Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-12-24
Three Gross Biunders.

4
cago Tribune of the 18th has a lead
ing editorial which, but for its
length we should be glad to copy in
full, as it gives voice in fitting terms
to what we conceive to be the temper
and determination of the Republican
party-we mean its. great voting
mass-to set the party right before
the country by the adoption Of puri-
flying processes. The men who have
brought disgrace upon the party by
their Credit Mobilier, back-pay,
Shepherd, Sanborn, and other job
berry, by their defalcations, their
petty thievings and wholesale plum
ders, must be notified TO vacate. II
is the duty of Republican Members
of Congress to give them notification
in terms which they and the people
| will understand. II our members do
stop short Of fulfilling the demands
Of the party during the present ses-
sion, stlousands Of honest Republi-
cans who are now watching to see If
our party promises are to be square
ly met, will at the polls next fall
show their disappointment and loss
of hope in such a way rs to make
the teachings of last months elec-
tions very emphatic. Below we give
some extracts of the 1}'i6nne's article
and condense other portions:
The majority Of tho House of Rep
resentatives at Washington made
three serious mistakes on Monday,
which should be promptly corrected.
These were:
/. The refusal to pass the bill for
the repeal of the Poland gag-law of
the last session.
2. The refusal to pass the Holman
resolution declaring that the finan-
cial condition Of the country did not
warrant the voting Of subsidies Of
money or bonds to private specula-
tors or to any individual or corpora
ton.
3. The rejection of the resolution
to investigate the conduct of govern
ment officers in the case of the safe
burglary at Washington.
The refusal to repeal the gag law
was clearly based upon the desire
and purpose of the majority to enact
some law upon the subject, declaring
that II any newspaper containing any
real or supposed libel upon any Con-
gresham or office-holder in Wash
ington be found in the District OF
Columbia, the publisher may be in
dicted in tina. District. "The sixth
amendment to the Constitution re-
quires that the accused in all crimi-
nal prosecutions shall have the right
to trial i'm the State and District
wherein the crime shall have been
committed. The crime must be
committed In the District Of Column
bia to give any Grand Jury OF that
District jurisdiction thereof. This
thing Of having man INDICTED by a
Grand Jury 1000 or 1000 miles
away, and then to be tried by some
other Court in another part Of the
country, is too outrageous to be sub
mitted to. In this respect it exceeds
the old Sedition law Of John Adams
day, the authors of which were justly
condemned by the people. There is
no use wasting words about this
matter. The American people will
tolerate no such Infamous law. The
Republican party can carry no such
law, nor can it carry any man who
favors or votes to perpetuate 1t in
any form or under any guise.
"The country is fully aware that
Mr.. Tom Scott has bill before the
two Houses Of Congress proposing
that the United States shall guaran-
tee one hundred millions Of bis rail-
road bonds, and pay the interest
thereon in gold for forty years. The
country is also aware that \ similar
bill will be urged in favor Of Jay
Cookies Northern Pacific wild-ca
railroad. The country, therefore,
cannot accept the refusal Of the
House to consider and To pass the
Holman resolution in any other
light than as foreshadowing favor
able consideration of these robberies
or of desire to let the members
have time to dicker and trade with
Scott and the other spectators. The
Republican party cannot undertake
To pay all Tom Scott's and Jay
Cooks debts out OF the National /
Treasury, nor can ii carry the men
who vote for it. The Lesson Of the
elections Of last fall cannot be ignor-
ed. The Republican party, to live,
must cut itself loose from corruption
In every form, Has that fact gained
lodgment in the heads OF Congress
Inen?o
Third mistake. The Il. s. Attor-
ney from the District Of Columbia
and some Of the secret police Of the
Treasury DepartIneut were charged