The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-02-13
LET JUSTICE BE DONE.

The country at last breathes easier. An
Gerson, one of the deep dyed villains who
committed forgery and perjury to elevate
r. B. Hayes into the presidential chair, has
been found guilty. and will doubtless at an
early day be arrayed in the garb of a telon
and set to work with kindred associates
behind prison bars. His CO conspirators will
in all PROBABILITY soon follow him. Thus
truth comes to light; crimes are exposed;
justice asserts its sway, the law is vindi-
Gated and honest men rejoice. The
those who Endorsed the vIIlainies of
the returning bOard-hoped for different
result and their disappointment must be
crushing. The organs which advocated the
returning board crimes, that sought to de-
fend the criminals and defeat the ends of
Justice, must realize that their infamy is
regarded as little, if at all, less detestable
than those who perpetrated the crimes. The
New Orleans Times, in a late issue, in re
ferring to the returning board rascalities,
says:
We do not see why the country should be so
generally excited as IL appears to be concern
ing the reported Indictment of Garfield, Mat
thews, Kelly, Stoughton, Sherman, Hale, and
the other statesmen who assisted our return
ing board 10 come TO its inodorOusly cele-
brated conclusion. 1t is true that Wells, An
derson Il Co. are indicted for forging returns
from Vernon parish. But this is only one
grain in the big lump of fraud. While the
instructions of the judge, and the pleas of The
attorneys in the peuding ttial may, and In
deed, in due process OF law, must De confined
to the particular aveTmentS and the limited
scope of the Indictment, the gravamen OF
their ofTense is the Justification of the vote OF
ct a nj nf
the Vernon parish returns did not alter
the result in the least. The general,
and we think the correct, supposltlon
perpetrated for collateral purpose, outside Of
and wholly independent OF the general result
in the state. Every man, woman and child In
the 1untry knows that the real offense OF tire
returning board was It's perver ion of the viii
of the people in declaring, falsely, that Louis
lana voted for Hayes for president and for
Packard for governor. The latter part of the
verdict the people of the state took upon them
selves to rectify and reverse. and they did il
effectually; but the first part still stands. In
virtue thereof Hayes dispenseS the federal
patronage, Hale monopolizes the Maine post
offices, StoughtOn is mi lister To Russia and
Matthews senator from Ohio In procuring
this result the statesmen above named over
Swallowed Kenner, Casanave, Wells and An
derson. They were accessories before the
'act and benetciaries by the fact. The
only difference is that they skulk
patTiotism-heaven save the mark !-hive he
profits and talk of civil service reform while
Anderson ana Wells stand aghast before ihe
yawning gates of the penitentiary. If stern
justice i, TO be executed, why should 1t not
fall on the master as well as the man? The
only diff renee il one of power and place. In
the false count of the vote Of Louisiana they
were particeps criminis. They are enjoying
the fruits while their allies are suffering the
torments OF the damned. Why should they
not be indicted If evidence can be found SUI
ficIeut to convince the graud jury of their
completely? Eminent reiormers should not
object 10 the enforcement of the law, especial
ly in criminal cases where the evidence is
clear Even handed justice would be
at all shocked at the indictment of Garfield
& Co.
BY all means let justice be done. Let
Garfield IL Co." be brought into court aud
compelled to answer for their share in the
great crime Of the century. Let the political
atmosphere be purified. Let liberty stand
unabashed before the world American
honor demands the conviction and punish
ment of the whole gang.