Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-05-06
SENATOR ANTHONY on PUBLIC
SCANDAL.

AT the close of Senator Morton's victo'
rious defence of himself in the Senate
against the scandal in relation to financial
transactions while he was Governor of lnd-
ana, Senator Anthony of Rhode Island made
tho following scathing but just remarks
concerning the public scandals that have
been raked up and sent out by the demo-
Gratis to injure prominent men in the re-
publican party. We copy from the re-
port:
Mr.. Anthony, of Rhode Island said he we'll re-
membered the bold and patriotic course taken by
the Senator from Indiana when he was Governor
Of that State at the interesting period to which he
[Mr. Moron referred. He Mr.. Anthony wildly
recalled the thrill of exultation which passed
through every 10y al heart when he MIR. Mortonl
sent bowling to their homes the men who, traitors
alike to the general Government and their own
State false both to the Union and the pretentions
Of State rights, upon which those who revolted
against the Union alone defended themselves, gave
aid and comfort 10 the common enemy, in arms
alike against the United States and the State OF
Indiana. 1t is not strange that that act Is every
act OF every other public man, right or wrong,
good or bad, true imputed, is made the occasion
for yilfcation, for we live in . time of pubic
scandal, and no man who holds any public posi-
ton, scarcely any man who intrudes himself IN
public affairs, escapes the general vituperAtion.
Men whose lives have been passed in the reputa-
bic and even illustrous service Of their country
are held up to the execration of the people whose
good will they enjoy, and whose gratitude some
of them have earned. The testimony has been
worthy of the accusation. Discharged employees,
broken-down contractors, illicit distillers, dsap-
pointed office seekers, men to whom Titus Oates
was a creditabe witness, have been permitted to
drag the reputation of honorable men before tri
bunals which in their methods of Jurisprudence
remind us of the Star Chamber, anu whose inter-
probation of laws Of evidence and the rights Of the
accused were borrowed from the Spanish Inquisi-
ton. Nay, Mr. President, the pententary and
the mad-house have given up their dead IN this
general resurrection of falsehood and perjury. 1t
IS but a few days since the whole country was
startled with the foreshadowing OF SOME terrible
revolution against the elected chief of the Repub
lie. We were told that he has committed crime
so strocious that it could not be named that when
it was exhibited to the American people In its
unparalleled cnormity, nothing but the shortest
methods of the quickest impeachment would stand
between you, Mr.. President, and the White House
which hope at some day, you will reach by
a much less circuitous route. And, Mr.. President,
when the accusation was put to proof, when the
testimony upon which all these charges had been
made was sdduced, it appeared that crazy
man was ready to testify with . solemniiy
that left no doubt of the sincerity Of his
conviction that the spirit of General Grant
was accustomed to pass through the keyhole
of his chamber by night and stand beside his bed,
and upon pr, mise Of that testimony, and nothing
else whatsoever, q thousand newspapers opened
their batteries upon the character OF the man who
had borne the tag Of his country in triumph from
the fallen ramparts of Fort Donaldson to the cap
tured citadel Of the rebellion, and who had been
twice elected by the people to the highest
place in their gift. The miserable instruments of
all this scandal will be likely to escape or will be
punished with "fcw stripes" Regulations they
have none to be injured; generally as poor in
purse IS they in honor they laugh at fines, and
the universal contempt in which they are held by
those who suffer from them, and by those who en-
ploy them, will probably preserve the enitentary
from the contamination of their presence. But,
Sir, behind these men who have q name and
stake in this country; men who employ or en-
courage these miserable instruments 10 scandals
with which they scorn to soil their own hards.
but from which they expect profit to party. Let
these men turn to history. Its pages are full OF
illustrations of bloody instruct which, being
taught, return 70 plague the inventors and history
will be reversed ii the poisoned shafts which they
have place in the hands Of others are not turned
upon their own defenceless bosoms, if their own
regulations do not suffer by the methods by which
they have allowed others to be assailed and if the
distress which they have carried to the innocent
homes Of others is not returned to their own.