Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1876-03-17

fusiug to let the members OF the commit-
tee who investigated Belknap give their
testimony against him before the Grand
Jury, demonstrates the purpose of the
Democrats in Congress to oLs!ruct and
prevent, if possible, the conviction and
punishment of the cOrrup! ex-Secretary of
War. The Pittsburgh Commercial says;
1.-THE dramatic effort OF the Investiga.
ting Committee in bringing their report be-
fore the House and the country, was in
tended. as is now plain. solely for effect on
the pending election in New Hampshire.
1t was an effort, not to bring a guilty man
to justice, but to wiring party benei. out
of his crime. 1t was partisan trick, and
not an honest proceeding in the interest OF
honesty and pure government.
"The Republicans in Congress and in
the Administration have shown an entire
willingness to prosecute Belknap to an ear
ly conviction and to subject him to the se-
verest punishment known to the law; out
That was no part of the Democratic plan.
To permit the Republicans TO get all the
credit of convictiug and Furnishing a de-
tected thief would have fustrated the hope
of the Democratic leaders to make party
capital out of The developments; aud hence
they have labored with more than their
usual zeal to prevent and obstruct the
prosecution of a man whom they declare
guilty without trial.
THE first step in this Democratic work
of obstruction was Clymsr's permission to
Marsh, the main, and so far the only, wit
ness against Belknap, to escape to Canada,
beyond the reach OF our legal tribunals
Clymer told him to 60 away from Wash
ington, well aware of the effect Of his alb
sence and il is impossible to avoid the
conclusion that he WAS permitted to escape
so as to make Belkuap's conviction i'm
possible.
The second stop was the refusal, on the
part of the Democratic members OF the In
vestigation Committee, to testify before the
civil tribunals as to what they knew about
the case and the third step was the act OF
the Democratic majority of the House, by
a purely party vote of 130 to IS, forbiddins
them to testify if summoned. The party
is. therefor, on record as determined to
prevent, as far as it can, the effort OF the
Republican authorities to enforce tue laws
against q notorious offender.
The excuse offered for this deliberate as
sisiance given to Beknap is that the Ad-
ministration had, by Cabinet order, in
timidsted all witnesses by directing that
all the participants in Belknaps'a crime
should be prosecuted, thus terrifying them
iuto staying away from Washington ; but
this is 40 fiimsey yell TO hide the schemes
of the Democratic piotters. In the first
place, no such order was ever Issued, nor
was il ever contemplated and in the sec
ond place, Marsh had run of and found
refuge in Canada before the Cabinet met
10 consult upon the case. No intimidation
was attempted ana Marsh was got out Of
the way, by the Democratic leaders, solely
for the purpose OF obstructing the prosecu-
ton.
The odium of Belknapi crime was
thrown upon the Republicans because he
was q member of what should have been
Republican Cabinet but tie Odium of OBJ
structing and defeating a prosecution of
the criminal must rest upon the DINO
Gratis They do not want him tried but
if he is tried, they do not want him con-
victed. If he should be acquitted for want
of material and legal evidence against him
they will be held responsible for the escape
Of the needed witnesses, no matter how
hard they may try TO make party capital
out Of the failure OF the trial brought about
through their connivance and assistance.
There may be, and doubtless are, some
political reasons for this Democratic dread
of Belk maps conviction. He was origi-
pally a Democrat, and married into Re-
bel Democratic family in Kentucky his
attorneys and counselors are eminent
Democratic lawyers, and his most active
helper in getting Marsh to fly the country
Hester CIymer, his college classmate and
and intimate social companion. All these
things 90 together, and go long way to-
wards proving the Democratic purpose TO
shield him. So sure is Belknap of hep
from some such quarter that he has
teegraphed to bis Iowa friends that be will
be all right in few days. If he escapes,
as be now supposes. the responsibility for
il must rest Oh other than Republican
shoulders and we group these facts TO-
geth-r, now, in order that, if such result
should happen, the public may know who
TO blame for it,