New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-02

son Is Pickett, the latcSt Wltness pcioio
Mr.. David Dudley Fields committee. 10
have discovered Pickett is glory enough LOT
any one committee or any single session OF
Congress. The personal purity of Pickett, MS
zeal in the cause of reform, his charitable dis
position, his guilelessness and simplicity, must
have delighted beyond measure the committee
before whom he testified. Pickett-1ull name
John Thomas Pickett, title Colonel-seems from
his testimony to be a lawyer" In CONVERSE
ton with Mr.. Hewitt, Chairman of the Demo-
cratic National Committee, with reference 10
the investment of matter of q million dollars
in the purchase by that committee OF the
Louisiana Returning Board, Mr. Pickett stated
that "whe he had been an attorney
"at-law for a great many years, ana Ior UGH y,
"twelve years in Washington, he had never USED
ga dollar cOrruptly and never eHpec'eo W.
Obviously the word "while" is used here In
the sense of "althOugh" or nOtwithstiho-
"ing.r and we take leave to say that the re-
mark indicated not only profound sense vi
his own invulnerable virtue, but very
thorough appreciation of the temptations W
which an attorney is exposed, and especially
exnosed in Washington Whether MIR. Hewitt
lifted his eyebrows i'm incredullty or opened
wide his eyes in admiriDg wonder does not appear
in evidence, but the witness says that aiter ne
had given an illustration OF his virtue by the
proposition to buy up the Louisiana Returning
Board, Mr. Hewitt casually remarked that this
was the third proposition OF The KIM tli' i''u
been made. Impressive as Pickett was Defore
the committee, he does not appear to nave I'M
pressed Mr.. Hewitt at all.
Mr.. John Morrisscy, the eminent Democratic
statesman and champion of Reform, discussed
the proposition with blr. Pickett with ciiarac-
teristic frankness In view of the magnitude
of the interests at stake, he laid aside his
scr,rples. and notwithstanding the day was
Sunday-which, as everybody. knows, Mr.. Nor
rissey regiously observes by .abstaining from
mammal labor-he listened to Pickett with tho
Iiycest interest, and freely gave his views OF
the political situation. Mr.. Morrlssey sa'd
"he would buy these fellows as readily az ne
"would buy pigs or words to that elect
SAYS Pickett and then the latter adds win
such evident sincerity as must have toucheu
the hearts of the committee, IL cOihcldeu
"with him in the interests of forty millions OF
"pcnple.n But somehow Mr.. MOrrissey does
not seem from the testimony to have put
his hand in his vest pocket and taken
out the million or the half million, more or
less, which Pickett said was the amount neces-
sary, and handed it over. 1t is possible that
since Mr. Morrissey declared "ail bets on r" Oh
the election, he is not carrying million or
two i'm his vest pocket babtually. Ii was a
good deal though for him to give his appro-
baton of the scheme and to say with so much
frapkncss that ne was willing to buy up Re-
turning Boards like pigs. That remark must
have given Pickett great satisfaction, for it
insured to the plan the moral effect OF the
co6peraton and sympathy of one of the most
eminent Reformers in the party.
But it was in the conversation with Mr..
Hewitt that the greatness of Picketts cllarac-
ter shOne out, as we may say, respondent.
For $3.50, 900 he said he could put the cause
of Reform right on its feet, make 1ilden Pres
ident, and forty millions of people prosperous
and happy. OF tins sum, $500, 900 would be
used for the purchase of the board, and
beggarly $4,000 he proposed to keep for his
own services. Upon that ptiful he
said he should be cOntented to live the re-
mander of his days, or live in sackcloth and
"ashes if necessary" The work was dirt
cheap. And then to think that Pickett had to
90 round to Mr.. MOrrissey and Mr.. Hewitt,
md other Democratic leaders who pretend to
be in favor OF Reform, with proposition like
CHS, to put Reform right on its legs for $500
600, and find among them all no takers ! 1t Is
ore of the saddest things in recent political his
sorv. Where was Senator Barnum that he did
not come to the rescuei Are not Returning
Boards better than mules? There is something
mysterious in this failure to fall in with Pick
ctt's overures. Had not Pickett himself told Us
distinctly and repeatedly in his testimony that
his character is above reprOach, and that nc
wouldn't do wrong for any amount of money,
or if he did that he would give all he got FOR
it to the widows and orphans of the South,
We should half suspect that the Reform lead
CTS doubted his honesty. But that can hardly
be. There must be some other good reason for
their rejection of his proposals. 1t is to be
hoped that this will come out in the course Of
the investigation. Meantime. Pickett, in the
character of the author OF Rejected Addresses,
stands before the country with nothing saved
out Of it except what he calls the approval
If his conscience. 1t isn't a very large CAPT
tai 80 be sure but in these times it ought to be
enough to retire on.
1pPPOVING And DISAPPEARING.