Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-27
THE RUTLAND HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1878.
CaldweII's Hunor.

!, ctotos senator. or claiming to be
Ir,itod states Senator, from Kansas IS,
NJ last settled. Settled, did we say
We mistake, it is unsettled, but remit
rod 10 its native element. The Senate,
hour after hour, during nearly every DAY
&c ne session since the fourth day OF
Morcb has talked itself hoarse upon the
issues involved in his case, and all to no
effect. except in so far as it has impart-
ed a little wholesome and unwholsome |
,imidity into Caldwell's mind. Monday,
nc the further debate in this direction,
was about to commence, the Vice-Pres-
;lent produced and laid before the Sen
ate. letter from ''Senator Caldwell, =
so the report mas it-saying that he had
resigned his seat in the Senate, to take
effect Immediately, and enclosing copy |
Of the letter which he had sent to the
Governor of Kansas. This was not all
Caldwell showed that he was possessed
of a certain kind of grim humor, OF
that he understood the situation perfect
". He realized, undoubtedly - what
some of the grave and learned Senators
have failed to see-that he was in pc
culiar situation. Although he had not
passed a life time in the study OF poll
tics, Jurisprudence, constitutional con-
struction and parliamentary law, he
had grain of common sense. He had
lived long enough in Kansassto know
that buying opposing candidates ana
bribing voters and legislators, was no
great crime after all, as the world goes
II was a heinious Offense, however to
get caught at it. Had he not just seen
that little game played in Pomeroys
case? He knew, too, that he didn't
stand in much danger in the Senate.
Had not the lawyers of the Senate de-
clared that there was no bribery IN his
case? As one Of the learned Senators
cogently put it, Zone member who has
studied the law of evidence for twenty
years, has asserted that no intelligent
and upright jury or court could find one
solitary instance of bribery of any men,
Der of the Kansas Legislature. This he
knew was true as a proposition, but I'M
true as fact. Untrue as fact, because
the testimony before the Senate COM
mittee is bristling all over with evidence
of bribery. True as proposition, be-
cause not one of the witnesses would
testify, or could be compelled to testify,
before an Intelligent and upright jury
or court, because it would result in an
unpleasant interview between the wit
uesses and the State prison officials.
But with all the bribery, corruption and
fraud, the grave Senators, in no incon-
siderable numbers, had declared that
they could not 60 behind his certificate
of election and declare his seat vacant.
A sovereign State had right to send
whom she pleased to represent her, so
far as this mode of getting rid of him
was concerned. A candidate could stand
at the side of the ballot box, if one was
used, and could openly and publicly bid
for the legislators vote, and as openly
and publicly pay for the same, and yet
the ''return election and qualification"
of a Senator so elected, could not be
inquired into by the Senate Legislators
hod thn right TO sell their votes, and Sen
ators had q right to buy their seats, ana
the Senate of the United States could
not help itself. Some Senators, in max
ing such absurd, as it seems to us, sreso-
lutions, took occasion, by way of illus
tration and to meet possible objection,
to say there might be a possible RENE
dy by way of expulsion. AS Senator
after Senator ranged himself on Cald-
wells side-thank God our Vermont
Senators were not among the number
throwing out this expulsion sop to APP
pease the inevitable wrath of their con-
stituents, Caldwells courage gave away.
Thinking there was danger ahead, he
avoids it by this letter of resignation.
He either was, as we have said,
humorous man, or he understood
himself and the situation better
than his g brother Senators" He
not only transmits his letter of resigna-
ton, but fearful, perhaps, that some of
the Senators may consider it another of
his little games, and that, next winter, he
would again take his seat as
sESenator from the sovereign State
of Kansas" claiming that the
letter was a sham and a fraud, he
accompanies it by receipt. Was ever
such thing heard of before? We know
that in cases of life insurance, it is
deemed necessary, as a preventive of
fraud, to have the most ample and COM
plete proof of the death of the insured.
Imagine, if you can, when Judge Po-
land took his seat in the Senate, the
secretary commencing by reading the
affidavit of the attending physician of
Judge Colamer during his last sickness,
the statement of the clergyman who Off
ciated at his funeral and the certificate
OF the sexton who had charge of his
interment; and then close up the cere-
monies by the regular credentials con-
tanning, also, a clause that such evil
dence had been communicated to Gov
Dillingham;. There would be, in ordi-
nary cases, as much reason, law and
common sence in the one case as the
oteer. We are inclined to think that it
was but an instance of grim humor in
Caldwell. He might have known, and
probably did know, that a man guilty
OF such practices as had been proven
against him, was not, ordinarily, wor-
thy of belief. We hardly think, how
ever, that that he had such an opinion
OF himself or the Senate Their credu-
lily, or want of credulity, to be sure is
something astonishing, but it does not
take this form. He, probably, resigned
In hasty moment. When it was too
late to recall it, he concluded to do the
next best thing, have little fun out of
it. Hence the receipt We say that
the resignation was a hasty act. Is not
this the probability? Enough Senators
had spoken to indicate, beyond the pos