Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-04-15

Paymaster Murphy was in default or
not, and, if so, to what amount. A re-
port was made by the chief Of the ordi-
nance bureau, which passed from him
into the hands Of the second Auditor Of
the treasury, who also made report,
and thence through the acting Secreta-
ry of War, George NJ. Robson, to the
Committee on Military Affairs of this
House. l will quote but two short par
agraphs from the report of the ordinance
! bureau;
| Eff all or the checks thereon reported
were drawn in favor of public creditors
and from the balance shown to be on
hand December 3lst, including remit
tances after that date as shown by state
ment B, it would seem that he had &C
counted for all the public money intrus-
ted to him.
And again, at the conclusion of his
report, he says:
'In my opinion the sureties of Militia
ny Store-keeper Murphy should be re-
lieved from responsibility under their
bond"
1t was obvious that under these re-
ports the Committee on Military Affairs
could have done nothing less than re-
port a bill discharging the securities
from all further liability. But said to
my friend, Mr. Hardenbergh, Of New
Jersey. member of that committee,
when he showed me these reports, that
I did not wish the Committee on Mill
ry Affairs to report any bill in conform
ity with them; that l could not consent
that any bill should pass Congress while
/ was member of it that would release
me from pecuniary liability to the Gov
eminent; and accordingly requested
my friend, Mr.. OBrieu, to withdraw
the papers from the files of the House,
as l could not consent that any legisla-
ton personally benefiting me should
take place while was a member Of the
body. The papers were accordingly, on
the motion OF Mr. O'Brien and with the
consent of Mr.. Hammond, by his agent
and representative withdrawn from the
files of the House about four weeks ago.
And yet these are the facts upon
which the leading organ OF the Admin
istration in this city announces in star
ing capitals, ga serious charge against
G.. j. Faulkner" and asks that an in
yestigation shall oe made into it. Sir,
if do not characterize the editors of
this public journal in the terms which
they merit, and this administration
which feeds and nourishes these yipers
that bask IN the sunshine Of executive
patronage, it is not from any respect
to either, but because 1 feel restrained
by that sense of propriety which is due
to a unanimous vote of this House &C
cording to me the privilege Of person
al explanation. l have been honored
by the people with many positions of
high trust and responsibility, and, while
l boast no higher purity or exemption
from infrmity than should characterize
every ordinary American citizen, yet
should welcome with unaffected pleas
ure the most rigid and unsparing
scrutiny into every personal and official
act of my life.
The public press is one Of the grand
est instrumentalities ever designed tor
the preparation of free institutions and
for the good of mankind. But to fulfil
its exalted destiny it must be honest and
under the dominion Of truth. A corrupt
prostituted, debauched, and mercenary
press is an enemy of liberty and curse
TO the human race. No one who has
observed the course of the leading or
Gan of this Administration during the
present session of Congress, but must
have been struck with the unutterable
baseness and degradation Of its columns.
You find this fully illustrated in the
facts that have this day been brought to
your attention. With the privilege of
free admission within these walls to OBJ
tain correct information Of the proceed
ings OF this body and for the purpose of
imparting that information correctly to
the public, you find it deliberately per
verting innocent, if not meritious, acts
of a member of this House, and spread
ing through the community the most
unhlushing perversion of his acts Their
ignorance of facts is no excuse for their
Misrepresentation II, as the celebrated
Fox once said, ignorance in statesman
is a crime, so inexcuseble ignorance in
an editor is equally crime, where that
is made the cover under which he false
ly and wickedly holds up to scandal a
maritorious act of one of the represen-
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