Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-20

military importance of the Straits of
Mackinaw, commanding the commerce
of the lakes, the connection between the
upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan
and, to some extent, the key to the Can
adian border, is of ancient renown.
Early as 1920 it was occupied by the
French. In 1911 a mission of peace was
established by one Pere Marquette, but
with him the good work died, and it
afterward became the chief rallying
point Of the various tribes of Indians
TO the mysterious looking spot rising
high above the waves, a few miles from
the mainland, the red men gave the ro-
mantle name of "the island of giant
fairies" The spot they held in sacred
veneration as being highly favored by the
''Great Spirit" and true to the traditions
of his fathers, it is regarded by
Mr.. ''Lo" to this day with superstitious
| reverence. 1t now points with historic
finger to the massacre of 1868, to the
treaty of 1888, to the capture by the
British in 1912, and to the restoration
by the treaty of Client in 1914. But its
greater merits are in the interests of
| peace, to preserve it under the general
| government as a place where all may
| enjoy its salubrious climate, its prOduc-
| tive waters and wildernesscs in coming
wears. Let it be done and let the good
example be followed out for the benefit
of the multitudes in the centuries to
| come.
THE CALDWELL CASE,
as we have already intimated, has en-
| crossed the week in the Senate. In the
| beginning, little attention was manifest
| ed, as it was tacitly understood that, to
! give it ger6dtan1, Caldwell will beat EN-;
but the opening speech OF Morton took
such high ground upon the importance
| of maintaining the purity of the elective
system, and showing up the fragrant
| frauds, or rather open bribery perpetrat-
| ed in the case under consideration, that
wavering interest soon waxed into eX-
| cited attention. A few such speeches
from Morton would deprive him of all
claim to the reputation of partisan dem
agogue and entitle him to that of a high
toned and candid statesman. Carpenters
reply was able as he always is, little
! personal upon Morton, as he is apt to be
to opponents, and winding up with a
| justification of the general use of money
in politics, as in other things, Sunday
! schools, churches, and the like, with an
| 1HSChIOuD Ia" y Il w OLlOh
that Caldwell had not transcribed the
legitimate political use of money. Fol-
lowing these two leaders and arrayed
upon either side of this question of most
vital import, without the guide of pre-
cedent but forever to establish one, long
lines of senatorial debaters have weighed
the pros and cons of this case, often
demonstrating what sold king gold may
| av1H NO rio n Crai1N in (FNYo
gress. Before the week was half done,
Caldwell's case began to wear a serious
aspect This question rejecting upon
the honor and purity of the Senate had
penetrated the quick, and Senators of
both parties who are not always the
most ready partisans-men of character,
ability and acknowledged craftsmanship
became loud in their denunciation of
fraud, and in their convictions that the
! Senate ought to protect its own good
name and honor our governing principles
by declaring the Kansas seat vacant.
! Friday, the warmest day of the weeks
| session, was mainly characterized by
speeches from Messrs. Morrill,, of Yer
mont, and Schurz. Mr.. Morrill,
took the highly honorable and only
honest position, that &c there is no
| honor in holding a seat in either
! House of Congress, gained through other
than the free and unbiased choice of the
people" As rumor has it, this truth
hit in more than one place. He also ar
| gued that the buying off of an opposing
candidate admitted in this case, } is bri-
berry in essence and once admitted to
! practice would destroy all hope of gov
eminent by the popular will. Schurz's
speech took substantially the same
ground, and by general acclaim is pro-
nounced. one of his most successful eff
| forts. Messrs. Scott and Stockton took
| high ground in favor of maintaining the
| purity of the Senate, and it is believed that
both will vote for expulsion, but both
| deny the power of the Senate to try the
| question of legality of a State election.
| Stockton, who, doubtless represents the
| Democratic view of the matter, would
vote to expel for the crime of bribery,
or fraud, but would not vote for reso-
| luton declaring the election Illegal.
| After the exposes made and the general
prominence given to this case, we can
conceive of no more unfortunate event
| for the good of the Senate and the honor
of the country than for the Senate TO
weaken in discharging its duty. The
heel of public indignation ought to grind
the head of such monster corruption. 1t
may be painful, it is a necessary duty.
NEW LEGISLATIVE EXCITEMENT.
1t were impossible to pass from fiery
contests, grave scandals and freezing in
augural festivities to a dead calm of
peace and COntentment all at once. The
House of Representatives is given over
to solitude, and the Senate now has to
entertain all the former advisers of Con-
gress. Just to keep their armor bright,
we suppose certain, aspirants have been
! forcing Gen French, Sergeant-atArms
| of the Senate, to the liveliest of tits over
his own position. The Senate has spent
much time in caucusing upon that and
other questions, and concluded in a very
determined manner not to remove the
present incumbent. A ripple of excite
ment also swept the genial surface of
| the reporters gallery over the rumor
that the Senate, in that awfully mystic
riOus rendezvous known as caucuses,
where we suppose they sit with windows
| darkened and converse in whispers, had
decided to place the reporters gallery
under the control of the committee on
rules, instead of the Vice-President as
heretofore. This sent up a wall in GER
newspaper regions. Men took fright at
once and denounced it as an attempt to
control or compromise the free press of
the land. Strange, how quick some
peoples Imagination will take fire and
! go off. We have studied the Senate
some years and, with few exceptions,
we believe its members would, were it
necessary, be first in defense of the ut
most freedom Of the press. But sup
pose they could not +? does any one sup
pose the mighty independent press of
this land so easily captured? The news
paper press is simply the peoples me-
dunn of information, as such it will
/ gladly take all proffered means of gain
ing intelligence, and as such it viii re-
coil with terrible effect upon any at
to steady the ark. The blast which
blew open the Credit Mobilier committee
room is evidence enough of the self-pro-
tectiye power of the press. TX"
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