Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-15
A Sample Confederate.

The House Committee on Expendi
lures of the War Department t has
I been brought very PROMINENT,
before the public through the impeaeh
ment proceedings against the late Sec
retary of War. One William nj. Rob
bins, of North Carolina, is member
OF that committee. We find by refer.
ence to the Congressional Directory
that he is a "Conservative Democrat, .
whatever that may imply; that he was
born in Randolph county, N. c., about
forty five years ago; that be was edu-
Gated at Trinity College, in that state
andsRandolph-Macon College, Virgin
lar that he graduated at the latter in
stitution in 1851. "actth the first DIS
t"ctlon;' that he is lawyer by pro-
fesson; that he was San officer in the
Confederate army during the whole
war, participating in nearly all the bat
ties in Virginia, Maryland and Penn
sylvania, from Bull Run to Appomat-
tox;' that he was a Presidential cleo
tor on the Seymour and Blair ticket in
1868, and that he was selected to tile
Senate Of North Carolina IN 1868
and reelected IN 1870" By some un-
| accountable bundev very important
part Of Mr.. Robbins record as a mem
ber Of the State Senate was wholly
omitted from his biography
We print this missing link in our
Washington dispatches this morning.
1t shows that Mr.. R. is peculiarly fitted
TO act in cases of bribery The Nu-
tlonal Republican Of yesterday declares
tnat Mr.. Robbins was convicted Of
bribery and publicly censured by the
Legislature Of North Carolina. of
which body he was member, in 1869.
The Republican goes into details, de-
caring that he { (Robbins) received
brbe of taoenty dollars for voting for
the allowance Of a claim before the
Legislature. But the Republican
shows also that Robbins even then pos
sessed redeeming features of charac-
ter; for it says (and publishes what
Robbins said) that he frankly admit
ted that he had received the money,
but that be Indignantly denied that it
was paid to him to influence his vote
on the claim question. Far from it!
On the contrary, he declared that the
large sum OF money-to wit: twenty
dohars-was paid to him ''to secure
has services as an attorney IN procuring
other votes!'" The Senate saw this
fine distinction, and refused to adopt
resolutions for the expulsion of the at
torney by vote of eighteen to fifteen.
But designing to discourage Mr.. Rob
bins from his peculiar line Of practice
before the Legislature, the Sen
ate adopted resolutions of CEN
sure by vote of twenty-eight to three!
The resolutions of censure we're, ac-
cording to the Republican, SO explicit
and definite as to convey the impress
sion to the general reader that Robbins
had been bribed for twenty dollars
The preamble is Brief, aud We give it
verbatim, with the remark that it
might have been inserted in the Con-
gresional Directory without transcend
ing the limits of that exceedingly IN
terestiog historical work. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Whereas, ..it appears by the report of the
m hat
W. NJ. Robbins, senator from the TIrty-
second senatorial district, did, on he 22d
day of last August, receive from John W.
securing the passage of \ resolution through
the senate in favor of said Stevens; and
whereas, g senator cannot rightfully receive
any fee or reward for his services as sena-
tor beyond the per diem allowed by Jaw;
and whereas, the receiving of any fee or
reward is high breach of the privileges
of the senate, and tends to the destruction
of legislative integrity; therefore, be it re-
solved, etc.
1t is difficult to treat this really very
serous matter gravely. That man
who fought from 1861 to 1866 to de-
stroy his government in the interest of
the aecursed institution of slavery. aud
who was bribed for twenty dollars
while State Senator in 1869, should
have seat in Congress, and place on
a committee whose duty it is to inquire
into cases of bribery in 1876, is a hu.
initiating fact. It may account for the
ease with which March was permitted
TO sin thrOuoh the finoers of the Dem.