Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-14
POLITICAL.

The constitutional cOnmi sSiOn of New
York now IN session at Albany have recon-
mended to extend the governors term to
three years and to substitute 4 single super
intendent Of public works for the three
commissioners who now manage the canals
AprOpos of the examination of Mr.. Col
fax : bank account, the correspondent Of
the Boston Globe remarks that - one of the
Saddest things in the matter Is to see the
evident glee with which AmeS enjoys these
disconcerting surprises
Bogy makes the fifth Missouri senator
elected from ST. Louis since the - rural dee
Stricts' have had show. That beats Bos-
ton.
The Pacific coast papers give some OF the
items OF Mr.. JOnes's expenditure for his
United States senatorship from Nevada-as,
'Sj0, 900 to Nye to get out of the way, an
other fifty to William Sharon not To be q
candidate, still another fifty for the man
agement Of the primaries and the carrying
Of the election, and two more $50, 900 to
complete the Job in its last stages The
Gold Hill NarS says the November election
was an outrage on civilized America, and
the recent senatorial election fitting Sc
quel to it.
The y. Y. Times thus closes recent
leader on the Credit Mobilier excitement
For while members Of Congress may have
held Credit MObiiier stock in perfect limo
cence, 1t Is n serious ground for suspicion
if, having held it, they deny it, In 50 do
ing they afford evidence very hard to rebut
that they, who must know most of their
transactions, have reason to be ashamed Of
them. This Is the inference the public VIII
not fail to draw. and which Is quite in &C
cOrdance with the requirements of justice.
Ii may be possible to plead much in extenu
alton. IL may be said that memory has been
really defective, or that alarm at the posi-
BILE consequences of an unfOunded clamOr
may have betrayed these gentlemen into un-
manly artifces, not necessarily prompted by
guilty conscience. But this is n verdict the
general public cannot and ought not to rem
der. The country cannot regard as pure
course of conduct protected by concealment
and deceit. Whatever may be the regret
for the result. OF however strong the ineli-
nation 10 accept all possible palliatiOn, the
public man who, on the witneSs-stand, under
oath, miSrepreSents his own acts, runs his
reputation.
The Albany EreqiHg Journal regards
Oakes Ames as - deliberate ialsifer, and
- knaye who sought to involve the most
influential and respected men of the nation
in the meshes Of his sinister tolls. -
Gen. Grants nomination Of Mr. Benedict
a. surveyor of this port will be regarded
with unmixed satisfaction by all those who
nope for any purifcation in politics and any
reform in the civil service. The case is even
more striking than the promotion of the
deputy-postmaster in Philadelphia for the
SurveyOrship l. a most lucrative and much
coveted office. and more than one Of the
local politicians of influence and promi-
nence would have been glad to get it. In
l.. Il
rules. however, Mr.. Benedict is entitled to
the Office a. next in rank and a. thoroughly
competent 10 discharge its duties, and it is
given to him. There will be some grumb-
ling, no doubt, at this step of the President,
but public opinion and feeling will approve
Of it and thank him.-Neir York EreniHg
Post.
The friends of Senator Pomeroy in Wash
ington say that he has been victim of a
conspiracy, and that the alleged bribery was
a del iberate plot of his enemies for his de-
feat. Senator Caldwell says that Yorke,
the State Senator who alleges that POmeroy
offered him money for his vote, is without
influence or repute in the republican party,
and of an unenviable record. Leggett,
Pomeroy's rejected candidate for governor
of Washington Territory, also pronOunees
the whole affair a pre-arranged fraud, be
sas who could be trusted to return seven
thousand dollars once in his hands.
The PenOb,cOt Indians are fast learning
the arts Of civilization. They take kindly
to politics, and - have 4 contested election
ease before the Maine Legislature to see who
shall represent the tribe. Peter Lepsis holds
the seat, but John Gabriel SAYS he holds it
by fraud, and that SIX of the Lepsis votes
were cast by minors.
- Perley," the long time Washington
correspondent of the Boston Journal thus
discourses concerning the Credit MObilier
matter - 1t Is a mystery, he says, why
congressman who were more or less enriched
by the possession Of this Credit MObilier
stock should have denied it last fall during
the campaign, in letters or on the stump,
and then should have repeated those denials
here IN written statements, subscribed and
sworn to, when they must have known that
Oakes AmeS had in his possession proof
of their ownership Of this once much covet-
ed but now repudiated stock Mr. Ames
may have good-naturedly aided in sndeayOr-
ing 10 relieve some Of these gentlemen from
political embarrassmentS. last fall but when
be was accused of pOcketing their cash paid
for stock, without having given in return
certificates or interest thereon, he was forced
in self-defenSe To make clean breast of lis
relations with these innocent and conhding
spectators.
Gen. W. L. Mcmillan. senator-elect CT
the fusion Legislature for Kellogg's vaear-
cy, served aS a surgeon in the Russian army
during the Crimean war, and was decorated
by the ear for distinguished services Dur
ing the late civil war he was commander of
a regiment Of Ohio volunteers, and attained
the rank Of brevet major-general. After
the war he settled in Carroll parish. La, a.
a cotton planter.
The v Y Times thus diSpcses of Oakes
Ames We trust that his transactions
with his fellow-members will be thorough
ly sifted but whatever comes Of that. there
should be no room for doubt as to Mr.
Ames's own fate. II there are other mem
bers aS unfit for seats in Congress as he, they
should be expelled if none Of the rest are
tainted, they should be relieved Of his com
pany"