New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-06

will prove to even the mOsC seI-cOh-
fident Congressman that the people need
to be consulted in respect to the
laws that affect their interests. Be-
fore a new attempt at changing duties is
made, there will be some inquiry of our men
of business as to what change is really needed
crest ASSURED HIS STORY rs TRUE"
1t is indeed vale of tears. Life is full of
all manner of discouragements. There are
days when enterprising young men, who are
ready to swear to anything for n consul
ship IN warm climate, can't lay
I'D a cent. There are times in the his
tory of civilization, periods of incredibly,
scepticism and doubt, when mems confidence
in each other has become so undermined that
red-headed man and Night Editor might come
forward and assert that United States
Senator, to whom he had introduced himself
in a casual interview of five minutes
in restaurant, brIbed him to commit perjury,
put the bargain in writing, and afterward
refused to pay him the consideration; and
whole communities would doubt the truth OF
the statement, Notwithstanding its sweet reason
ableness, while the trivial-minded, in a spirit
of heartless levity, would smile in his eye
and say, in the coarse slang OF the period,
"Oh. you're giving us taffy." 1t seems to us
we have almost fallen on such time at
present. 1t is period of distrust. Judging
from the treatment which Mr. James h.
Anderson has received from the Republican
members of the Potter Committee, a young
man who made oath to certain statements
in November 1876, cannot come forward
in June, 1873, and swear that those
statements were false, and that he COM
mtted perjury at the solicitation OF high
officers of the Government, without having
his truthfulness questioned, his motives
aspersed, and his character and public career
subjected to unpleasant scrutiny. This, too,
after he has waited eighteen months for his
nav for the work and been disappointed
at last What encouragement, 1t may be
asked. does this sort OF thing offer
to a young and ambitious man who ex-
poets to rise by politics, and is willing to
swear to anything for a cODsulship in warm
climate What margin does it leave to
supervisor of registration, we may well
inquire, if after he has made oath to
his returns upon the strength OF the
promise of an Office, he cannot, when
and swear that the former affidavit was lie,
and turn an honest penny with the other sldef
Here is this young man Anderson coming Tor
ward, and with frankness that would win not
ONLY confidence but drinks, in mixed crowd,
confessing that he had lied like a trooper
and sworn to it, having been insti-
gated thereto by Secretary Sherman, who had
not paid him for it-and what do we sect
why. they cross examine him-iust as though
thew doubted his word. In the name of Ananias
and Saphira, how many stories must man
tell to gam the confidence of the pubicl This
younc man has told two already how many
more does this committee wantf
But though the committee did pursue this
Young man with the fendish cOnundrums born
of their suspicious and his own bright but
tangled record, he need not be depressed.
Still is he sustained and sOOthed by
an unfaltering trust-the trust of that
stirring newspaper, The Philadelphia North
American. 1t has evidently occurred to the
Editor Of that journal that its Night Editor
might, in view of the fact that he was
engaged I'm swearing that he had for
merly sworn falsely, be accused OF lying.
"Nake no mistake" says then The Philadelphia
North american, with great sOlemnity, - in
"weighing the testimony of James f. Ander-
"son." They know him in that office.
There's no kind of doubt that they keep
the largest sized hay scales constantly
on tan, when he is on duty, to
weigh his testimony. "No man." it continues,
Occupying a position of honor and trust,
"ever risks making himself the target
"for obloquy and yituperation for the pleasure
"Of lying" Nothing could be more sound. 1t
may have been supposed by some that he
had made a target of himself just for
the fun of the thing. The statement to the
contrary from the newspaper which he has so
ably night-edited, must be accepted as con-
elusive upon that point. 1t is not " for the
"pleasure of lying" so much is certain.
His story it adds, SIS not q pleasant
zone, but rest assured it Is true" The
PHILADELPHIA North american would not
say this without being absolutely sure OF it.
It must have had it direct from Anderson
himself. Doubtless Anderson knew when
he started in, that when he charged con-
splracy, bribery and subornatiOn of perjury
upon such men as Secretary Sherman, he
would be a target for OblOquy and vitu-
peration, and that being red-headed and
given to drink, and on file upon various a6i-
dayits, some of 1t would hit him. But we
can imagine him going forth boldly like one
who has been selling Truth short and bearing
the market, and is now ready to deliver.
81 CO." he says to the Night Ed
itor pro tenn. whom he leaves in
eharge-"I go to drag up drowned Honor by
"the locks bleeding country asks, What
:" is truth As a Night Editor and a Super
"vIsor, who has probably the largest assOrt-
"ment of it on hand that was ever brought out
@ of I.nnis1ann | 90 10 answer. Trnth crushed