Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-23
WoRCE STER.
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY es. 1879
The ,.SaIc of Arms Debate, ;,


1t becomes more and more evident. that the
motion TO investigate the sales Of arms BY our
government, meant speeches and q politlcai
demonstration against the administration, mueh
more than it meant Investigation. The resolulon
would have been passed, and the inVesuSauoh
finished by this time, if this bad been me ehlel
purpose of the movement. The speeches. oil
those who are disposed 10 assal the administra-
tion have already made it clear that there Is
nothing TO be investigated, -Iothing which the
senate should deem worthy of investigation.
AT first. there was a pretense that discrepan-
CIV existed between the reports of the treasury
and war Departments relative 10 the amount of
money received for arms sold; but the accusers
had made disgraceful blunder in the matter
of dates, and now this part of the accusation has
been withdrawn. The charge was mex
cusably false, and those concerned would do
well TO be ashamed of it. In the second place,
it is charged that the French government paid
for the arms nearly forty per cent more than our
government received for them. This may be so;
but what has the senate TO do with this fact, if
it be fact? Doubtless those who bought arms
of our government and afterwards sold them TO
French agents, made profit; and these agents
tone of whom has been convicted of fraud IN
this matter) are supposed to have cheated the
French authorities, and put money in their own
pockets in Tammany style; but is this matter
for the American senate to investigate? 1t may
as properly undertake TO investigate the whole
French conduct of the war with Germany The
insinuation that somebody in our war depart
ment received portion Of the French stealings,
is base, for there is not scrap of evidence pro-
duced to warrant it, nor a circumstance to ex-
cuse it.
1t was a strange and unaccouniable mistake
to get up such a demonstration in the senate.
We can not understand why some of the sena-
tors concerned have allowed themselves to be
connected with it. We can see that Theirs is in
search of something that will bring discredit
upon the Gambetta government, and that his
agents at Washington have easily persuaded GER
tain senators to start an Investigation" they
seeing in the movement an opportunity
TO declaim against the administration.
We can see, also, that the senators who |
have allowed themselves to figure in this |
demonstration, have lost by it, in public estima-
ton, great deal more than they have gained
They have delivered speeches. day after day
which show nothing so clearly as their lack OF
good reason for delivering such speeches. They
have put aside the public business and wasted
the time of the senate, 10 give expression TO
feelings which do them little credit, and to pur-
sue aims which some of them do not appear 10
understand
Senator Schurz, one of the most unfit men in
the world to be political leader may be willing
10 see the republican party of the country
brought TO a condition similar TO that which he
and others reduced the republican party of Mis-
souri,; but he will not be gratifcd in this respect
If Others have the same mood, they NAV as well
begin at once TO understand thatlnone Of them
are sufficiently great or important to escape
just criticism. They do not own the republican
party; it will not follow them; their unreason-
able demonstrations of this kind may be more
civilized in manner than that of Andy job nson
when he "swung round the circle" but they
win be no'more effective. Senators Dixon, Doc
little, and the others, may be followed into the
retirement of private life by some other senators
who believe they have power to direct or divide
the republican party.