The sun., 1873-07-12

Charles A. Dana and the Administered tion
Thieves.

announced that several officers Of the District
OF Columbia who consider themselves libelled
by Mr. Charles A. Dana Of THE SUN are awaiting
with much interest the termination OF the SUIT
brought against MIN by Alexander X. Shepherd,
in expectation, II the latter Is successful, Of
bringing suit themselves. II Mr.. Dana ever
makes his appearance in Washington n number
of warrants will be served upon him"
II MIR. Dana Is wise in hts generation, and we
think he Is. he will not make his appearance in
Washington until the laws OF that miserable
Territorial Government are amended So as to
approximate to some recognized code of justice.
MIR. DAM - feared. and therefore hated more
than any other man by the Federal thieveb,
whose rascality he has done So much to expose
during tine last four years. To TuE Sun. under
his MANAGEMENT, belongs the credit Of laying
bare the corruption OF the Credit Mohllier Con-
grcssinen last September. A united howl was
raised by the organs and orators of the Admin
istration, denying the truth OF THE suns revo-
latiOns. III the people had accepted tho facts
aiterward demonstrated, the dominant party
would have been hurled from power and an
honest man elected to the Presidency. But
every crossroads politician ON the Grant side
stood ready to declare that the revelations were
purely fictitious; that Mr.. Dana was an unscru-
pulpus liar and libeller; and that Schuyler Col
fax, Henry wilson, John A. Bingham, and all
the other inculpated Congressmen were models
OF political and personal purity. "rime at last
sets all things even" few months after these
indignant denials; few weeks after Colfax had
submitted his conundrum "Docs Calumny
Pay" to the religious world through Mr. Bow
ems organ Of quack morality. the revelations ~
InE SCS were confirmed, Mr.. Dana's character
"a ,itMicsS' honptAnlc JOURNALIST Wa Ninil-
Gated, aud the wrecked regulations Of dozen
Having disposed of the Credit Mobilier cu-
prits, ruE SUS turned IT. attention to the wash
tug.on Ring which j. persi-tently engaged IN
rphhinE the people Of the District of Columbia.
This Ring Is the direct creation Of Congress. IL
drew its life from the National Legislature, and
IL continues to thrive bN tie consent aud CON
niNauce of men chosen TO represent the people.
At he heed of this Ring stands Mr.. Alexander
X. shepherd whose bnsc couduct was properly
condemned In tho columns Of IHE SUN. The
Ring has "A Judiciary sysfom of IL own. Mhcu
one of the members hecomc- too corrupt 60 be
trusted Toy his cumruguc- with the handling of
funds, ne Is elevated 10 the bench. where he is
expected to give judicial eudoremcnt To ras-
callty.
excited the ire oi thHt person. Ihe Admnistia-
ton thieves have hut two way OF dealing with
truth tellcrs they eithOr brbc them to silence
or seek To imprison them. knowing that Mr..
Dana could not be bought. shepherd and his su-
periors and Interiors az the utter exist set To-
work 70 hatch a plot for his abduction from
New York ana his imprisonment in Washington.
They discovered or created construction Of
law which made a Police Justice a consttucn ut
part Of the machinery of the Federal courts
The Police Justice issued warrant IN Washing
ton for the arrest of Mr.. Dana In New York
This warrant was made returnahle to John J.
Davenport, United States Commissioner aud eX-
Dictator 81 our Assembly. Mr. Dana was ar
rested and hailed before Davenport, sitting a. "A
Judge. Before him also came the Assistant Dis
trict Attorney NJ the District Of Columbia. de
mandin- the rem oval Of Mr.. Dana TO Washing
ton, and arguing Zealously against his admission
10 tail. Mr. W. q. Bartlett. the counsel Of Mr.
Dana. iudiruIutly protested against the whole
proceeding. and hurled such solid blocks uf ar
gumcnt aud inycctiye against the thin heads Of
the consp lrators that they fancied for the mo-
mcnt that the fraud-rooted pavement OF Penn
sylNania avenue had given way, aud that all the
taK-ridden segnlenis thereof were falling upon
them at once. BN mutual consent the case was
finally referred to Judge Blalchford, of the
United states District Court, and lac ostponed
the hearing 20 the sixteenth of july, reeasi in =
Mr. Dana without bail
The Illustration of the plot does not diminish
the quit of the conspiraturs. The ATTEMPTED
abduction Of The SUN editor was an outrage,
calling for condemnation from the public at
large as we'll as from the whole journalistic pro-
fcssiun. 1t was a deliberate attemut to muyzle
the press II was the attempt Of thieves to
make robbery safe by consgning To a dungeon
the man who laid their rascal records bare.
II Mr.. shepherd. of Washington. felt aggrieved
at the SUNS charges and felt conscious of his
own rectitude, his remedy was plain. lie could
have brought his suit for libel Ia the courts OF
New York where the newspaper was published,
aud where calumny-if calumny IL were -orig-
mated, Ih9 Judicial officers Of our state are not
uNcr-iriendly TO Charles A. Dana. lie has not
hesitatcd 10 criticise any or all Of them when
their conduct seemed To call for criticism. BUT
these Judges are in the main men Of honorable
repute, who would not willingly wink at an art
of gross injustice. while they would allow all
reasonable latitude TO the accuser they would
also protect the rights Of the accused. Mir Shep-
herd would have nothing to fear from political
prejudice in the state If New York. Most Of
the Judges are Republicans, and those who are
not are Just men. lie could get "A fair jury with
out difhculty. The politicians have done much
toward disseminating the idea that the news
papers are gwen To the publication Of false
charges and II THE SIMS charges were proved
70 he unfounded the average jury would punish
Mr., Dana without mercy.
Why then, does this man lay his grievances
before police court in Washington "You'll
get justice here said "A sympal hizing lawyer TO
an lrishman who was about t. be arragned in
court he Jabers, sir, an that's just what |
don't want! J! was the ready and witty answer.
And justice is what shepherd and his crowd do
not want, They know better than they
that II Is rarely dispensed in the Ring court
which they have created In Washington. hut
they are hent on raising more money floating
more promises to pay ON the troubled waters of
they are plotting to secure the imprisonment nf
the editor who branded them as they deserved,
They will hardly succeed. The public under
stands their little game, aud the independent
press will thwart II.