Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-03-23
The Case OF stokes.

..Thp country is not n little sur
priscd that the trial ofcx Congress
man Stokes Of Tennessee for II gross
fraud against tho government
should result in tho very insuilici.
ent penalty of II fine of $1,000. In
sentencing tho distinguished con.
vict, Judge Cartier Of the district
criminal court said;
Gen. Stokes, the court has come
to the conclusion to impose on you
W,ponalty Of 81 800 and the costs Of
the prosecution. | have been gov
crned in my action by several con-
siderations, among them your uni.
form good character, your advanced
age, and the request Of men Of all
parties in your state that your pun
ishment should be light. 1t is un-
necessary to n person of your in
te..igencc to say more.
"a prisoners uniform good char.
rcter and advanced age may, on
ordinary occasions, be properly
taken into, consideration as reasons
for mitigating.his punishment but
in this case there was need of an
example, and the prisoner ought TO
have been extremely punished. Ho
is no ordinary offender he belongs
to class Of powerful partisans who,
withct'. Tbs temptatten:of poverty,
and without !ho > 5Sgaa9% If ignor-
ancc, are robbing th6goVornmerS
of millions of dollars every year,
but who, unfortunately, furnish few
delegates to the pentcntiary. 1t
looks very much rs though tho au-
thorities at Washington had, con-
Quoted this, prosecution in thYifs
tcrcst of the prisoner. His, great
crime was forgery bat The prosccu-
tion was only for urging claims
against tho government while ho
was n member of congress-a very
trivial offence compared with the
felony he was reallJ'guilty Of In
the course of his trial for the small :
er offence, the greater one. WAS .,in7
cidentally proved, but iss penalty
could net be adjudged against him.
As soon as Judge Cartier. .pronoun-
ced the sentence the prisoner paid
the fine and departed. This. lie
could easily afford to do, as, ,the
amount of money he had defrahded
the government out Of was over
SG0,0O0, and tho fec he received
for the work was $4,000, while the
fine was only 1900. The court
therefore permits him to depart
with. the bulk Of the fruits Of his
fraud to soothe the sharpness of his
disgrace. A Republican paper says
that "the evidence elected on the
trial was universally regarded in
official circles as showing one of the
blackcst cases of corruption ever
brought to light in the Washington
courts" Under these circumstan-
ccs the country will find it difficult
to get rid Of the conviction that
Stokes was let off with an easy pen
atty because he WAS u partisan Of
the administration.
The fact that he is n blatant Rad
ical, and will do Grant and ColtaX
good service in Tonnc see next
summer, furnishes the reason for
this disgracetul procceling-and
Stokes takes his place beside Bowen
as q MOI umcnt Of sparing mercy.
But Bowen had the dcccncy to re-
tire 10 South Carolina as soon rs lie
was relcas cd from durancc vile |
why does not Stokes follow the ex
ample Of his companion ip guilt?
Instead of so doing, the dispatches
informs US. ttot'iio is every day at
the capitol in Gloss conference with |
Maynard, Butler and tho rest of the
crew whom an insctu-
table Providence allows to legislnto
for honest people. Doubtless nc is |
assisting to arrange plans for tho
coming presidential cam pa;Gt,
ana nNlng inc WlFcS ior INC "''""l''
nous nomination Of the cut-and- !
dried ticket at Philadelphia. The
workman is worthy of his task, but
that be shcUle dare display himself
thus conspicuous,y ie.a sweet com
mentary upon the code Of morality |
and dcccncy which furnishes under
the present administration.
:, We observe that Stokes lawyer |
has sued the distinguished client tor |
professional services in defending
him. BY all means let the bill be
paid out Of the public treasury for
what is four hundred ;dollara com
pared to the iiestimnbIe; blessing of
restoring Stokes to the bosom OF a
grateful ccuniry?-,S. Louis Re
puJiicaa.
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