Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-05-20
Stopping Investigation.
We clip the following from the
New York Sun:


New York Sun:
The Senate, the Administration, and the
Ring. courts at Washington have all COM
bined to thwart and to defeat further in
veStigation into the frauds and corruption
which have thus far astounded the coun-
try. The Republican leaders perceive that
If the exposures continue to be made as
they have begun, defeat at the PreSiden-
tial election Is certain. They know how
much is yet concealed, and they dread the
consequences that must follow new proofs
of an organized system of robbery and
raScality,. such as has already been found
in almost every branch of the public SER
vice.
1t would be impolitic, and in the present
temper of the public mind, perhaps dam
gerous TO oppose investigation openly, as
of guilt. Hence the leaders have proceeded
insidiously to effect their object and to tie
the hands of the peoples representatives
by artful eXpedientS. They have caucuSed
and sought TO do by indirect means what
they would not dare to attempt directly
After the flight of Marsh to Canada, it
properly protected, investigation would be
checked, and in fact, be made dependent
upon voluntary testimony. A bill was
therefore passed by the House to extend
immunity for the purpose of obtaining
evidence of frauds on the Government, and
exposing the corrupt completely of offic-
Ials- The Senate has stifled that bill and
thus given its protection to Rings and rob-
berS.
Under the power ofthe House to call for
persons and papers, no question has been
heretofore raised about, producing origi-
nails from the departmental files III aid of
investigation. In many cases they are in
dlSpenSable for that object, since copies
would furnish no clue to variety of frauds
that have been perpetrated. Recent ex-
perlence has shown that many OF the
large claims passed through the Treasury
aud the Pension Office were supported by
forged papers. The President has now is
sued an order fOrbidding originals to be
= < mi of hOh
of obstrucGing inquiry and shielding for
gers and conspirators from detection and
punishment.
The House of Representatives ordered
Hamlet Kilbourn, one of the most noto-
rious OF the Ring jobbers at Washington,
into custody for refusing to answer ques-
lions which would expose the real estate
pool in and out of Congress; and now the
Ring court has released him, in defiance of
the authority of The House to restrain a
witness in contempt.
Thus the Senate, the Administration, and
the Ring courts conspire together to con-
ceal the Y1llalnieS of GrantiSm, and to pre-
vent the House of Representatives from
uncOVering the iniquitieS which are hid
den in the books and records of the public
departments. 1t remains to be seen how
far the House will submit to these assaults.
The contest Is between the people seeking
honest government and an account of
their money derived from grinding taxa
ton, and a corrupt Administration and
its tools and cOnfederateS, striving to
throttle inquiry and to hold ON to their
So far the Sun. And now the SEN
ate is doing its best to get the impeach-
ment of Belknap smotherered and to
hand him down to the local courts of
Washington, to be whitewashed under
the auspices of Boss Shepherd, and
the Washington Republican and the
Chicago Inter-Ocean are fondling one
another with obscene ecstacies and
exulting that investigation has got its
final check, and we think probabably
they are right. The laborious duty
which the House of Representatives
has long been performing, was never
an attractive one, and with the Presi-
dent thwarting them in one direction
and the Senate in another and the
rings in still another, it will not be
surprising if they retire from the duty,
always repulsive one, of exploring
official corruption. We cannot blame
them. They have succeeded in tear
ing open several wide riffs in the
thick curtain which is now yelling
official corruption, and the nation is
able to form its own conception of the
sweltering mass still unexposed.-
They rest from their labors, and we
can only pray God grant that the day
of retribution be nigh.