The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-29
Conscience vs.. Subsidies.

Among the new members of Congress
from Pennsylvania are two, Mr.. COCHRAN
from the Allegheny and Mr. STENGER from
tho Chambersburg district, who have
made broad mark already. They have
succeeded in drawing upon themselves the
hostility of several powerful Rings in the
bobby, with the bitter denunciations Of the
subsidy press, ana are to that extent most
h0nOrably distinguished among their col
leagues. They went to Washington, it ap-
pears, with quaint, old-fashioned notion,
still prevalent IN the back settlements of
Pennsylvania, that an oath to support the
Const tuition is binding, and that when n
Congressman who knows better delibe-
rately violates that oath, he is guilty of
perjury. But they were hardly in their seats
before IA number of gentlemen, mostly from
Philadelphia, came around and requested
them to perjure themselves These gentle
men wanted Sl,JOOO0O of the public money,
with which to start Il show. Messrs. STEM
Ger and CoCIIRAN turned eagerly to the
Constitution, but found no authority what
aver for such an appropriation, and there
lore declined to vote for it. They cast no
mputatious upon anybody else. Other
differently, aud vote accordingly; but
their duty was plain Congress was not
authorized 10 girc array the public money
Tor any purpose whatever, and much a. il
Erieved them TO deny this modest request
Tor only million and a half, they were
compelled to decline the proposed perjury.
Til iir position was certainly very startling
10 the various lobbies iufestlng the Capitol,
md IN view of Col. ScOTrs Texas-Pacidc,
and IA number of other jobs, waiting TO
follow III the wake of the Centennial ap-
preparation, IL il not to be wondered at
that the subsidy organs of Pennsylvania
have raised howl of eXecration over the
heads of these stubborn members.
Philadelphia journal, which, if 1t fol-
lowed the better Judgment of it's editor in
Ihief, would be at more reputable bust
ness, dcuounces STENGER and CocHRAN as
accidents driftwood cast up by the tidal
wave and threatens them with the ven
Eoance of the disappointed lobby, when
they go TO their constituents for rctilcc-
lion. We have no doubt that they Will be
pursued with remorsoless vigor wherever
The power Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
extends, and IL fidelity to an oath and the
careful guardianship OF the Treasury
be considered crime in Pcnnsyl-
Vanin, these brave and conscientious repre-
nntntives VIII probably suffer the penalty
which belongs 10 such offenders
But Mr.. Bon MAcKEY IL stlll louder in
.rcprobation of this barbarous practice of
obedience to oaths, and evidently regards
n as personal reelection upon himself.
Hc says in his newspaper, the Pittsburgh
Commercial, Ring aud subsidy organ, that
"Mr. COCHRAN's arguments do not rise
sven to the dignity of picayune obiec-
lions" Mr. MACKEY is manlfcstly in ter
rble earnest. This doctrine OF SrENGER
and <OcHRAN, that an oath of Office, or
indeed amy sort of an oath, IS entitled TO
respect, will prove utterly ruinous TO
MACKEY, if it il allowed to spread. Mr..
hACKEY, 10 may be remembered, took the
oath of Office as State Treasurer of Penn
ylvana, and when RICHMOND l.. JONES
suggested that he should violate the oath,
by placing the public money whore he
could get it, he permitted no "picayune
objections 10 stand in the way. When
JONES offered him Il bride OF $4,000 in
bonds for the performance of this ofilcial
act, no still failed to SEQ the objections and
when his right to these bonds was drawn
h question and 1t was said that I've had re-