The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-31

from the fact that when any cause Is I'M
dergoing fair judicial investigation 1t Is
unwise to PREJUDICE and exceedingly
wrong to bring outside influence to bear
either for or against the parties. This
was simply case of the State of West
Virginia on the one side, and one OF her
executive officers on the other. The
popular branch OF the Legislature, the
representatives OF the people, had seen
proper to arraign one OF The officers OF
the State for supposed improper conduct
in dlscharging his official duty. The
cause was rcnlanded to the Senate for
trial, and the members of that body sit.
ting US Court Of impeachment, were re.
ouired, on solemn oath, to hear and deter
mine the cause between the State and
respondent fairly and impartially, and a
true verdict give according to the law and
evidence. The examination was fair in
all particulars, and we feel free to say that
there was an ability displayed IN its ar
raugcment by the counsel of both sides,
unsurpassed in the history of any case
of like character. There were doubts
and honest differences of opinions
a. to the construction of certain laws,
and the admissibility of certain testimony;
bat taking the case in all its lights and
bearings, the very decided unanimity in
the vote of tAe Court must be taken as
conclusive argument against the respon-
dent, and the action of the Court will re-
ceive commentator at the hands Of the
people.
There is an error which has crept into
our modern politics, both State and Ma
tional in the IDEA that when al lndivid.
ual is promoted to a public position, the
office belongs to the incumbent and not
to the people whose servant he Is. For
this error, we hold that the Republican
party is responsible. But there is now
decided tendency on the part of the
people to return to the grand
old Democratic idea that public
official is merely a trustee exer-
cising trust in the interest Of the
commons, to whom he is to render Il
strict account Of his stewardship. The
offences for which the officer in this case
has been convicted are such as are COM
mon in perhaps almost every State of this
Union, and which doubtless existed in
this State under former administrations.
But they are wrong in principle, and
wrong IN deed, and such as could not be
established precedcnts for what is right.
When we take into consideration that
twenty out of the twenty-tour members
of the Senate, who have removed.
Democratic official are Democrats, it Is
healthy indication that the integrity of
the Democratic party has been fully vim
Dictated, and with that party reform and
honest government" are not meaningless
words. In this connection we cannot re-
frain from drawing contrast between
the action of a Democratic legislature and
a legislature that was Republican in
about the same proportion that this is
Democratic. We refer to the Lcgis-
lature in which charges were first pre-
terred against the notorious NAT liar
RISoS.
In the BURDETT case, the accused is
man of social standing and good charac-
ter-having committed an offence which
in many localities an acIuiescing public
sentiment had almost made privilege.
In the HARRISON case, the accused was a
moral leper, the touch of whose hand
would blight whatever was true or good;
openly guilty of the highest crimes and
grossest immoralties known TO the law.
Yet when an honest and respectable cit
izen of the State appears before the Leg
islature to prefer charges against this
judicial outlaw, the Republicans very
promptly dismiss the charges and kick
the accuser down stairs with the patri.
otto assertion that Democrat has no
right to cast suspicion on the
character of loyal Republican. The
PEOPLE of West Virginia have not
forgotten all these things. Again in
1863, at the very beginning Of the States
existence, there was defalcation in the
treasury of $4,000. Yet successive Re-
publican administrations failed to take
any notice of il, not even requiring the
Treasurer to account for 1t. And TODAY.
when one OF our Senators in the National
Congress endeavors 10 unearth similar
frauds in the United States Treasury. q
Republican Senate buries the matter in
the secret vaults of the Finance Commit
tee. This is the difference between the
Democratic and Republican process of
purifying.
There is much sympathy manifested
Tor Mr.. BURDETT, even by those who
condemn his conduct. He is now An old
man, well spent in years. He has filled
many responsible positions, both civil
and military, aud has done the State some
service. In relating "these unlucky |
deeds" let US nothing extcnuatc nor set
down sught in malice"