The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1875-05-01
AUDITOR uLINT0N,s CASE.


sition of Auditor of Public Account
and inaugurated the financial polio,
that saved several hundred thousani
dollars to the debt ridden people o
Louisiana, but brought upon his heat
the wrath and denunciation of th.
brokers' ring who had previously rur
the Treasury in their own way, We
venture to say the CHIEF was the frs
paper in the State to endorse his course
and applaud the W olesome correct.
ives he applied to system that made
one Of the most important depart.
ments Of the government a mere ma.
chine in the hands Of spectators t.
fatten upon the public funds. We
knew that Mr.. Clinton had served fol
an extended period in the responsible
position Of Assistant United States
Treasurer at New Orleans, where i'm
mense amounts of money passed
through his hands, and were aware
that when he resigned the trust his
accounts balanced to dot and every
dollar was faithfully accounted for.
We knew that he was an experienced
business man, having extensive in
tefest in several sailing vessels, hence
presumably qualified to superintend
the routine work of the Auditors
Office. Finally, we saw him in the
attitude of al officer devoting his en-
ergies, amidst opposition on every
hand, to such practical reforms as the
Of our public finances de-
and we yielded him and his
plans > hearty and unqualified sup
port. We believed him the man for
the occasion, and we have yet to be
the belief was erroneous or
the course adopted BY this paper q
one.
Auditor Clinton has been impeached
for high crimes and misdemeanors in
Office, and q series Of charges preferred
against him by committee of the
Assembly that assumed to
make q thorough investigation of his
Besides this, the Governor
Of the State has directed the Attorney
to institute a prosecution
against Mr.. Clinton on his official
bond, and these charges of malfeas-
.nce and misfeasance will be exam
ned forthwith.
The CHIEF has no hesitancy in ex-
pressing its opinion that the Auditor
will vindicate himself, and that in
Icing 50 he will expose the discredit-
lble and even corrupt motives that
.ctuated certain parties who were
in the movement for his
'hRcial deposition. But this is simply
N opinion. Our position upon the
natter should be that of every repu-
able newspaper in the State While
lot presuming to undertake a specific
License of an officer under indlct-
nent, though confident of his inno-
ence, upon the other hand we no
more presume to adjudge him guilty
nd cover him with insult and abuse
'efore he has had opportunity to de-
end himself from the charges of mis-
If the one course would
improper bias and infer
disposition to defend wrong doors,
he other is unmanly, unjust, con-
If the fundamental prin-
iple of criminal law, that an accused
erson should be adjudged innocent
ntil proven guilty, can not be gen.
rally accepted in this case, we trust
10 enemies Of Mr.. Clinton may at
asst have the decency to refrain from
lrther violent and vindictive assault !
pom man who is soon to be tried !
efore judicial tribunal.
This trial will develop the truth or
'lsity of the charges preferred against
le Auditor, and a suspension of pub
; judgment until its conclusion is
anitestly just and proper. If MI.
linton is convicted of crime, no jour-
Il will more emphatically approve
8 expulsion from office than the
HIEF, but the entering up of a judg-
emit before the testimony for defense
heard, is something unknown out
lie political warfare, and We make
earnest protest against the outrage
Is proceeding.
II II II 4