The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-22
The Haheas Coruus.

An effort having been made by the Re-
publican ring robbers, /, to require com
mittee Of congress to give up its evidence
In an investiga ton, to a police court in
Washington, and. 2. to protect the leading
rascal in the Grant real estate pool by TAX
ing him out of the hands of congress and
placing him in the hands of court in the
District of Columbia on a writ of habeos
corpus. the Democrats propose to define
the use of that writ in such cases-not to
deny the writ but to place it in the hands
of the supreme court. The only object the
Republicans can have in opposing this is
to encourage these rascals, like Kilbourne
and others, not to answer, and prevent con-
gress from Furnishing them for contempt.
The bill proposed by the Democrats pro-
vides that the supreme court Of the United
States shall have original and exclusive
jurisdiction to issue the writ of abeas corpus
in all cases where the party shall be de-
tanned or restrained of his liberty by the
authority or under the orders of either
house of congress; that whenever it shall
appear by his petition that the party is de-
tanned or restrained of his liberty by
authority of either house of congress, be-
fore state or United States Judge or
court, other than the supreme court of the
United States, the writ shall be denied if
not issued, or dismissed if issued; that il
any such state or United States Judge or
court, other than the supreme court, award
writ of habers corpus in such cases, the
supreme court may award writ of prohi-
bition, and that if the supreme court shall
not be in session at the time, any Judge Of
such court may take such action, with the
right of appeal to the supreme court.
The effect of this will be to prevent any
inferior or partisan court from interfering
with congressional investigations and pro-
tecting rascality. The Republicans don't
like this.
Whatever may be the legal merits Of
the question in relation to Kilbourne s'case
as the case now stands, there can be but
one opinion on the partisan issues involv.
ed. The Democrats have shown ar
anxious solictude for the preservation Of
every right Of personal liberty, and 6
wholesome reverence for the prerogatives
| of court, even when overshadowed By
suspicion of completely with the greatest
set of rascals of our time. Thus they
have been true to the traditions and tn,
instincts of the party
| The Republicans. on the other hand
after having trampled on the writ o
hdbeds corpus with open scorn Throughout
the period of their power, now come for
ward as the champions of that venerabl,
process, claiming for it potency an,
privilege beyond the verge of anythin,
heretofore asked or conceded, in the hop
of making it serve to hamper investiga
ton. The gentlemen who only las
winter fought hercely for the arbitrar
suspension of the writ in all the southern
states Of the union, now that it is mad
use Of to prevent the exposure CT tn
operations of the president and his friend
in the real-estate pool, stand up and az
: peal with touching eloquence for il
sanctity. 1t has become holy thing
their eyes since it has been invoked I
: shelter knave. They never appreciate
its virtues until they saw that it migl
help to conceal party rascalities. Br
: now they are thrilled with the memoir,
q of Stephen Langton and the glories
d Runnymede. We know of no recel
n event quite so entirely perfect in its kin
e as this enefable hypocrisy Of our polite
8 enemies