National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-04
THE LNVESTIGATING COMMIT
TEE AVN TIE DJgTPIrT pPEGS

I.EE AMI 1dE OlO L hIC1 IhHOO-
We very much regret to see that General
Boynton. the correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Gazette, is guilty of gross untruth in
charging in general terms that the District
papers have begun to abuse Judge Wilson,
of the District Investigating Committee,
by alleging that lie is counsel for the me-
morialists. We regret, also, that he could
not even refer to this matter without him
self aspersing the action and motives of
other members of the committee, whose
integrity is no more questioned than is that
of Mr. Wilson. We say that Mr.. Boynton
is guilty of an untruth, because he must
know, or, if not, can very easily know, that
The REPUBLICAN, for instance, did nothing
of the kind. Nor have we observed in our
daily contemporaries anything of the char
acter he indicates, unless it be abuse" to
correct the representations of correspond
ents like himself who have asserted very
broadly that Mr.. Wilson sympathizes strong
" with the memorialists, and that he is con-
Quoting their case before the committee.
Such an aspersion is an outrage, and the
columns of THE REPUBLICAN will show
that it has not been guilty Of it. Criticisms
upon the course of the committee. or upon
any member of it while the case is in pro-
gress, are grossly improper, and commenda-
tons ofthe zeal fanny member, in whatever
direction, are hardly less so. We will not
permit THE REPUBLICAN to indulge
in them. When the committee have con-
cluded their labors the conclusions of any
member, the manner in which he has ar
rived at them, or the motives which have
inspired them, will all properly become
subjects of criticism. But until then we
are bound to assume that every member,
no matter what direction his efforts take,
or what apparent animus inspires him, is
prosecuting the inquiry under the response
bility and solemnity of his oath of Office,
which in spirit if not in letter, is that he
will do equal and exact justice to all the
parties and interests concerned. For this
reason THE REPUBLICAN has not INDUCED
in aspersions of the character indicated, and
II has no words save those of rebuke fol
those who do, whether they be inspired by
a hostile or friendly feeling for the Dis
trict of Columbia. ~ -
But we ought to state in this connection
that we do think that the manner II
which counsel for the memorialists conduct
their case, aad the statements, conduct, ane
characterofwitnesses, are legitimate subjecti
for comment and criticism. When wit
ness deliberately perjures himself; wher
another commits qualification when other
expose their cancerous sores for the sympa.
thy of the committee, and when still other
occupy the valuable time of able men In
whining complaints about the non payment
of paltry bills for old bricks and mortar
while confessing to resultant benefits hun
bred times the amount, we say they becom'
fair subjects for remark, and it is to sucl
that we have confined our structures. w
beg people and newspapers outside OF thi
city to remember one thing very distinctly
For three years past those VINO or
responsible for District affairs hay
had reproaches heaped upon them with
out limit and with all the concentrates
, virulence and malice that disappointment
malice, political differences, envy and rag
| could inspire. There is no epithet in tn
vocabulary Of denuRciation that has no