Government.
Heretofore General Howard has stood we'll
before the country, and if it shall be shown
by searching and complete investigation
that Fernando Woods charges are base Sian,
ders, we will re- oice in the vindication of the
head of the Freedmens Bureau. But il
is, nevertheless, high time for the
American people and the Republican
party to lay down the doctrine that nc
amount of useful public or partisan servic'
Can give to any man the right or privilege tC
steal or to appropriate unjustly to his indi
vidual use the moneys of the nation. 1t vii
be comparatively easy for the House of Re
representatives. to ascertain whether the charge
preferred are in the main false or true. W.
hope, however, that the accusations will b,
probed to the bottom, and that no disposition
will be manifested to shield the alleged pecu
lator on account of his profession of de
votion to the Republican party or his ser
vices to the freedmen. If General Howard
is truly innocent, his reputation will be NOR
exalted than ever; if good grounds Q
suspicion are smothered up and CLOSED owe
by a partial investigating committee, hi
guilt will be shared by those who help t
conceal it; and if he has indeed committe
all the imputed offences, he should not onl
be removed from Office and driven from I'll
army, but compelled to make restitution
the full extent of his pecuniary means.
he is guilty, the Republican members