New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-05
POLITICAL FELONS.

| Dishonest men fancled they nad maze
grand discovery. Il was nothing more
| nor less than that the statutory ofenses OF
robbery, theft, burglary, subornation OF
witnesses and perjury might be committed
under the garb of political office with
entire IMMUNITY. The discovery was first
made in New York, the fount from which
all such blessings flow" Politicians
fought their way into the State House. and
sold the rights of their constituents with
out dreaming they would be ever called to
account for abuse of their letter Of attor-
ney.
Senator Lord and Senator Tweed estab-
lished the canal and the auditing ring i'll
perfect harmony and cordial cooperation.
Neither Lad the most remote apprehen-
sion that members Of great political par
ties and representatives OF the people
could be held responsible for the ofense
of fraudulent contracts in the one case or
forged bills in the other.
Tweed, with an undated confidence in
the dignity Of his political relations,
registered himself as ga statesman" cell
No. 10. He was certainly the man of the
State for the time being, since the State
held him to involuntary service. McDon-
aid had no idea that he protected his
position in society by the accident Of con-
viction for felony. Like the ciern,ier
dindlstrie, he claims to be tolljoir gentil-
homme-always gentleman; while Joyce,
with all the fervor of poetical Indignation,
goes 10 prison protesting that he falls the
victim of conspiracy 'to crush the IN
dersigned None Of these men compre-
hended at first that they could be brought
to justice by the people whom they had
detrauded and dishonored. They thought
juries might be hung, judges bought,
prosecutors intimidated, the press SUBJ
orned, and that the political author
tiles would not dare expose the
frauds of their own officials. We
often see whole novels and dramas built
up on the knowledge a subordinate may
have of some act OF imprudence or wrong
on the part OF the employer, and this
knowledge enables the subordinate to per-
petrate any personal fraud with IMMUNITY.
Political parties have been made to be-
lieve that they are responsible for any
iniquity committed by their appointees.
This error is now disabused. This inven-
ton can not be patented. Not only have
both the great political parties proceeded
against these political indicators, not
merely have they been arrested, convicted
and sent to prison, but, terrible pertinacity,
suits have been instituted to recover from
the telons and their bondsmen the sums
of which the public treasury has been de-
frauded. A young felon who was paid by
his colleagues in fraud to plead guilty,
went to prison for few years, with sut-
fcient sum thus assured him to recover
his character when he came out, but what
must be the sensation Of Tweed, or
Sweeney, or Walsh, or German, or Of the
heirs of Starkweather or Tucker, when the
"minions Of the law" are after them for
one demand of Sc, 000,0 900, and another of
s1,000,000 against the Boss, another for
S6,00o,0 900 against Sweeney, etc"
To be gazing through the CRATES such
rainy day as yesterday, TO see six mil
lion dollars placarded on every square of
his prison wall, to be walked 10 his work
by the sudden whack of some boss rogue
upon his broad shoulders as he is hidden
to resume his pestle-we believe Tweed
assists in the drug department OF the
prison-must provoke a painful contrast
of past honors and present punishment.
The theory that felony by politician
involves no penalty, and that if Matt
Hogan or Canada Bill had only an official
commission they could gain ten times as
much as by any professional act of decep-
ton, is dispersed. There is no such
evasion and no such impunity. The law
will follow the wrong-doer through any
phase and winding of fraud, and hold him
to the same account if he has COM
mitted or permitted a felony in
political Office, as though he had
forged name or blown open a safe.
Such adventurers, then, as may have
gone into politics upon the suppose
ton that different rule of morality, and
"a mere form of punishment prevailed
among offce-holders, may take warning
from the unhappy examples cited. Not
only are political felons sent to prison for
their crimes, but the ill-gotten proceeds
of successful fraud are pursued and re-
covered. They find it impossible to sus-
tain the character of statesmen" after
such a poor display of financial diplo-
macy, and the character Of "a gentle
man" can not possibly be sustained in
such circles without the means to pay for
a drink. Political felony is precisely like
any other felony, in all its attributes and
in all its consequences.