The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-26
Tne speedy Trial OF Accused Senators
and Accused Marderers. t

Iuc ueou VI bpotuy trinAb ~ INC Sreos wnHS
of the country at this time. 1t is felt alike in
the criminal courts of New York and in the
Senate of the United States. The Tombs and
the Senate house are both full of accused
persons. In the one case the accused men are
charged with murder. in the other bribery and
corruption are the alleged offences. The one
crime is scarcely less heinous than the other;
each is too destructive in its effects upon
public and private morals not to require the
speedy trial and punishment of offenders
Laxity in bringing the guilty to justice is at
the bottom of the prevalence of crime.
Murderers are melted to commit murder by
the belief that changing is played OUT"
politicians are melted to purchase their way
to high public trusts and to sell themselves
again when they have obtained high places by
the belief that bribery and corruption will not
be punished. If host of criminals had
not escaped, one after tho other, the Tombs
would not now be full of murder
ers. If the Senators who first bought
their way into that body had been
speedily punished majority of the Senate
would not now stand before the country as
unconvicted culprits. 1t makes little differ
ence whether the jury fails to convict Scannell
or the Senate to expel Harlan or Pomeroy; in
either case it is an Indictment to fresh crimes
OF gives birth to fresh scandals Had this
man been convicted, had these been expelled,
there would be healthier moral tone among
the community to-day, and less reason to de-
mand the speedy trial of accused Senators and
accused murderers.
Let us glance for moment at the Senate.
Day after day it sits in secret session at Wash
ington Judging of the moral fitness of men for
public position. When its doors are open it
spends its time discussing the delinquencies
and crimes of its own members. An august
body, such as the United States Senate was
long regarded, thus engaged, is fearful satire
upon republican government. 1t is pitiful
sight at best, but it can only be removed
from before our eyes by boldly facing it.
We want no more whitewashing as in
the case of Pomeroy; no more delay
that the guilty may escape, as in the
case of Caldwell Every Senator who is &C
cused of having obtained his seat by bribery
must be tried at once, and if he is guilty he
ought to be punished. Resignation is no
condonement for his offence. Expulsion and
ignominy are not sufficient Every honest
man in the country knows that Caldwell
should be in the Penitentiary. II he had been
properly punished his former colleague would
not now think it possible that he could return
to take Caldwell place; nor would the guilty
men still remaining in the Senate be SO conf
dent of holding their places. Many of them
went to Washington on the 4th of March with
soiled regulations, and followed by rumors of
political corruption and forthcoming exposure.
Mr.. Bogy Of Missouri, who is probably not
guilty has already asked for an investigation.
Mr. Patterson, of South Carolina, has not yet
demanded an inquiry, but is sadly in need Of
one Other Senators are in like situation
with him. All who are accused must be tried
and the guilty punished, and the sooner it is
done the better for the country.
Delay in the trial Of accused Senators does
not rest it seems, entirely with the republican
party, even when the Senators are republicans
The country has long complained of the
| failure of the Senate to determine the case of
| Mr. Clayton, of Arkansas. It is one of the
earliest Investigations into the dereictions
| of Senators, older even than the case of
Caldwell, which has just been withdrawn from
Senatorial consideration. The testimony was
taken more than year ago, making printed
volume of over eight hundred pages. The
understanding was that the case should
be taken up as soon as the Caldwell
investigation was disposed of. Clayton
was anxious that this should be done,
and his party friends were agreed. Indepen-
it was clearly due to a man in his position that
he should be tried at once--due to him for his
own sake, and due to him because the country
demanded it Yet there was opposition, and
the opposition came from democratic Sen
ators Mr.. Thurman, Of Ohio, was hostile
to its consideration because of his
| own neglect to read the testimony.
Mr. Norwood, of Georgia, opposed taking
up the case because he believed Senators had
not had an opportunity to become acquainted
with the facts, though Senators had more
than o year in which to become acquainted
with these stubborn things. Mr.. Bayard, of
Delaware urged the same views, and fourteen
Senators, with one exception all democrats,
voted against taking up the subject. Other
Senators had read the testimony-then why
not these? Justice must not be delayed be-
cause Senators fail to do their duty nor
must party considerations be allowed to delay
inquiries, as it was designed in the Clayton
case. The country will hold democrats to the
same responsibility for delaying case like
that of Clayton's as the republicans for failure
to expel him if it is found that the charges
against him are true 1t is cause for con-
urafulafion TINT the Senate defarmined 70 40