Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-02-07
SFAND HK THE LAW AND JIAl<E
y - THE ENAMPLEA.3 .-H4t

New 1Ofk .JOHJttaE OF commerce, ~. nc
! event in this generation has been sc
] fraught with peril to. the republic as
the Credit Mobilier trial at Washing
ton. If Congress, which is the jury III
I the case, is cowardly or apathetir, o,
dishonest, or through any dereliction
/ acquits or whitewashes men who may
be proved to have taken. bribes, and
I puriured themselves besides, then the
republic, or all. of the republic that is
/. worth preserving, is III the gravest
danger. We do not exaggerate. The
issue is distinctly joined between. a
bribing lobby and dishonest Congress
men on the one hand, and a robbed
and outraged public OH the other No
I scandal of it's kind is ever likely to
occur more noisonle or tiagitions than
that which bears the name of Credit
Mobilier.' Ii that is. not bribery there
is none. 1t involves all the 'bOltlest
and worst forms of corruption that
bribery can take. 1t aimed to buy
and did buy. if we may trust over
whclming cvidcncp--some of the
highest of Government officials and
leaders in Congress. These men had
been placed as sentinels over the
public welfare, chosen because they
were thought to be honest beyond the
uttermost reaches of temptation, and
they have betrayed aud sold their
cause to the enemy. In war, traitor
sentincls are hanged or shot. No
offence is greater than theirs. And for
the same reason. the highest crime
against the republic is the base be-
trayal of the peoples rights and inter
csts by the men who arc confidingly
trusted and pl,t at the outposts. The
punishment OF NIL congressman and
other officials who took the Credit Mo-
bilicr bribes, under whatever himsy
prctcxt that dcceivcs no one, must be
severe that it may be exemplary. The
higher in rank they are, the moro they
have falsely claimed and dishonesty
won the peoples CONFERENCE.-The
Inore blasting should be their penalty.
1t matters not that this is the
first time they have been caught. Old
foxes are hard to trap. The cum
ming with which the inculpated officials
have twisted and doubled, prevaricated
and lied, has possibly served them a
good turn often before in avoiding de-
tection. But now they are fast, unless
the tlamning evidence of last week can
be overthrown. They still have every
opportunity to clear themselves if they
can, and it will not be denied. But
upon the testimony already in, we are
warranted in beginning to ask-what
shall be done with these men if their
infamous treason is proved upon
them And our answer shall be severe,
for this is crisis, and severe measures
are necessary. Ii Fice-President
Colfax is guilty of taking bribes, then
the Vice-President should be punished
and sent to everlasting disgrace. The
height to which he has risen should be
the measure of his fall if he is guilty
We have been 10th to believe that
H. an raised to the second office in this
Government could oe justly charSeable
with so heinOus an offence; but after
the startling revelations of last week
we will not essay Mr. Colfax's defence
He must defend himself, and be
thankful to us if we suppress orr
opinion for the present. Several
Senators and Representatives are jn Il
bad plight. II pains us to see men of
fine abilities and previously good
characters tracked ont in their secret
illicit operations, and confronted with
the proofs of their guilt. There is no
spectacle more sorrowful than that OF
Il man who has enjnvcd high public
trust, and unlneasurcd respect and
confidence. suddenly revealed as
trickster. liar, and possibly a per-
lurcr. But wa cannot stand upon
delicate considerations OF private feel
ings; we caunot let these men off with
their ruined characters and endless
remorse as their onlr punishment If
guilty. They must abide the issue of
their trial. They must be treated
with impartial Justice. like men :r-
raigncd in ordinary Courts for com
mon offences. Sympathy and COM
passion should he stprniy set aside.
If convicted of bribery under the
present investigation. weinyOke against
them the full measures of the penalties.
And here they are A fine of three
times the amount offered or given, and
Imprisonment i'll the penitentiary for
not more than three years forfeiture
of office and perpetual disqualification
from holding any office of honor. trust
or profit under the United States.
This is the law of the land, approved
February, 1853. We demand that if
be enforced. Government is severe in
dealing out tcrrors to little offenders.
The promptitudc and mcrcilessness of
Government prosecutions in minor
cases is provcrbial. Why should this
law against bribery, of all the laws of
the republic; he considered obsolete !?
Are the men who make laws to be the
only persons allowed tn break them
with impunity If 50, then justice
is IL farce and the republic is fraud,
and the preamble of the Constitution
a false preteme III cscry line. We
have said tllat the punishment of the
guilty ones should be exemplary for
now is the time To make examples. II
1t is very easy to laugh at this and call
it a fit of nnorulity. Possibly it is So.
But it is better that the public should
| have it's fits of virtue thar no virtue at
all. It is not to be expected that the
public should always be kept screwed
| up to the highest pitch of morality,
| thongh VIC regret that it cannot be {.