New-York tribune., 1871-12-15
TrUvBULL-SCRU RURz-CONKLING

"
of his speech on Wednesday, as summarized
by telegraph, is precisely to our mind. 1t is
as follows:
at is no credit to the Republican party, or to any
member Of It, to profess to he willing to investigate Its
administration Of affairs, and to purify whatever is
found to need publication for undertake TO say that
never In American history there party that had
less TO deter it from rigid investigation and more 10
tempt 80 for ward Tho strength Of the Rep"ohoan
party resides largely IN the ct ot ote and rahn9
to parity and purge itself"
| That last remark is true not only of the
Republican but of any party that is destined
| to live. Had the Democracy of this State
been able and willing last Winter " to
"purify and purge ITSELF" it would
not now lie PROSTATE and hopeless
No party ever seemed more strongly
intrenched in power; yet few months saw
its strength transformed to weakness and its
glory departed. 1t was crushed, not by Oppo-
sition from without but by corruption from
within. Shall not the lesson b. heededf
"The unknown is the terrible" The worst
that is true of any party OF administration is
not nearly so bad as the suspicious of it's ad-
versares. And anything which even family
resembles cOncealment or suppression tends to
deepen those suspicious and to diffuse them
throughout the community.
President Grant has made some bad appoint
ments. He has admitted this by un-making q
part of them; his friends all admit it. Quite
number of dcfalcations and embezzlemcnts
have come to light. Republican Senators
wisely demand comprehensive, searching in
vestigati0n. They ask for Select Committee
empowered to send for persons and papers.
They evidently mean to 80 to the very bottom
of this business.
If we were as Jealous for Gen. Grants re-
election as Senator Conkling seems to be, we
should say to Messrs. Trumbull, Schurz g. Co.,
make your inquiry as sweeping and inquiSl-
"tOrial as you can: will support it. Name
"your committee will urge its appointment
"cxactly as yon choose to have it. If there is
"any fact that bears against the Administra-
"tion, let it come out. ana here to meet it.
"Al | ask is that you shall not say that you
chad not the fullest possible opportunity to
"elcit the truth" And this seems to us tho
spirit of Mr.. Conkling's words above quoted.
Unhappily, his acts are not in accordance with
those words.
The recent defalcation of Paymaster Hodge
| seems to us a leading case. No one on earth
|
| wrong Yet it does not satisfy us to be told
| that Hodge is now in the Albany Penitentiary.
We want to know how it was possible for him
to steal nearly Half Million Of public money
by whose fault he had his opportunity, and
what changes in law or regulation are neces-
sary to protect the People against such frauds
in future. We do not want this crime inves-
tigated by friendly, but by hostile COM
mittee-we mean, by one disposed to make the
most of it. We want to be sure that there is
no whitewash about it.
Then take the case of Thomas Calender,
Bank Examiner in this City. 1t seems that this
rascal has been betraying his trust by forcing
weak banks, which it was his duty to expose
and arrest in their downward course, to lend
him large sums of money, wherewith he prose-
cuted wild speculations, while he, as con-
sideratiOn, concealed their rotten condition.
The consequent loss to the public is likely to
amount to millions. And there are other ras-
cals-scme already detected, others yet to be
brought to light-whO have perpetrated kindred
robberies.
These crimes can only damage the party in
power if it seems to conceal, deny, or palliate
them. Let it be first on the track of the ras-
calls, and they can do it little harm.
Opening THE Utica Morning Uerald-the
home organ of Senator Conkline, whereof his
representative in the House is responsible
Editor-we are somewhat surprised to find it
discussing Mr.. Trumbulrs proposition after
this scrcechy fashion:
"The Democrats appear to have been terribly exer.
cised the question of investigating the con-
duct Of the President and his subordinae They have
apAt1
Houses of Congress- Which could not be entertained by
any body having fcgad f6f til own dignity that of the
Government, and then set up headess howl because
they were not adopted. Usurpation, corruption,
tyranny and extravaganza, have been charged by
the Wholesale upOn the Administration, and the !
cry raised that Congress will not permit investga.
tion. Rsmocrats have popped mp In their Seats like
1umpingjscks, and exctedly and furiously protested
while trying to rid themselves Of the speech with which
Voey have become big since the last adjournment OF Con-
sess Relieving their word fOri the nation is the
verge OF everlasting ruin, and nothing 1t short
VI nanone the Government over to the men who fol. |
lowed sided and abeted Je Davis and his cotraitors
one would naturally suppose that men who had |
oae9 osped hanging or shooting, through the lent.
ency OF 'ne government against which they conspred
and who have BY thor treasonabe condnct aid uron
the people burdens grievoua 70 be borne would have
mooesty' not grattude enough to main tain becoming
silence where they csnnot tnterpose reasonable cti
ctm. But THESE feiows age prpverdN for short mem.
ones and theiE inability to earn anything They seem
70 forget that We nave passtd taropgn tremendous
civil war; imposed Us BY thenasves and th., we a,e
stil suffering from It's efects," &c.. &C.
lit may be that the above IS argument.
that Messrs. Trumbull aud Schurz are Seccs.
sionists,' and that .|"Jef. Davis ana his 20.
" trnitors' are part Of the case on which the
People arc to pass, judgment in deciding
whether the power 70 send for persons aud |.
papers ought to be given to the Committee
which MIR. Trdmbari has asked fBfH. ittnmaay II may be
tast me are insane, while ep Utica nsithbot'