The daily gazette., 1876-06-13
From the World.
HARNE

the accuser of Speaker Kerr, have re-
lations beyond his use as an instrument
to assail the always spstless fame Of
the Speaker by those who vainly
hoped to create political offset to the
prompt confession and moral surren-
der Of Belknap. Harney has been for
many years not only prominent local
Republican manager, but controlling
official in the most delicate and impor.
tant branch Of the Revenue Depart
ment of the government, the Apprais-
ing Bureau of the customs. He was
what the French call the anime daname
the Father Joseph or Bertrand, as the
reader pleases, of the Chief Appraiser,
Darling. He was known and felt as
the mar who had Darling's private ear
and confidence. He collected political
assessments in the Appraisers office.
Whether he applied them to Saving
the life of the country" or put them
in his own pocket remains to be seen.
An illltcrate man, who caa scarcely
read or write, he was, ,curiously enough
made chief of The Stationery Bureau,
an Office created for him, although in
his evidence he called himself "Super-
intendent of Openers and Packers" an
Office better befitting his illiteracy, no
doubt, but scarcely justifying salary
of 81 800 year, which he was paid as
q "first class clerk" His unfitness to
be clerk of any kind, if reading and
writing constitute the benefit of clergy
became apparent on his cross exami-
nation at Washington, but his unfit
ness in the matter of moral qualities is
brought out more clearly in an article
which we cite to day from the "Her-
aid" of week ago, and which neither
Harney nor his hackers have since ven
tured to criticise or complain of.
We have been willing to believe that
Harney started his calumny against
Mr.. Kerr in idle boasting among those
of his class. He told the whole story
T, to Harry Hall many weeks ago. But
when the Republican politicians got
hold of it and sought to use it an offset
to Belknap, the fright of Harney be,
came intense. The ridicule and de-
nunciation of his boon companions
however, and of his political confeder
ates, had greater terrors for bim than
the terrible guilt of perjury, and on he
went. His profession, in the begin
ming of his examination, about ICON
fidential obligation" led him into in
extrlcable difficulty when cross exam
ined as to the number of persons to
whom he had told his story in New
York. Thus, while he was testifyinl
in Washington that he refused to con
verse with Mr.. Bliss on the subject
the latter was testifying in New Yorl
that, on the request of Mr.. Bass, h.
had fully examined Harney, and tina
his story was, in his opinion, true, ,ant
: fit for Congressional inquiry. We arr
also willing to believe that, now tina
the testimony is closed, Mr.. Bass will
cheerfully and publicly state in tn,
House his conviction that the Speake
should neither be convicted nor ever
seriously accused, either of the thing
charged, or, what is worse, of perjury
on the uncorroborated testimony o
such witness as Harney is proved t.
be, and will express his regret that h.
ever countenanced such a wretch. W,
: are willing to believe this for the sak'
of MIR. Bass. But we are sure that al
men who love their country will b
glad that Mr.. Kerr yindicated his per
sonal honor as peremptorily as he di'
even against so miserable an assailant
He was bound to do this when he wa
I. informed that Republican leaders in
dorsed and intended to be sponsor
q land godfathers for the calumny.
y would be well for the honor and mora
tone of the republic, if it had NOR
: public men who, like Mr.. Kerr or lik
Senator Bayard when his patriotism
and political honor were some tim
ago assailed by Boutwell,, would dea
. with calumny and calumniators pre-
:. cisely as men of spirit in private lii
i would do. To notice anonymous let
|; ters is not necessary, because me
9 never send them; but in Mr.. Kerr
q case he had direct evidence unceverin
70 responsible Republican politicians b.
y hind the anonymous letter.
o And now what punishment will th
a. icourts of the District of Columbia Wis
y it upon Harney for his evidently wi
full and corrupt perjury on a matte
material to the issue before tie con
mittee: which issue was the veraclt
of Harney, since the committee ha
to decide in whose oath, that of Y
Al a. hnx IL