National Republican., 1874-06-01

stubs have been for weeks, some Of them for
months, In the hands Of the committee, or sub
ject TO its call, and under vigilant and critical
inspoctionl The treasurer has been In daily
attendance on the sessions Of tho committee;
and again and again has been called to the
stand and put under sharp, vigorous, and pro
tracted examination. and cross-examination.
Defslcation, discrepancy, or want Of rectitude,
If either had. existed, must long since have
been brought TO light. In some quarters such
discovery would have led to rejoicing. Hav-
ing disbursed millions with honesty, Is not this
officer entitled to confidence alike In his integ-
ity and his fidelity to his public dutiesi
THE GOVERNOR: OF THE DISTRICT.
Hostility TO the Governor ofthe District, and
the desire of condemnation Of his official con-
duct and personal character, have been mani
tested throughout this investigation. The
attack upon himis unsuccessful, and has made
him stronger than ever with his fellow-citizens.
And now the reasoning by which hiseondemns-
tion is argumentatiyely sought at the hands OF
the committee is, In substance, this: that mas
much as to Governor Shepherd Is generally
conceded the possession OF vigorous intellect
and strong will, and the exercise of much con-
troll over the Improvements of the District, and
inasmuch as "all-comprehensiye knowledge
and profound ignorance seldom, If ever, dwell
side by side," therefore he must be held re-
negligent insubordinste, and OF every adven-
turer who sought for contract or pretended
to the possession ofthe influence. to obtain one.
No one claims for Governor Shepherd " all
comprehensive knowledge" A man of rare
executive ability, who threw the whole force
of strong nature into the adornment Of the
capital and the promotion of the comfort of
It's Inhabitants, he yet had neither Thousand
eyes nor a thousand hands,.
I The wonder Is that he accomplished 80 much
of active work in the teeth, all the while, Of
hostility and opposition. To demand also that
he should have detected every shortcoming Of
all the subordinates and contractors, and Of
every false pretonse and shameful intrigue OF
every adventurer in the swarm OF adVenturers
infesting Washington is, indeed to- demand OF
him the exercise of "allcomprehensive- knowl-
edge" beyond the possession Of any man.
False pretenders to the possession Of influence,
successful practitioners upon human credulity,
beca me frequenters of Washington sometime
before the organization. of the Board of Public
Works. They are quite numerous here, and
long have been, especially during the sessions
of Congress. If shame and scandal were to be
visited upon every able and honest Senator and
Representative to whomsome adventurer seeks,
however unsuccessfully and however uncon-
sciously to its subject, q surreptitious avenue
of approach; If the reputation of every legisla
tor were to be so.easily soiled, then what name
on tho roll of either House would remain un-
tarnished?
Governor Shepherd has displayed so ardent
and honorable an ambition for the adornment
of the national capital, his own birthplace and
home, such resolute determination, such manly
and sturdy ability, such consistent rectitude
IN Office, that magnauimous men, themselves
not strangers to the possession of power and its
attendant peril of unjust accusation, cannot
suffer the shortcomings of subordinates or the
intrgues Of ofadventurers to be visited upon him.
THE MEMoRIALIsTs PLAN.
1t remains only to notice the plan suggested
by counsel in respect to the government of the
District.
provisional bestoval of all administrative
faculties for an uncertain period upon tempo
rary officers; an ill-deined, unorganized ny
| ernment; an indefinite but absolute grad of
power of uncertain duration to Temporary
agents, is a. scheme fraught with injury to this
community. 1t means uncertainty and NAL
administration. It means delay and embar-
rassment to the holders of District securities
and its other honest and necessitous creditors.
1t means utter prostration Of all business in
terests.
Gentlemen of the committee, whatever i'm
| perfection or insufficiency may have been found
1 In the present system. of government, may it
4 be speedily remedied. Bot give Us no period
of temporary, uncertain and unorganized ad-
.ministration, with It's resulting evils And,
| for the future peace Of this community and
for the future comfort of Congress, let no in
justice be done to faithful public officers, nor
the suggestions of personal animosity prevail
lin governmental changes. For if personal hos
tilty shall in this instance be recognized as the
controlling influence in determining how and
by whom District affairs are to be admins
tered, then at every session of Congress thu
instrumentality of an investigation, with ever
appliance of bitterness and rancor, will b
sought for the displacement Of those in author
ity'by the subversion of existing government
The leading officers Of the District, having
been on trial before you, and having estab
lished their rectitude in office, are entitled Il
honorable acquittance. As good citizens the,
will rejoice In the establishment of just rela
tions between the District and the United State
Government, and the correction of any defea
In the present municipal efgaaisstiea. -@-
| EDWIN L. STANTON,
OF Counsel for the District Of Columbia.