Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-04-10
WASHINGTON SCANDALS.

The impeachment Of Belknap drags
very slowly. and it Is not at all imprOb-
able that be may escape impeachment,
though he will be punished by the courts
Of the District Of Columbia. His crime
is not quite as heinous as first reputed,
and the witnesses do not testify to all
that they we're reported to know when
the first accounts came out The various
investigating committees are still search I
ing for iuiquity, but do not report any .
new discoveries. II nothing more Is dis
covered the investigations viii show
much purer state Of affairs than any one /
expected. Ii has been the fashion to I
suspect everybody who held Ofhce. and /
II these critical searchincs into the do I
inrs and private concerns Of ofhce-hold- .
ers around and about Washington DO .
not discover more dirt than that about
Belknap's and Babcoek's premises, the
country will have cause to rejoice. The
Emma mine scandal Is fast hzzling out
and Minister Schenck will escape the
disgrace Of having knowingly given
countenance to fraud in the selling Of
stock in this mine which proved Of little
value. There can be DO doubt but that
much Of this investigation was instituted
for party capital, and if those who start
Cd il up fail to catch any game, they
viii return from the hunt weary and de-
feated But it is well to have a house
cleaning once q year, at least, that the
dirty corners may Be dug out and the
mustv rooms be busted and ventilated.
Those who have imagined that 1t Is
easy to steal q fortune if they can get
a government position, may learn that
there is danger and dishOnOr in public,
as well as private, stealing. The Repub-
licans in congress spent much time last
year and year before in investigations,
and the Democrats are spending this
winter in the same business Probably
the Washington investigation business
will make the dishonest Ofhce-bolders
and ofbce-seekers in each party a little
mere shy. and if this Is the result, they
will probably pay. It must be admitted
by all. that there have been altogether
too many scandalous rumors about mel
in public positions, and We should b
very 10th 70 believe reports until the!
are proved to be true. The daily pres
Of the cities Is responsible for the circu
lation Of an untold amount Of lies. Il
the zeal for being ahead Of rivals, cor
respondents catch up the sillest rumOr
and telegraph to their papers lies tia
are too absurd fer print but the mex
day the PAPER comes eut with great hea
lines. announcing wonderful new deve.
opmeuts. etc. A few days since, the e
erraphic reports 10 4 Boston daily paps
made out that senator Boutwell, Of Ma
sachusetts. had been guilty Of great nj
deueanors. while Secretary Of the Urea
ury the next day an editorial IN tn
paper suggested that anybody must kno
that such reports were false. Question
Why publish to-day what Is known
be false. as well as absurd, for the sai
q denying the sane tomorrow
There is a great deal Of honesty
the world vet. and il is unfair to 81
rect all because some are disbone
While Dow and then one Is falling,
number Of upright unsPOtted men
public positions. as well Is private pl
e.. Is legion. With all the stealing a
dishonesty. discovered and undiscoyer
among the officers Of the great natl
there has never been q time when :
eminent has lost less, the amount
money handled taken into eonsiderati
than at the present time. The per &
Of losses in any Of the departments
the government, by theft or dish0nei
is snail. We are not talking about
whisky stealings. in this statement
number Of rogues in government emf
has not been greater accordingly. {
in the employ Of careful and sagaet
business men throughout the cOun
The crying need Of the times Is BE
state Of public morals, and more r
and sure punishment Of all guilty