The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-14

buttons would have failed, and MCDONALD,
MCKEE, JORGE, and other friends Of the
President, would be enjoying their liberty
and the plumber which they amassed by
frauds on the revenue. II the Secretary OF
the Treasury had not been armed with
proofs that held GRANT as II were in wise
ana compelled him to go forward, he would
himself hsye fallen victim to the power
OF the thieves he was prosecuting. As IL Is,
his fidelity to that duty has provoked the
most bitter resentment of the President
and his followers, and no will soon be
driven from the Cabinet for that reason
only.
The whole official machinery Ia organized
to thwart and to defeat Investigations
Take the case of RoBEsoN as an example.
He appoints all the heads OF bureaus, and
orders all the principal officers for service
on the home and foreign stations. He is
now charged with gross and systematic
corruption. These officers only speak with
bated breath. They know the penalty Of
downright truth, for several of their oom-
rades have been prosecuted for failing to
sustain the Secretary. Testimony is drawn
out as with corkscrew, and every en-
deavor is made to hide the bottom facts.
All the Rings, railroad corporations, and
other forms of organized jobbery, are as
much interested In conoealing their COR
rupt transactions, in and out Of Congress,
rs the agents and oonfederates whom they
hired or purchased. Hence, perjury has
become common expedent, and has
recently been employed with as much dar-
fhaa Ant foH ri
by the Credit Mobilier members who were
caught with CAKES AMKss scrip in their
pockets
To obstruot the way still more, the
President has lately issued an order deny
ing the committees original papers. which
are often indispensable TO the detection OF
frauds and forRories. And the word has
passed round all the public departments
at Washington, and the Custom Houses,
Post Offices, internal revenue Offices, and
the like, through the country, that no in
formation must be given without express
authority, or, in other words, that every
obstacle is to be thrown I'm the path OF
honest inquiry.
While there are tens OF Thousands OF Re
publicans who believe BLAINE and other
leaders essentially corrupt, dishonest, and
unworthy of the least trust. they still give
them counteDance for the sake of the
party, and because any uprising against
them would be attended with ruin. All
the rivals for the Presidency are more or
less complicated with the besetting wees
which have made the Administration
notorious for corruption, and therefore
havea common Interest In protecting each
other when arraigned before the public.
The committees havo had to 20 into tho
very heart Of the Republican camp for
their witnesses. and TO examine them with
out forekuowledge of their testimony,
while constantly liable TO be imposed
upon and purposely misled. They have
had TO confront tho hostility Of the Ad-
ministration, the trcachery of pretended
sympathizers, the perjury OF plunderers
and officeholders, and the power OF the
Government in favor OF oorruptionists aud
rogues. The small body Of prominent Re
publicans who would correct these enor-
nous abuses are wholly powerless for
good, for the reason that they desire to
make the reform inside the party, and the
party organization is run by the very
agencies which most need to be reformed.
Al tnis conuition Oh tullgs mistakes were
often inevitable, especially on the part of
men without experience in public affairs,
and most Of whom, on the side Of The ma
jority. ARE sitting for the first time IN Con
gress. 1t is only surprising, in the pres
ence OF such snares and complications,
and combined influences to stife investi-
CATION, and to shield those who have been
robbing the Treasury, that the commit
tees have been able to make any impor-
tant exposures at all, or 10 bring guilt
home to the great Offenders who are now
branded with infamy. This herculean
task is far from being completed, and
when the results are finally summed up,
the people will look with wonder upon the
enormlty OF the crimes committed by the
Republican party, which have been toll
araf.I 1urinc fhaaa la ar tan vaaro