The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-05-20
Truth In Eloquent Words.

Mr. Hoar's speech to the Senate in III
;. Impeachment trial Is one of the most remark
a able specimens of fine and vigorous eloquenc
r that we have ever read Every word is i
e place, every word tells; the sentences ar
e concise and trenchant; and the sentimen
manly and noble. We quote the close of tn
S speech from the official report, which proba
bly, does not fall under the eye of many OF Oh
readers:
: Il said little while ago that the Consttu
ton had no safeguards to throw away. loi
will Judge whether the public events OF to
day do not admonish US to look well to al
our securities TO prevent or power to punlsf
the great guilt of corruption IN Office VIZ
must not confound idle clamor with public
opinion. or accept the accusations of scandal
and malice instead of proof. But we shall
make worse mistake if, because of the null
titude of false and groundless charges against
men in high office, we fail to redress substan
tial grievances or to deal with cases Of actual
guilt The worst evil resulting from the in
discriminate attack OF an INSCRIPTIONS press
upon men in public station is not that limo.
cence suffers, but that crime escapes. Let
scandal and malice be encountered by pure
and stainless lives. Let corruption and bri-
berry meet their lawful punishment
"My own public life has been very brief
and insignificant one, extending little beyond
the duration of single term OF senatorial Of
flee; but in that brief period have seen five
Judges of high court of the United States
driven from Office by threatsof impeachment
for corruption or maladminlstratiOn. 1have
heard the taunt from frendliest lips that when
the United States presented herself in the East
10 take part with the civilized world in gen.
crous competition IN the arts Of life, the only
product OF her institutions in which she sur.
passed all others beyond question was her
corruption. l have seen in the state in the
Union foremost in the power and wealth four
Judges of her courts lmpeached for corrup-
ton, and the political administration of her
chief city become disgrace and by-word
throughout the world. | have seen the char.
man of the Committee on Military Affairs in
the House, now a distinguished member of
this court rise in his place and demand the
expulsion of four Of his associates for making
sale of their official privilege of selecting the
youths to be educated at our great military
school. When the greatest railroad of the
world, binding together the continent and
uniting the two great seas which wash our
shores, was finished, have seen our nation
al triumph and eXaltation turned to bitterness
and shame by the unanimous reports of three
committees of Congress-two of the House
and one here-tbat every step of that mighty
enterprise had been taken in fraud. | have
heard in highest places the shameless doc
trine avowed by men grown old in public OF
flee that the true way by which power should
be gained in the republic Is to bride the peo-
ole with the offices created for their service,
and the true end for which il should be used
when gained is the promotion Of selfish am
btion and the qualification of personal re.
venge | have heard that suspicion haunts
the footsteps OF the trusted companions OF the
President,
"These things have passed into history.
The Hallam or the TaCitus or the Sismundi
or the Macaulay who writes the annals OF our
time will record them with his memorable
pen. And now, when a high Cabinet officer,
the constitutional adviser of the Executive,
fees from office before charges of corruption,
shall the historian ada that the Senate treated
the demand of the people tor its judgment of
as farce and laid down its
high functions before the sophistries and jeers
Of the criminal lawyer? Shall he speculate
about the petty political calculations as TO the
effect on one party or the other which induced
his Judges to connlve AT the escape of the
great public criminal? Or, on the other
hand, shall he close the chapter by narrating
how these things were detected, reformed and
punished by constitutional processes which
the wisdom of our fathers devised for us, and
the virtue and purity Of the people found
their vindication in the justice of the Sen
ate?
Mr.. Hoar las been one of the most earnest
supporters of the administratlon-oi its south.
err policy we may say almost IA bigo,ed sup.
porter; and when man Of his tendency and :
is compelled, in the discharge Of
his duty as prosecutor, to utter such words as
We have cited, there can be no mistake as TO (
he need OF profound and thorough civil re.
orm. Anything short of radical change of
policy would be chld's play.-N. !. Ereaing 4
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