Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-04-29
ALAS AND ALACK ]!


One by one the roses fall. 1t is
Dom Piatt this time. Yes, our own
sweet Don, who invented and applied
to the INDEPENDENT the euphoni-
Gus title of ''The Wash Tub Re-
cent investigations in Washington
develop the fact that Dom was
lobbyist in the interest of
the Moth preventative, by which
he earned some S12, 00O-that being
the value of his services in influen-
cling the Secretary of War. After
wards, he claimed similar amount
as a secondary payment, which was
not allowed, when he again exerted
his influence" with the Secretary
OF War, and had the Moth proven
tative rejected. This is too bad land
we really have a notion to run Dom
through the ssWash Tub and give
him good scrubbing. We can best
give our idea of Dom by paraphas-
ing Conley's description of Hinton
In false and wicked world, where
much that was fair outside was all
foulness and Belknapness within.
we relied on Dom. He was our
guiding star. He denounced venali-
ty and corruption tn ough his Cd2i-
tai, and as we read we felt that ii
was good to have Dom. He stood
up as rock against the waves of a
sea of fraud. In finding out who was
the neutrality-suspicious. bribe-taker.
who was the last ring-maker, what
Cabinet officer had committed the
latest petty larcency, Dom was the
most enterprising of them all. We
knew by the catechism that all men
are living in state ofsin and misery:
we knew by the Bible that David lin
somewhat hasty manner, it is true,)
said that all men are liars but it
was chiefly through Dom we learn
learn that every American Congress
man will sell his vote and every Cab
met officer steal. Dom was so Sc
we're against men who did not earn
the salaries the public paid them. He
was SO indignant that Senators
would crib soap, candles, bootjacks.
syringes and things. He was so
down on chaplains who surreptitious-
ly had their bibles and prayer books
charged up as stationery. He was
sh high-toned-Donn was. Such
gllt-edged writer. SO vigorous. Not
afraid of taking the responsibility.
So virtous. We knew he was vir-
tuous, because he said so, and he
ought to know. We knew it too, be-
cause he was SO displeased with peo-
pie who were not virtuous. We
would have bet our bottom dollar on
Donn-if we had had bottom dol
lar. We were ready to count that
day lost whose low descending New
York SIN looked not on some dirty
action done-or what was the same
thing, charged by Dom to have been
done.
But as the poet says, Oh ! how
changed Now comes the unpleas-
ant announcement--doubly unplea-
SAINT to us-that the supposed i'm
maculate DOM had been seduced
from the paths of rectitude and in
duced to accept a bride of $12 ,OO0f0r
his influence in Moth contract.
Our hitherto high opinion of Dom is
changed. We had thought him too
high priced to be purchased for the
small sum of $4,000, and that TO BIZ
a vender of Moth preventative.
Well, well, we have now lost faith in
human nature. Our last hope of
honesty in men who hang around
Washington was centered in Dom,
and now that prop is gone.
Twas ever thus from chidhood's hour
We've seen our fondest hopes decay,
We never loved DoSN or flower
But twas the first to fade away.