The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-07-04

rush in where angels fear to tread, /"
has another verifcation in the case of
the Register of this city, which np-
peared last week with most abject,
humiliating and disgraeefnl apology
for Mitchell's moral delinquenuies.
This is the more astonishing when we
remember that the editor OF the Reg,
lister is a minister of the gospel-one
whose duty it is rather TO warn the
world against crime then to apologize
for it.
That we may not bo accused OF
misrepresenting the Register, we
quote portion of its article, leaving
out only that part which speaks of
the papers that do not approve OF
Mitchelrs conduct as newspaper as
sinsins, 'low-down cess.pool scavin-
gers" and accompanying chaste and
christian like epithets. After exhaust
ing his stock of billirgsgate upon
Mitchell's slenouncers, our cminently
pious nelghbor thus disposes of the
case: t
al nd now let US ask, what has the
character of John II. Mitchell, OF Ore
goIi, to do with the character of John
". Nipple, of Pennsylyania?s The lat
ter, with his forsaken wife; his report
el brie. season of debauch with an
Illicit companions; his changed name:
his great sins against the laws of God
and society, is IN the past! Years ago,
a besetting sin, propensity which
has clouded the private lives of many
OF our public men, entailing untold
misery upon them and their families,
caused him to yield the behests OF his
better Judgement to the instincts of a
depraved passion, aud he fell. Sad
that it was so. Sad that in the way of
sins one evil crowds upon another that
no power seems able to rescue. But in
the person of John FL. Mitchell, of
Oregon We do not recognize these sins.
We see q man of generous impulses;
of warm friendships; OF unimpeached
integrity. I've see q courteous and
able lawyer; an ambitious and success
full politician. We see citizen OF
Oregon, who has, during q residence
of many years among her people, so
lived and acted in every relation as to
succeed in commanding their friend
ship and confidence. In the character
of John II. Mitchell, as has been daily
wrought out among us in Oregon, the
Of the United States"
Leaving ont the fact of the clerical
character and profession of the writer
OF the foregoing paragraph, is it not
astonishing that man can so far for
get his duty TO his fellow citizens and
his pride for his State as to utter such
heinous sentiments? We cannot be-
lieve that our neighbor reflects the
true sentiments of his heart in
these outrageous utterances, and we
are equally persuaded that the virtu-
Gus, enlightened, moral portion of his
party, as well as of his church, cannot
endorse his apology for so black a
catalogue of crimes.
True-as our neighbor says-oiher
men have erred, other men have
been guilty of crime, other men
have fallen victims to their own
lnsts. But does that palIiate the
enormity of John Nipple Mitchelfs
crimes? Because the world is full of
crime is that reason why we of Ore
gon should elevate TO trust and honor
the chiefest of criminals? If the per-
petrator of those grave offenses of
which Senator Mitchell has been
guilty is TO go unpunished-yea, even
lionized by his blind followers, are
we not offering premium for crime?
MitchelI-tbe debauchee, the seducer,
the adulterer and the bigamist--in
the United States Senate is presumed
to reflect the moral standard of bis
constituency, especially SO if that con-
stitueney, not only apologize for bis
crimes but honor those crimes in re.
taining him in Office.
Can the people of Oregon afford to
be thus mIsrepresented in the person
and character Of John FL. Mitchell?
Can they afford to endorse bis crimes
by retaining him in the distinguished
position which henow occupies? Can
the Methodist Church of Oregon
of which our Reverend neighbor is
an ordained mouth -piece-afford to
uphold this man Mitchell in bis great
offenses against Christianity, and thus
place itself upon the record as the
defender Of those crimes which the
Bible SO plainly interdicts? Can the
Republican party of Oregon afford to
hold up the hands of this moral leper
and parade him to the world as an
embodiment of the virtue, the purity
and the moral excellencies of that
party? Dare they 60 before the peo-
pie next year and ask them for an
endorsement of John Nipple Mitchell
and his Infamous career? The retii
cence of Che wiser journals of the
party indicates that they cannot af-
ford to stand by Mitchell, while the
Register, with less Judgement, if not
less self-respect, gives proof that at
least class of parfisans will contin-
yue to honor him, no matter how black
his crimes. ss s
The Republican party is the party
of progress.-O Oregonidn. s