Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-04-23
SIGNS OF THE TINES.

lines of Goldsmith
Ill fares the land, TO Fastening ills a prey,
Where irealth accumulates and men decay"
seem to have striking aud pertinent
application to our times and our men.
We see those from whom we had rea,
son to expect an exhibition of the
highest order of ststesmanship, hon.
or, anu the better qualities of man
who have been elevated by the suf.
frages of the people to high positions
of trust, and in whom the public have
placed an implicit and growing con-
fidence, for the prospect Of gaining a
few pa!try dollars, engage in illegiti-
mate and understandable enterprises
-rObbing the public ead plundering
the very people who have given them
place and distinction and when their
nefarious operations are likely TO be
discovered, they endeaYor to escape a
just retribution through Iiel And
again, when. thus thwarted and so
hard pushed by the development of
facts that they dare not hold Credit
Mobilier stock, they thrust their
hands into the public treasury, taking
therefrOm money which no more be-
longs to them than to any other citi-
zen of the United States. These are
terrible accusations but are they not
literally true?
1t seems TO me that the time has
arrived when, if there is any virtue
left in the people, 1t should come to
the front, and assert its power by over
throwing the tables Of these money
changers, and scourging these vio-
lators of confidence and robbers of the
public, whether in Congress or out of
it. Is money-gettingn to be the
acme of American republicanism and
American stat esmanship? If so, what
an inglOrious failure have we made,
when driven to systematic thievipg to
obtain it! I believe in calling things
by their right names, and holding
men thoroughly accountable to their
constituents for the manner in which
they use their positions of trust or
profit; there is no safety short of this.
" Eternal vigilanee" is as much the
"priee OF liberty" to-day, as ever in
our history. We should, however,
make haste slowly" fully under
standing the charges, and the attempts
at refutation, before final condemna-
tion is passed upon the offenders the
" Peoples Court" is one which is al
ways in session hence, there is no
necessity of undue haste in the pre-
sentation of these cases, unless they
are properly worked up and all the
facts obtained.
The people OF this district are more
directly interested in the relation
these charges have to our Congress
man, Gen. Garfield, just now. than to
anyone else. 1t has been over q month
since the adjournment, and believe
the General has not yet fulfilled the
promise he made on the floor Of the
House, on hearing the report of the
Poland committee that he would
take an early opportunity to explain
his connec ion with the Credit Nc
bilier matter YET, when we consider
that the back pay "grab" has been
added to the Indictment since the
indictment was made, it will probably
take more courage or "cheek" than
he Possesses to undertake an explain.
alton under the circumstances. His
friends have made desperate efforts to
furnish some excuse for the back
pay matter" such as a highly colored
description of his herculesn efforts to
defeat the measure before the joint
his success in pruning 1t
of some of its bad features; also, his
fear of defeating the Appropriation
Bill, and thus make necessary an ex-
ira session. These are the principal
reasons urged for suspension of judg-
ment and condemnation in his partic
ular case.
Let US look at these reasons, given
in justification of the " Chairman of
the Committee on Appropriations
who not only signed the report oil the
joint committee, recommending the
passage of the bill. with the retrosct-
i've amendment, allowing s., 900 addi-
tional pay to each member for services
rendered, and paid for at a
price, but voted for the bill |
on its final passage. Why stop at
s., 500 additional back pay? and why !
extend the benefits only two years !
back? II 1t is right to vote $500 |
more than the contract price, why not /
So, 900, and thousands upon that dd
only to be limited by the
demand and supply .-e3s
Considering Gen. Garfeld's posi-
ton as chairman, who will doubt that
his recommendation and vote had
more to do with popularizing this
wicked measure, than the action Of
any other member of the House? 1t
is we'll understood, had he refused to
sign the report, and voted as he ought.
the bill would have been defeated. :
Any parliamentarian knows if the
bill had failed to pass, a new confer
enee committee you'd have been ap- !
pointed at once, and in an hours time /
might have reported il back without /
the Objectionable provision. As re-
CARDS his efforts in the committee, did 4
he do more than his duty there p
Could he have done less and have 1
been true to his constituents and the /
country? Is there any balance Of
credit In this which ought to be car
ried to " Credit Mo5iIier," or retro
active salary" Suppose he had |
caused an "extra session. by the 7
faithful discharge of his duty, would
not his constituents have stood by 1
him? would he not have had con-
sciousness Of having done right,
which be would to-day consider cheap
At 1000? The report that he now I
refuses the 5000 does not help his /
case, his recommend and vote has
given it to Others as we'll as himself;
and now. when the people and his |