The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-18
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL. TUESDAY AUGUSTUS 1874

vestigation. BE ASSERT, that the democratic
members of the committee entered upon the
examination Of tb,s affairs of the District
mainly for the purpose of making political
capital out ofthG official frauds which they
might discover. With the design of more
thoroughly SECURING this end, Jewett, ofOhio
maneouvered to delay report until such
time all remedial legislation would be
impossible so that the administration party
might have to GO into the campaign with the
burden of an unreformed evil on its should
ers. Such motive in matter dealing
with private reputation and affecting public
property was mean enough. but that at
tributed to Mr.. Wilson is still more despi-
cable. A single quotation will tell the
story: "Wilson, of Indiana, who was APP
pointed on the committee as a
RepubIicsn-he being the mover of
the resolution in the House-sup-
ported 5ewett in his attitude, though not
from the same motives. His trouble was
'that of personal spleen and bitter prejudice,
| which developed early in the investigation,
and grew so rapidly and shamelessly that it
became the scandal of the case. But this
virtually enabled Jewett to control the &C
| ton of the committee, and it was not until
nearly aweek had passed in acrimonious dis
'cussion that in a sixteen hours continuous
! session at Senator Allison's headquarters,
6 at WorInley's Hotel, Senator Thurman
finally yielded the point of a recognition of
( the Indebtedness, and agreed that there
should be reported scheme for funding
the same. The same causes operated
on every important phase of the case
Jewett from political and Wilson from per-
sonal motives, refusing their consent to any
thing in bill or report that did not indict."
1t is favorite cry with these gentlemen
who have been put upon their defense during
the past two years that their opponents at
tack the most worthy men with reckless au-
dacity and ruin their characters by means of
thousand imputations, and without sin
gle proof. Here is certainly fine specimen
of the same style of warfare. The report which
the Times attacks has been praised through
out the country for its impartiality, and the
extreme good temper shown in it. 1t was
merely an array of facts which cannot
be disputed. 1t dealt in no vituperation. 1t
made charges against no particular persons.
The exposure was complete and noimpartial
man can avoid. on reading it, the conviction
that the management of District affairs
was one continued piece of villainy. This
attempt of the knaves who have been impli-
Gated to explain away the scathing array of
facts in the report by maligning the
motives of one of the members
of the committee, who was too honorable to
allow party affiliations to lead him into COM
pliclty with rogues, is perhaps the most i'm
pudent action that has taken place in this
age of brass. When a man discovers that
more than SlS,0O0,0 900 have been fraudulently
squandered. it is no use to say that he was
actuated by personal spleen and bitter pre-
iudice in his investigation" No matter
what motives were at the bottom
of his conduct, the real question
becomes: What was done with the money
and who stole it? Heretofore it has been
said that, for his upright and noble course Of
conduct in public, Judge Wilson was en-
during sort ofsocisl and polite al ostracism
at Washington, and that his position was
made so unpleasant to him that he has de-
attack in the Times indicates that the hatred
which ne provoked among the rss-
eally retainers OF the administration
was not overrated. lie must
condole himself for their enmity
with the admiration and esteem
of all men who like brave and honest
course Of conduct. What commentary it is
upon the republican pretensesi in regard 10
re erm that the man who took leading
share in the investigation of the great evils
of the dsy-the Credit Mobilier frauds, the
Louisiana usurpation and the District ct
Columbia ring robberies-should be driven |
from public life by his party associates.
They can not forgive the hand that applied
the lash even though they cringed before |
public opinion and meekly took the whip
ping
Mr.. Eeecher's Statement.