The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-20
Radical Virtue.

what is called northern Methodist
preacher-who went from "down.east !"
to Iowa. and there became 9 freedom
shrieker," dabbled in politics, and got into
Congress. He was soon discovered to be no
better than he should be, and was detected
In frauds in contracts relating to the Indians.
He stemmed the torrent, however, and
through the aid of the Credit-Mobilier got
into the United States Senate from Iowa.
He has Just been cat-hauled by the lnyestiga-
ting Committee. The culprits of the cor
rupton seem all to desire to shelter them
selves by association with other and gener-
ally better men than themselves.
And so Senator HARLAN sheltered
himself behind General GRANT. This in
censes the official organ-the Washington
Republicun-and it thus warns up Senator
HARLAN:
ave were surely disappointed yesterday
morning upon reading the explanation Oh
that truly good man Senator Harlan upon
the testimony Of Mr. Durant. Mr.. Durant
swore positively that he sent two tlye.thou'
sand-doIar checks to Iowa to aid Mr.. Harlan
in his election to the United States Senate.
We could not bring ourselves to believe that
so vrtuous and patriotic man as Senator
Harlan could possibly have consented toany.
thing of this kind, but we are panied to find
that he not only did consent but that he glo-
ries in the infamy. This is sad.
"Mr. Harlan, however, hasavcry Ingenious
way of defending himself. In his paper ne
Hor1nnsc
aud that of President Grant are drawn into
the controversy And all through Ar.
Harlan's defence, written we presume by Mr..
Harlan himself, or at bis dictatlon, the Iowa
senator strives to shelter himself behind
General Grant, and insinuates that there was
no more harm in contributing ten thousand
dollars to his own election than there was III
giving five thousand dollars to. The National
Republican Committee to sdctray the eN.
penses of the election of General Grant
This is entirely too transparent There IS
the widest distinction between senatorial
and a presidential campaign, and while it is
perfectly proper to eXpeud five or ten thou
sand dollars in the one, we can conceive no
reason why so large a sum should be lesltl-
mateIy spent in the other. What are the
hotel bills and the newspaper expenses =
bills of Legislature for long time, and as
for newspaper expenses wo cannot init
CINE where in the world they so in contest
i'm Legislature.
"Mr. Harlan, in another portion Of his writ
ten defence, says 'the only legitimate qucs-
ton before the committee is, Were the funds
of the Union Pacific Railroad Company ap-
piled for corrupt purposes, and especlally
to corrupt members Of the House!' MI.
Harlan's anxiety on the question of what Is
and what is not the proper duty OF the COM
mittee is positively painful. To use rather
vulgar phrase, he has been from the very be-
ginning wrggling like certain fowl OH a
certain warm utensil well-known in our do
,ncstic economy. "A roundabout way OF sta
ting the old proverb "lke hen on hot
riddle."-Dispdtch.l Just as Congress was
about to meet he made up his mind that 1t
| would be n mere waste Of time to institute
an investigation at all, and loftily Informed
the world that the great court of the nation
had already pronounced judgment upon the
malicious indictments of the partisan press.
Now he is of the opinion that the COM
mittee has no business to interfere With the
sacred rights aud privileges of the Senate, and
should confine itself entirely to members OF
the House. Is it possible that there is some
thing rotten in Denmark Despite Mr.. uar-
lan's protests, aud appeals, and arguments,
and opinions, however, the committee has
gone on to investigate members Of the Sen
ate, and found out last night that Mr.. Harlan
had asked Mr.. Durant for ten thousand dol
lars to help him in Iowa, and that the two
| tive-thousand-dollar checks were drawn to
bis order. This is really too bad. When the
senator from Iowa turns up as a recipient OF
the Credit-MobIlier bonds to help him In
Iowa, ito make him friend of the road,
we feel like losing all faith in human M
ture." .s..
1t is one good of the great scandal that
! Republicans are compelled to admit the cor
ruptions of Republican leaders-often the
very high priests i'll the temple.