The sun., 1872-04-08
Mr.. Dnna's Charges Maintained Ace
cording to the strict Rules ofCrimi-
nal Pleading.


Mr.. DANA's charges against Secretary
RoBEsoN have been maintained, according
10 the strictest rules of criminal pleading.
prosecuting officer * never held to the
necessity of establishing every immaterial
allegation contained in an indictment.
The principles of common sense apply i'm
such eases ns in all the other practical af-
fars of human life. Under an indictment
for murder. q conviction may be had for
any degree OF mansluughter An ndict-
mcnt for stealing a sheep is supported BY
proof Of stcaIiug u lamb.
II such degrees Of variance between the
accusati II and the proof were not per-
mittcd there could seldom BE- u conviction
tor any offence; for, in the nature of
thug. the prosecutor can rarely know
beforehand T. "A degree Of extreme niccty
lust Row the evidence will turn out on the
trial The law looks to the substance of
things. only rcquhiug-and that very
proprrly-that the charge be made with
sufficient certainty and precision fully
t. appri.c the accu. cd aeIin.t what he has
g. dct,ud
The evidence IN the ease of Secretary
TunL,uN ldNc> no room whatever to
doabt-uo remaining possibility to deny
that the secretary has knowingly and will
fuzzy misappropriated and paid out, iu yio-
lntiou Of law, very large sums of money.
or course Mr.. DANA could not know with
absolute accuracy the exact amounts
which Secretary RoBrsoS had lawfully
drawn FROM the Treasury. He knew that
money had been unlawfully drawn, and
tia; tue amount was large. He so charged.
Now what has Mr.. DANt proved?
ilo ha- proved that Secretary RoBEsoN
made, in the most fragrant violation of Il
perfectly plah statute of the United states.
the following payments:
Curof over Ninety Thousand Dollars.
ore of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollar.
one of Twcnty-three Thousand Dollars.
Nj. DAVA ha. al-o proved that Secretary
RoHssoN made large contracts for iron.
privately. without advertising, when there
was no haste or emergency 10 Justify or
cNcu., him at cXtrayagart and excessive
rate paylt for il u much larger sum than
hc miclt have got il for
Thosc arc only u part OF thu unlawful
uct- ana Irregularities which Mr.. DANA has
proved against secretary RouEsoN.
Such fn,t-, established by mcouuoVcIti-
ole evidence. constitute Il portion OF wnni
the Washington correspondent OF the NCu
YoIk Times calls the tlimsy case ' mad
out by the young attorney of Mr.. DANA
This furnishes some clew to the standard
oi official integrity set up by the Admins
tratiou, when facts like thee. braZenly
admitted to quote an apt expression OF
The H'Orlds-by the Secretnry himself
ARE held to hc fimsy cas-.
W. feel little curiosity to learn
what in the estimation of the Administra-
ron would constitute strong case, II thi,
~ hinisy one. And this il one of PA
rrENcE'F boys, il IT." said an old lady to a
drapping youth who stood plump six feet
IN hi, stockings. II should like to know
how tail m'n grow where that old lady
was raised remarked the young man
Much Of the evidence introduced 10y Mr.
DAv' was documentary, from the archiv'"
of the Depar mcnt. Much Of il was wruni
from The lips Of reluctant and unwilling
shoes from fear OF offending the power oI
which they felt themselves 10 be depend
ent.
In spite of all obstacles and all opposi
ton, however. Mr.. DANA has fairly con
vctcd Mr RoBEsoN aud he and hi
"young attorney may congratulate them
scivcs that IL they have seen anything
"nimsy at Washington, it is not the cas-
which they put before the committee, bu
II" "nim-y Secretary and 1im~y" de
fence.