Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-10-21
WILL DEFEND HIMSELF.

ALI. DorEN, Editor and ~fro1rietsr.
WILL DEFEND HIMSELF.
1t IL now announced that at the
opening Of Congress and before the
election of a President pro tenn. Of the
Senate shall have occurred, the Hon.
Matthew Carpenter. present incum-
bent Of that high Office, will attempt
\ defense Of his conduct at New York
and Long Branch last Summer. This
defense, 1t Is said by his friends, will
be In the form Of a denial, and an allie
CATION that the scandal In question
was the fabrication Of q correspondent
whom at some time previous to the
publication Of Mr.. Carpenters esca-
pade, the Senator had the misfortune
to anger. Custom will call for the
reelection of Matt Carpenter to the
office he now holds in the Senate. but
It seems that the d~isgrsceful conduct
of the Senator at Long Branch has
aroused the indignation Of even the
United States Senate. What Credit
Mobilier %inlquities and back pay
frauds have been unable to accomplish
has been effected BY a little personal
escapade, and public breach Of morals
on the part Of n Of Its members.
And the sole reason Is that the offense
was too public. It called the atten-
ton Of the people to the character OF
those who ire filling the highest ma
tional Offices, and popular dlsapproba-
ton at once was manifest. We will
venture the assertion that Hon. ~
Matt Carpenter will not make a sue
cessful defense. He may succeed in
so CLOSING over his action as to delude
the United States Senate into the be-
lief that the public will cease condemns
Ing him, and thereby induce that body
to continue him as President Of its de-
liberations, bu: he will neither dis
prove the assertions OF the New York
Tribune nor convince the public that
he Is an injured man. He will fall as
notably in this defense as he did in the
back pay question. II Mr.. Carpenter
had desired to justify himselfhe has had
ample time and opportunity. The Tri-
June is, as Is we'll known, a journal Of
"ample pecuniary responsibility, and
II Mr.. Carpenter has been libelled he
has his remedy. Mr.. Carpenter Is a
lawyer, a brilliant one, aud acquainted
with his rights before the law. When
the New York Tribune commented en-
the derellctions Of the Hon. Senator,
1t distinctly stated what everybody
knows to be true, that 1t was respon-
sIble for its columns. 1t dared Mr..
Carpenter to attempt a denial Of Its
assertions, and-he hasn't yet attempt
ed It. He prefers to rest his case be-
fore the United States Senate rather
than a jury OF his peers. The Senate
Of these United States has sunk to a
low station If it will gloss " this
mans conduct and permit him to pre-
side over its deliberations. His very
presence, like that Of others we could
name, casts a shadow o that body,
and is a shame to its organization.
How many are there to-day In the
highest legislative body OF this
nation whose hands are clean? Mr..
Carpenter shows good judgment In
resting his case there rather than be-
fore a jury. Who will dare to cast the
first stone? Infamous as the conduct
of Mr.. Carpenter would be were he
only a private citizen. and doubly dis
graceful as it Is, being a high officer Of
this nation, the affair at Long Branch
Is not half so degrading. nor so dan
gerous to the morals and safety Of the
public, as the systems OF bribery and
corruption which, from primary meet
ings to Congressional legislation, have
had latterly full sway In this country.
Adrunken Senator, In his bacchanalian
aud licentious orgies, may inspire dis
gust, and must disgrace his state and
office, but a corrupt and traltorous one
will betray his trust and endanger the
pcrmanency Of the State. The danger
to the Republic Is not so much In her
Carpenters rs In her Earlans, her
Pomeroys, her Coliaxes. her Howards,
aud tho host Of sleek, smooth-shaven
hypocrites, who, under the garb OF
Christian duty and the protection OF
Christian fellowship, give brides for
their elections, aud In return get brides
for their votes and influence. Open.
unblushing vice inspires disgust and
may be guarded against, but the subtle
Pharlseeism Of these professedly holy
ones inspires fear, and Is dangerous in
its very secresy. We do not defend
Matt. Carpenter; far from 1t. He has
disSraccd the Office he should have dig
ni6ed, the State which he represents.
and the nation to whose Legislature
he belongs. But. as we asked before.
if he Is to be condemned, who OF all
our shining Senatorial lights shall cast
the first stone?
The New York Tribune has just vim
dicated Its claim to pTe-eminence as n
newspaper by an achievement with
out a parallel in the history Of jour-
nallsm. During the last ten days 1t
has printed full verbatim reports Of
all the various meetings Of the great
religious Congress, or Evangelical al.
lance, which closed its session In New
York on the l1th Inst. 10 accomplish
AT. ss, ~o-no-, r.n,o co..okfN>ns III,