The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-05-11
Disheartened investigators.

DlsNeaTueneC investigators.
The stir and buster about the Investigations
by the various committees of Congress, have
resulted in very little to encourage the democrat
lc party. Indeed, the motives which prompt.
ed and the agencies employed as they have been
developed and exposed, seem to have disgust
ell the country, ana a contrary effect to that
designed. consummatcd. The insane asvlums.
the criminal records, and the haunts of polit-
ical bummers and dead beats have been
raked over to procure witnesses to testify
to the damage of the characters of men
heretofore free from the imputation of
wrong-doing. The most shadowy and i'm
probable rumors OF suspicion have been
seized upon and magnified into startling crimes
by hireling correspondents, to blacken the rep
utatlon OF men who are regarded representatives
OF American craftsmanship, and even the Pres
dent OF the United States has been the object
OF the most malicious ISLANDERS and the most
wicked ytuperation. The very extremity of
the malignity has neutralized the poison OF the
sting, and arrested the vicious aim that sought
to encompass the fair fame of the high officials
Of the nation. With the exception of the case
of Belknap, there has been Eothlng developed
to compensate for the trouble and expense of
the investigations. Even in that case, there
was nothing to directly implicate the interests
OF the government, and from present indica-
tions the probability. is, the sequel will show.
that he has been more sinned against than sin
ming. Moved by magnanimous instinct to
shield from exposure member Of his family,
allied to him by the most sacred ties, he as
sumed guilt, which from present showing, he
had not perpetrated; for il is notable fact that
when confronted with the evidence of Marsh,
he responded that some of it was true,
some of it totally false, and some of it he knew
nothing about. The chairman of the commit
tee investigating war expenditures, seems,
from the rejoinder OF Belknap to the replication
OF the impeachment Committee, to be implica-
ted as deeply in bad faith. if not more SO, than
Belknap, for the latter had justifiable motive
in the nature of the confession that he is said
only be explained in the light Of bad con-
science.
The arralgnment Of Secretary Brlstow. Mr..
Blaine, Secretary Robson and Senator Nor
ton, has resulted in the complete yindication of
these gentlemen from the charges preferred,
and reflected back upon the instgators of the
various allegations. And now, another COM
mittee is in trouble in bringing before it the
witness Davenport, to implicate the President
in election frauds in New York The PROGRESS
OF the evidence is anything but satisfactory to
those who feverishly looked for startling devel-
opments rejecting upon the President, and like
the countryman who had seized wolf by. the
ear, they do not know which is safest, to hold
Davenport, or to let him go. Democratic
crimes have been revealed by the witness which
ought to bring the blush of shame to a bronze
statue, but it is doubtful whether Mr. Caulfeld
will feel a twinge of remorsc at the exposure OF
his own party's rotteness and perfdy.
Even at this early day, the tendency Of popu-
lar demand is that the Investigators should be
investigated. Having failed in producing any
evidence to Justify the serious charges made
against the various prominent Republicans of
the country the popular consciousness is dis
posed to hold to a strict responsibility tile man
and the party that have so perverted the
privileges OF power as to seek to degrade Amer
lean institutions and American character for
the accomplishment Of the desplcable and cur
rupt ends of party.