, 1873-12-18

to chcat him. But wo cannot admit that the
circumstances under which lo ealno into Office
wore tuutan,ouut to Ill authorization 10 hin, to
srcculnto with tho city funds. Certainly no.
body would l,ayo voted for him II TINT purpose
had boeu avowed.
SPEAKER BLAINE As A WH1PP1Nn-P0ST
III advance OF tho assembling Of OougrcBs wo
took occasion to express our viowa aB to tho
nbHttrd demands tint wcro nado on speaker
Dtaiuo to exclude Crodit-Mobiior Congressman
and those accepting "baok-pay from all rlacoa
Of influence on con,mitteos. We observe that
largo portion of tho Democratic press, with horo
md thoro Republican papor, koop up these
criticisms sinco Tho committees woro announced.
Tho persons aimod at NJ Crodit-Alobilier Con-
grcssmcn nre MeBBrs. Dawes, Ko!loy, Garfield,
and scoheld. generally recognized us among tho
ablest mon In Congross. OF their actual guilt
or Innocence in tho utattor charged, wo here
avouch nothing. A committee Of investigation,
aftor three months labor, reported nothing
agaiuht any ono Of them. Some individual mom
berB Of the HouBo, not satisfied with tho conclu-
sions Of the Committee introduced resolutions
Of consuro, and thcBe woro promptly aud almost
Indignantly laid upon tho tahlo by vote 30
overwhelming that we bclioyo tho ayes aud noes
woro not even asked for. Now, under these cir
oumstanceB, will my one toll us on what ground
spoaaor Blaine could constitute himsolf Judge
md proceed to administer sentouco Of novoro
punishment without yordict Of guilty being
found-nny, moro, asa<ra verdict Of acquittal mud
cxoneraton had been found by tho only tribu-
nal, asto from their constituencies, competent
to try tho alleged ofroEdors.
But tho exercise Of such d discretion on tho
part OF the Speaker becomes still moro absurd
when It ia applied to tho eafary-grabbers. The
sa1no papors that demanded tho lisrauAing of
tho Credit alobiorites demanded, with still
louder voice, tho decapitation Of all who took
back-pay. Now, if this policy lad boon followed
by tho Speaker, It woull have involved the dis
placement from all important committcos of
woll-nigh four-lftla of all the old members WHO
worc ro-olcctcd, for of tho entire one hundred
and t.centy:fre scarcely thirty refused to take
tho baok-pay. Theao wiso gontlemon. who lave
SO fully instructed tho Speaker as to his duty in
organizing the House, would have had him pass
4 judgment which belongs wholly and aololy to
the constituency. Speaker Blaine himself,
promptly aud copcusively. aud In advanco, d.
vorcod himself from all connection with buck
pay. That for himself was we'll and wise, and it
would hayo been Eell and wise had others fol-
lowed liB example. But for him to Bet up as
public conRcience-keoner and whipping. post to
administer tho punishment which the bnck-pay
men will In duo timo got from their constituents,
would have been arrogant, presumptuous, and
unprecedented.
When tho monborH we're sworn in On tho first
day Of the scshiou, 1t found that tlfty-two Of
then-nearly onc-dftl OF the entiro House
wero compelled to take the modified oath BY
rcasou Of their participation In the Rebellion.
uore we're iifty-two mou, headed by tho Vice-pros-
idont Of tie Rebel Confcderucy, forgiven, amneH-
tied, aud restored to civil rights. Wo have OBJ
served In somo papors q sharp outcry against
putting any of these mon on committees Of i'm
portaneo, as though tho Speaker had the slight-
est right to 70 buck Of tho amnesty mud eeo1 to
crime was iu its essonco tho darkest and deepest
o citizen can commit. Some over-zea1oua Re-
publcans feel very soro TINT Alexander II.
Stephens aud L. Q. G. Lamar should bo on
prominent committees, though ZIG observe that
Bome Democratic papers that forociously assal
Dawos aud Garfield welcome our Southern
brethren with opon aims 10 placos Of honor.
ThuH in looking over the whole field, no find
from one quarter cry that no nan whose name
WAS even remotely associated with Credit Mo-
bilior should have any recognition on commit.
tees; from another quarter comes tic demand
with still moro yohemonce TINT no man Of the
hundred or moro who took tho "baek-pay'
should DO allowed any voice on committees.
Still another phase Of opinion cries out that no
one Of tho llfty-two members WHO, by his ina
biiity to take tic iron-cl.d oath, openly ayowed
That ho had been Rebel against tho Govern
mont, shall hayo any place Of honor What
over in tho organization OF tho 1Ionse.
Now, pray toll us. WHO should Speaker Blaine
appoint on committees By your cries aud de-
nunciations you would have him disfranchiso
wcll-ngh two-thrfls Of tho entire body, and elo-
yato his individual judgment over law, and right,
aud usage. Tho Speaker might just rs we'll Bay
that tho mombors Of the classoH referred to
should not bo heard In debate or vote OH the
roll.cal!, as to declare that thoy should have no
voice or yoto on committoea whore the 1ogisla-
tion is really and effectively shaped aud settled.
Upon what authority, pray, would Speaker Dlaino
encios from their proper representation in tho
councils Of the nation?
In conclusion. tho whole matter roste with tho
q. Ii