Smyrna times., 1876-04-26

eHS HhOAS hpOl bdilSS tO3 anu puOllSH IL as
an expression of unbiased public sentiment.
To CONVICT and punish guilty persons is
one thing, but to try and convict persons
whether they are guilty or not is quite
another thing. And it seems that Congress
is too much after that other thing. The
majority in the House of Representatives
at Washington seem desirous of convincing
the public that the servants of the Govern
ment are dishonest; not to find out whether
they are or not. They act as if all office
holders but Democrats were dishonest men,
and that their constituents were expecting
fraud to be proven against the Govern
ment servants at all hazards. Hence the
investigating committees of Congress are
calling down just criticisms, as more a set
OF scandal mongers than the promoters of
justice. Only let breath of suspicion be
started against any Republican officer, by
the most irresponsible person, it may be, in
the land, and the House of Representatives
are ready with committee to conrict him,
and take especial pains to publish his guilt
IN advance of the trial The flood gates of
calumny are thrown open, and no report
Is too monstrous for Congressional COM
mlttee to accept. Hundreds of schemine
fellows, from all parts of the country.
anxious to spend a few days in Washington
without any expense to themselves. have
succeeded in duping the committees into
calling them as witnesses, when they had
absolutely nothing to testify. All they
have to do is to start some SANDER against
an official of the Government, and thew are
soon honored with passport to Washing,
ton, at the public expense. Once there.
they lind willing ears to pour their slanders
INTO. The most hearsay testimony is suffi-
clent for the committees.
Take the case of Secretary Bristow. for
example. No less than three charges have
been preferred against him, and in each
case he has shown the charges to be too
groundless for even a respectful considera. |
ton, let alone an investigation. The last
case Is this: A certain Judge" BARLEY
some time ago testified before a committee |
that Taylor Suit had told him that AMONG
the distilleries seized in Kentucky were
several in which he was interested. and that
S4O,OOO was raised, and by its use Bristow
was induced to resign and become attorney
Tor the distillers, and through the action
Of the District Attorney, Wharton. who
was appointed to succeed Bristow bv his
influence, the suits were dismissed. Tavlor
Suit was examined and swore that he never
law Bristow till the latter became Secretary
md that the entire story is lie.
The offensive part of this case was that.
while the charge against the Secretary was
mere report, baseless rumor, the com.
nittee OF Congress accepted it seemingly
With full credence, as if itwere proven against
me high official. The Secretary was given
no notice of the investigation, when it was
opened before the committee. vet the
nearsay charges were handed from the
committee room to the newspapers. un.
accompanied by the testimony which showed
'heir falsity. Thus the merest promptings
u malice, the most baseless hearsay Gets
before the committees, and somehow or
'ther this stuff gets out in shredz and
patches. Some perfectly innocent person
$ made the subject of venomous detyaction
Tor day or two, and then the whole story
IS shown to be the product of empty ,.....'.
and utterly false.
The bringing of guilty parties to punish.
nent is right and the Democratic Congress.
men are entitled to their full share of praise
Tor every unprejudiced step they have ia.
ken in this direction. But to show such
an untoward anxiety to convict, right or
wrong, has such a smack of selfshness
about 1t as to break down confidence even
N the minds Of some of their own party
" Scandal " committee is now the name
applied to the investigating committees.
SUICIDE OF PHmADELPHIAN IN NoRR,s.
roWN.-Mr. George Richie, retired mer.
aFgnr r. n