Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-02-13
The Modern In QUESTION

The discrcditablc thing in the credit mo-
bilicr business i the way the parties inn
plcated have treated ii. They do protest
too much. Their only guilt is til, ir mode
of asserting their innocence. In their dread
of false accuation they are ashamed of fac
ing the innocent truth. But it is not Ia Toe
wondered AT when we consider the tOrturc>
of Congressional ves,i.ation. The
coolest brain may well be turned by such
barbarous ordeal.
Calico denied the movements OF the
spheres under the horrible pressure of the
Roman holy Office. We have a oli>hcd
the ordeal by fire and the wager OF battle.
but the horrors of the inqui>ition survive.
ANY one familiar with criminal affairs can
readily understand the mental condition of
the gentlemen whose names are now ban
died about the country in this connection.
An innocent man, in high position. and of 4
nervous, sensitive temperament. finds
himself entangled in network of awkward
circumstances. He founders and prevar-
icate>. TO every inquirer. He i yolubie to
the detectives and loses himself in a maze
of haSty asseyerations. He strives to dis
tort or suppress the most innocent fact,
dreading that they NAV be worked up i'll
TO evidences of his guilt His condition j.
pitiable. for he i conscious of innocence.
yet conscious also that his attempt TO prove
il TO Others i miserable failure. But the
law soon comes to hi, rescue. and hi
counsel puts the shield of silence over him.
and teaches him To await with patience the
sure process OF judicial investigation. 1t
j fortunate for u ordinary sinners that
are under the protection OF definite sy>-
TEN of law. 1t would be deemed intolera-
bic to deny such protection TO the meaue>t
individual charged with crime. The law
prcsumes his innocence. II j. held TO be
Indecent even for the press TO anticipate
the verdict. He can sift out his jury
almost at will. His private papers are re-
spected. Irrelevant testimony is excluded.
His judge must be absolutely fair. ANY
invasion of his legal rights is resented by
the public as common injury. They rc-
fleet that their own turn may soon come Ia
be falsely accused. and they are jealous of
their safeguards. But in the higher walks
of political life we have changed all that.
Ii in the heat OF political controversy high
public officials. or men whom the people
have chosen to represent them are accused
OF criminal practices, the coalitions OF the
case are reversed The safeguards of i'll
nOcence are ruthlessly broken down.
Every newspaper forms its own indict-
ment. The whole public is the self-consti-
tuted jury. \ scrawl on the back of 4 let
ter suffices for evidence. The interviewer
before the trial, and the Washington cor
respondent delivers the judgment. And
then. under the pressure of perverted
public opinion, an actual trial is demanded.
and 1t Is furnished in the shape of Con-
gressional investigation. The committee
sits al first with closed doors al IS becol::-
ing in the use of such dangerous instru.
ment of torture. But the hungry torment
ors clamor at the doors. and spread false
reports until they are permitted to make
true ones. Then the committee hold open
court under the lash of partisan press.
They are helpless to control the spirit they
have raised. No forms of law restrain
them. no rules of evidence bind hem, no
statute oflimitations bars them. They are
an open reservoir into which all the gut
tiers Of detractiOn are turned. Character
ayails nothing, the sanctity of private cor
respondence is treated as sham. The
condolences of social lite are invaded with
out stint or mercy. They are compelled
to torture their best friends for the diver
sion of gloating public. Regulations
won by life of honor are ''butchered to
make a" libelous holiday" Two master
schemers quarrelng over their spoils are
installed as chief managers. Every bru-
tai instinct is aroused, and the purer the
character assailed the keener is the zest of
the spectators. And the spectacle is gaz-
ed upon complacently by the people, who
grieve that the Spaniard still takes pleas
ure iu his bull-aghts.
We insist that this is not an over-wrought
picture of the Congressional inQuisitions
now going on at Washington. Ifany vic
tim eh Ill come out unscathed from this
ordeal let him hasten to pack up his trunks
and come home. for there at least, he will
have the common protection of the law
youchsafed to thieves and murderers. And
let any one with human infirmities beware
of taking the vacant seat. Let him leave
the halls of legislation to be filled with
those who are guilty and shameless enough
to screen each other from very unpleasant
revelatons-unless indeed they can be
filled with men who are brave enough. in
conscious rectitude. to abolish this intol-
cradle inquisltiOn into stale calumnies and
appeal to their lives and the votes of thei
constituents, as sufficient answers. We
began this article with an attempt to fix
upon the gentlemen who have been drag
ged in the mire of this credit mObilier BUSH
ness the true measures of blame which at
taches to them. But We have been led off
into an indignant protest against the bar
oarous ordeal of congressional investiga-
IONS. and the ''cruel and unusual punish
ment which members are willing to infict
upon each other in their zeal for self.purifi-
cation, Let it stand 90. We must take
another occasion to point out that. even
under this self-imposed torture, these gen
tlemen who have been honored nv the
country SO long are proved guilty, not of
bribery or corruption, but only o! degree
of disingenuOusness, very natural. and
almost pardonable. in view OF the terrors
Of the ordeal through which they were like |
y to be drawn.-l Newark Daily Advertiser, |
JanuGyyN.