National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-20

Len iAtsgEity. Her chasges fsaaAias 70 his
military career have thu givea him an op-
portunity to show the unqualified approval
which his acis - . military olRcsr received
from his superior In command, and that
while hk duties q such were often Of the
most delicate and important chazscser. they
were invariably psRformed with minute
and commsndable fidelity. However. with
his military career hb Subsequent action q
Commissioner Of Pensions d no way re-
lated. and could not form the basis OF action
BY the House Of Representatives Inc
charges relating to his acts while serving in
the latter capacity are, Of cou.se. the sub
ject Of pertinent inquiry. Thsy have been
investigated already by the Secretary Of the
Interior, and. - might lave been expected,
that officer has found nothing In them
worthy Of attention, except that which
should be bestowed upon idle gossip and
wickedly malicious rumon Of irresponsible
and basely prejudiced origin. "A.
The case Is it now stands presents for
chile illustration Of the many influences by
which the action of Government officers
and their reputation - such ID nodded.
1t ID due to Gen. Baker to say that he has
risen above the pernicious effects Of these
influences. and by defying his calumnia-
tors has Get an example worthy Of general
imitation. It 10 proven that his assailants
are discharged employees Of his bureau
The question naturally arises right here
how much the charges Of this class Of peo-
pie should be entitled to confederation. 1t
is plain that If leading officials are to be sub
jected to such charges and consequent in
vestigations whenever duty compels them
to discharge . worthless clerk, the disci-
pine and effectiveness of the public service
will be greatly endangered. Even limo
cent men shrink from public exposure of
either private or official conduct, and many
situated Is Gen. Baker is would prefer to
submit to the demands of blackmailers
rather than subject themselves to that ex-
posure. A man brave enough Ito seek the
bubble reputation even at the lannon's
mouth might falter before the test of moral
courage presented by the possibility Of
Congressional investigation into his affairs.
But the most reprehensible feature of the
case in hand Is the manner in which it has
been handled by the public press. Mrs.
Barnard and her co-conspirators have been
allowed ready access to the columns Of dis
affected newspapers, and have spread far
and wide through them the falsehoods upon
~ ~, knN nhaH kov H6s,a
been made the groundwork for unfounded
assaults upon the integrity of the Admins
tration, and as they relate to the interests
Of pensioned soldiers, they have attracted
general attention. 1t Is probable that many
of the editors of the journals referred to
were the innocent agents of the conspira-
tors, as they were naturally unaware Of the
real lack of merit in the charges. and of the
utter lack of responsibility of their author
or authorizes. 1t is to be hoped, however,
that this instance will put them on their
guard and induce them to be more careful
in future how they give circulation to SIAN
derous tales against the character of public
men.
With Mr.. Hinton's connection with this
case we have long had positive proof of
course, Gen. Baker has had this proof also,
and therefore his exposure of Hinton's
career As a leech upon the Government is
justifable, although his name does not ap-
pear in connection with the charges as pre-
scented to the House. We have had to
deal with this man before as q calum-
niator of officials of the District govern
ment. We find in Gen. Bakers exposure,
of his proficiency and success as worth
less leech, possible explanation of his as
saults upon those officials and their acts, as
the thought naturally suggests itself that
he habitually assails only those officials
from whom he fails to derive pecuniary
henefits