The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-31
Abusing their Offices.

Mr.. seHENcK, We see, feels 1t necessary to
The support of the honesty Of his purposes
10 declare that he still believes in the rich
ness Of the Emma mine. We suppose Pre-
lessor SILIInAN with his $25, 900 fee-S25, 900
can do great thipgs-for bis favorable report
Of the mine will join Mr.. scHEScK in this
opinion. Both will say that the Emma
mine Is good, but that the men who were
employed upon 1t were bad and incompe.
tent miners. This Is one way to put u Q
blame on the 'scspegoat AID divert public at
tention from the real point.
The real point is the use which Mr.
ScHENCK put his office to when he allowed
the use of bis name as director Of the
Emma mine, and thus to put him In the
attitude OF commencing to English capital-
lists On undeveoped gold mine of which he
knew nothing. 1t might be gooa-it might
be bad. If good, MIR. ScHENck's recommen-
dstion in this manner could not make it so
and If bad, AIR. ScHEECK could In no way re-
imburse the losses of those who were led 10
make Investments through the high name OF
the minister plenipotentiary of the United
States of North America. 1t was plainly q
most reprehensible use of his Office, and one
that will attach stain to bis name through
Life.
Could IL have been possible before the war
any minister holding the highest grade
~ minis ec,al appointment from the United
y. Aes could have been led by the prospect
OF personal gain to himself to further the
views of persons with mineral property fol
sale Nay, could it have been possible to
have induced them to lend the influence Of
their high position to aid In the advance.
nent of any mouey.making individual en-.
terpIise? Think of FRANKLIN, and JErFER
(. SON, and MARSHALL, and JAY, and King, and
Others. How utterly out of all reason i,
would be even to think of any one of them
IL connection with such thing as the Emma.
Mine scandal sa,sf
It is impossible for Mr. ScHrNcK to wash
bis skirts OF the Emma Mine case. He has
grossly abused his Office and put a scandal
upon the nation, and he went into The enter.
I prise, as is clearly proved, under the lure
held out to him of immediate profit. His
ayoWed faith in the mine now is leaning
upon a broken reed. Even If be is correct.
it cannot rescue him from the censure which
attaches TO his criminal indiscretion OF
abusing bis position to aid In . speculation
which turned cut q gross delpsion and to
give that aid, too, in the country to which
he was accredited, and whore people would
put faith In him as the representative Of bis
nation. IS $3.50 .se III = 3.9.
@ We speak OF this fsithlessness to public
trust more particularly as q crime OF the day |
Men are prone in an unprecedented degree
/ 70 the habit Of employ Ing their Offices to nc
complish objects foreign to their duties
which promise to themselves personal nd
yantsges. I. Is apparent in governments /,
State and Federal, and ID corporations with
large resources. Men sell their influence
and use their Offices and the reye-
nues they control to bias the minds
and gain the votes OF representative
bodies. Alof this h an abuse Of authority,
and Il corrupt and dishonest. 1t tends To
the npticn OF pablIc virtue and the de.
atruefaon Of personal independence. In this
form i is that the greatest enemy Is public
liberty and honesty hassppessed. That ills |
essential for the public weIfars that 10 should
be met and defeated there can be 40 ones.
Hon, II will crush The State Of the STATE
sasst cstsi, ii.
s6riJ slspa HE VERY Offices Which |
&if4s YrffstS x,x,s,ts