National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-22
A "PUT- UP JOB"

When a member of Congress has COM
mitted to his charge grave inquiry, under
the solemn responsibilities of his official
oath, it is usually supposed that he will ap-
proach that duty with an unprecedented
mind and determination to do equal and
exact justice according as the facts ascer-
tanned shall enable him. In the matter of
the District investigation, as our columns
will bear witness, we have not only given
the record in full to the public, but We have
insisted that the committee should be al
lowed to proceed with their labors unem-
barrassed by criticism or praise. Almost
at the outset we deprecated the indications
manifested in some quarters to complain of
what seemed to be the remarkably unseemly
zeal of one of the members of the commit
tee. We insisted that so long as there
seemed to be no other purpose or motive
but to get at the whole truth every men,
Der of the committee must be assumed to be
acting under the responsibilities ofhis oath of
office. Wedeclined to print facts that were
brought to our knowledge concerning the
outside and extra official action of one men,
Der thereof, because we believed that in the
end he would not let his prejudices and his
morbid penchant for investigation override
his sense of justice. We have no DISPOSE
ton to change that determination in regard
to the committee as body. Every men,
Der thereof save .one-Democrats and Re-
publicans alike-have shown disposition
not only to make the investigation thorough,
but to hear both sides impartially. and not
to assume any one as guilty of any improper
thing unless it was first proven. No one
can doubt the purpose Of such Democrats
as Senator Thurman and Messrs. Jewett
and Hamilton to deal as fairly and justly as
the majority of the Republican members
will do.
But we now feel compelled to make one
exception, which, hitherto, we have de-
clined to make, for the reasons stated. We
mean Mr.. jeremiah NJ. Wilson. Certain
recent occurrences, supporting, as they do,
long list of corroborative but less impor'
tant facts, demonstrate to this community,
as well as to his colleagues on the commit
tee, that he does not now entertain, and
has not from the beginning, any other pur'
pose than to criminate the highest officials
connected with the public works in this
city, and through them to besmich the
name and fame of General Babcock, an6
thus cast odium on the President-nc
matter what the facts might be and regard
less of the oath under which he acts Fo
: a week past it has been reported that "Mr
"Cluss was going to testify" and that Mr.
Cluss was having daily private conference
with Mr.. Wilson at the latter's room, AM
elsewhere, in advance Of the testimony
We could hardly believe this statement.
We did not believe that even with Mr.
Wilson's little prejudices he would PERM
any witness to 'tfix' his evidence In ad
vance, much less be a party to it. But tn
J specific evidence of the outrage was plalnl
apparent in the examination OF Cluss Of
Wednesday. Mr.. Wilson had prepared, o
had been furnished with, a written list o
3 particular. questions, arranged in regula
e order, on the points Of the examination
l and Mr. Cluss, by strange coincidence
5 had written answers to eft" these ques
Y tons, which he gave with great readiness
G accompanied by verbal additions and ez
plantations. Thus trained" Mr.. Wilso
f succeeded in getting all of Cluss' STATE
} ments in evidence, in their most one-side
$ and damaging aspect before the witne:
a gave any evidence whatsoever RESPONSIVE
|. to the independent examination of til
committee. This proceeding attracted a
q tention at the time, and has since been ii
e subject of much comment. But as If
}. carry out an evidently prepared purpos
a the correspondents of papers who mai
E District affairs their dlily dict we
a also Grained in advance, ar
l. caught up the fixed evidence and sci 81
4 that to the country, and no other. U
h the pregnant point addressed TO the witne'