The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-01
wHyrEafoRE's RESIGNATION.
What the Respectable Radical Paper
of the North Think of it.

The decent Radical newspapers of the North
all agree in the view of Whittemore's resigna'
ton, heretofore expressed by THE NEWS. The
Washington National Republican, Grants or
gan) says:
Mr.. B. F. Whittemore, late representative
| in Congress from the First South Carolina Dis
trict, cheated justice by resigning his place In
| the House of Representatives; and 1t was to
enable him to do this, that he wanted further
time, when, on Wednesday, he appealed TO the
House for leniency. He resigned because he
saw that expulsion was inevitable, and he
hoped thereby to escape all punishment for
| his crime. 1t is satisfaction TO know that he
| did not escape, for the resolution Of condem-
expulsion could possibly have been. On the
latter question there would have been at least
few negative votes.
On the resolution which pronounced his I'M
worthness of seat in the House, there Is not
one negative vote recorded. 1t IS thus clear
that every member considered his conduct de-
serving OF censure at least, although few
might have been unwilling to apply the eX-
| treme penalty. 1t Is enough, however. that
he rctires from the House enshrouded In dis.
honor. The precedent having been establish
| cd, the House cannot now do otherwise than
continue The work, until 1t has purSed itself OF
all unworthy members.
The New York Times declares, with Its usual
independence
Mr. Whittcmore ought not to have been al
lowed 10 resign, after he was convicted OF
grave offence against the House-and there
are two or three other incidents connected
with the affair that will strike everybody as
being rather extraordinary. In the first place,
House, could appear as the professional advo-
cate OF another member who had sulied the
honor of the House? Mr.. Butler was one oil
the injured persons, and 1t was his duty 10
have stood by the House. When lie spoke OF
his client, arc we to assume that he was palu
for his services? II so, will General Buffers
own conduct bear investigation With regard
| to Mr.. Whittemore, we can only say that Cen
| eral Logan made o mistake in not pressing. his
original resolution to q vote on Wednesday.
| He knew what Mr.. Whttemorc meant by ask.
ing an adjournment of the discussion till
Thursday. The House has not properly as-
serted its dignity, and the fault is Mr.. Logan's.
We must now have the other 4Gicknrs in CO.
detships brought up for Judgment. They are
selling their country so far rs lies in their
pewer, and 1t is farce for them to pretend TO
be serving the country at the same time.
Even the New York Tribune says:
Mr.. B. F. Whittemore, on Wednesday, ap-
pealed to the leniency of the House for more
time to prepare his defence. He employed
the time sympathetically granted in efforts to
escape The penalties OF his misdemeanor. He
teegraphed his resignation, and when he rose
yesterday in the House to explain his conduct
the Speaker decided he was not member and
could not speak. The resolution Of expulsion
was changed to one ofcensure and unanimous
~ adopted. Thus, by shabby trick and
second insult to the House, Mr. Whttemore
escaped the full penalty of his offence; but ai
the expense of additional disgrace. The man
who could offer such excuses as his for selling
the app ontmcnts in his gift is the only mar
who could be capable OF an appeal for delay or
the ground of time to prepare his defence and
use It instead to put himself beyond the abso-
lutte need obedience; or ask to be heard as a
member of the House and hold in reserve his
evidence of resignation from the House. W.
wish General Logan better luck with the res
Of the venal crowd.