The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-12-28
The Movements for RefrencIln1eR
and Reforsm-Despera or
the COrruuffOmfsfs.

When Mr. Anthony, in behalf of the
majority, and tool of the Administra-
ton, proposed the committeeman on he
trenchment aud Reform, it was so mani
testify selected to conceal and not to ex-
pose the frauds and iniquities OF the par
ty in power, that his motion awakened
universal display of scorn and indigna-
ton, among the friends of the move
ment to investigate the alleged abuses.
Mr.. Sumner was among the first TO open
his batteries upon the humbug proceed
ing. The Committee consisted of six
Administration men, all of whom voted
against the original proposition of Mr..
TrumbulI, and one Democrat Mr.. Bay
ard. At the behest of King Caucus,
who but registered the decree of the
White Honse, ererg Liberal Republican.
Including Messrs. TrumbtM and Shurz,
,cas excluded from the Committee. Mr..
Sumner attacked the Administration
proposition on the ground that the Com
mittee was composed, not of those who
had advocated investigation, but of those
who had steadily opposed it; and that 1t
bore on its face a design to defeat fair
and honest inquiry. He held that this
was unjust and supplementary, and
quoted the rule laid down in Jefferson's
/ Manual, that " those are not to be put
upon a committee to consider a subject
which they have voted directly against,
as a child is not to be put to a nurse who
cares not for it. He held that, under
parliamentary usage, Senators Trumbull
and Shurz, who had proposed and adyo-
Gated the inquiry, should be on the Com
mittee.
Other members followed in like style,
and vehemently protested againt the cum
ming device of the servile partisans of
the Administration, to prevent the ex-
posure of its enormities. Finally, one
of the original six (Air. Pool, scallawag,
of North Carolina) declined to serve,
and the Admin stratIon so far modified
its plans as to consent that Mr. Casserly
! Democrat, of California; should be put
| in his place But una"r no circumstan-
ces would the majority consent that a
Liberal should be put upon the Commit
tee. Thus constituted, it is composed OF
five Radicals who opposed the inquiry,
and two Democrats who united with the
Liberals, in advocating it.
With the Committee thus organized
in the interest of the Cerruptionists, the
Administration was driven, by the indig.
nation of the press and the country, to
make at least pretenee of a willingness
to be investigated, just as the Tammany
thieves, as dernier resort, put a bold
face on their operations and affected to
challenge and defy inquiry, when they
discovered that it could not be averted.
From a Committee organized to cover
up the frauds of which the country has
had notice, but of the magnitude and
hideousness of which the public has but
feeble conceptiOn-no great deal can be
expected But the facts will be brought
out through other agencies; and it vii
be found that Tammany was but a mole
hill of villainy compared to the noun
tain of robberies for which the Gran
Administration is responsible. The de
molition of the one foreshadows the com
plete overthrow and destruction of the
other Its name is Ichabod. Its glory
has departed.