The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-05-02
"Theh the country is a fool, l

ooh, no. The country THINKS
somebody is goingto be expelled
Well, when nobody is expelled,
what does the country think then 81
"By that time, the thing d,as
strung out so long that the country
is sick and tired of it and glad to
have a change on any terms. But
all that inquiry is not lost. 1t has
a good moral effect" @
"Who does it have a good moral
effect on?"
Well odon't know. On for
eign countries, / think. We have
always been under the gaze of for
eign countries. There is no ceuu
trysin the world, sir, that pursues
corruption as inveterately as we do.
There is no country in the world
whose representatives try each other
as much as ours do, or stick to. it
as long on a stretch. / think there
is something great in being a model
tor the whole civilized world, Wash
ington." #-# d s5lF7 z- ID
"You don't mean a model; you
mean an example,"
Well it's all the same; it's just
the same thing. 1t shows. that a
taan can't be corrupt in this country
without sweating for it, | can tell
you that
"Hang it, Colonel, you just said
We never punish anybody for vii
famous practices"
But good God. we try them,
don't we! Is it nothing to show a
disposition to sift Things and bring
people to strict account? | tell
you it has its effect"
ooh, bother the effect What is
it they do do? How do they pro
coed? You know perfectly we'll
and it is all bosh, too. Come, now,
how do they proceed 2"
"Why they proceed right and
regular-and it amt bosh, Wash
imgton, itain't bosh. They appoint
a committee to investigate, and that
committee hears evidence three
weeks, and all the witnesses on one
side swear that the accused took
money or stock orSsometlling for
his vote. Then the accused stands
up and testifies that he mag have
done it, but he was areceiying and
handling good deal of money at
the timc,an he doesn't reWember
this particular circumstance-at
least with sufficient distinctness to
to enable him to grasp it tangibly.
So of course the thing is not proven
and that is what they Say inethe
verdict. They don't acquit, they
don't condemn. They just say,
Charge not proven 1t leaves the
accused in a kind of a shalsy condi-
ton before the country, it purifies
Congress, 1T satisfies everybody,
and it doesn't seriously hurt any
body. 1t has taken long time to
perfect our system, but it is the
most Admiration in the world, now"
~ So one of those long stupid in
vestigationso always turns out san
that lame silly way. Yes, you are
correct. l Thought maybe you
viewed the matter differently from
other people. Do sou think Con
gress of ours could convict the dew
il of anything if he were a mem
berW
"Mb dear boy, don't let these
damaging delays, prejudice you
against Congress- Don't use such
strong language; you talk like a
newspaper. Congress has inflicted
frightfu, punishments on it's mem
bers-now you know that. When
they tried Mr.. Fairoaks, and a
eloud Of witnesses prayed him to be
well, you know what they proved
him to be-anu his own testimony
and his own confessions gave him
Fthe same character, what Gid Con
gress do then ?Scome"
P" Well, what did Congress do?'
"You know what Congress adid,
Washington. Congress intimatcd
plainly enough, that they consider
ed him almost staig upon their
body; and witIlsut Waiting ten
days, hardly, to think the thing
over, they rose up and hurled al
him resolution declaring,tllat they
disagproved Of his conduct! Now
you Know that Washington"
cit acas a terrific thing there is
no denying that. Off he hadob beer
proven guilty Of theft, arson, licen
4 tiousness, infanticide, and defiline
graves, | believe they would bave
suspended him for two days"
"You can depend OH it, Nash
ington. Congress is vindictive
Congress is savage, sir, when il
gets walked up once. 1t will go te
any length to uindicate its homo,
at such a time o