New-York tribune., 1878-07-13
TuF .rTEypT TO "RUIYr WEBBRR

THE ATTEMPT TO "RULN'' WEBER.
Mr.. +. L. Webber the latest Louisiana con-
tortionist, is quite right. 1t rarely happens
that witness cOmprehends so thoroughly the
purpOse of an investigation into which ne mas
been dragged 80 reluctantly aud unWllllngy'
and becomes so suddenly and completely I'M
bued with the spirit Of his examiners. MANI
fegtly Mr.. Webber knows as we'll as any oil the
Committee what the Butler-late POtter-Com-
mittee is for, why it was constituted as 1t ls'
and the precise scope which the Democratic
Congress meant to give the inquiry. lie was
consequently quite right IN resentng UoV-
ernor Cox's underhanded and infamous at
tempt to extort from him through
brutal cross-examination something that
had the similitude of truth and the Color
of a fact Governor Cox's conduct In
the matter cannot be defended. IL can
only be viewed as an insdiOus attempt to
enlarge the scope Of the inquiry and get
from Mr.. Webber things that MIR. NeDDer olu
not expect to say, and that the majority oil the
Committee had no idea of calling upon nm 10
say. Just consider for moment the Deasth-
ness of this business. Here was weber,
most reluctant witness, who had volunteered
TO come forward-fOr the Committee had no
power to compel him to testify--wth the state-
ment made under all the sanctions ana SOIem-
mites of an oath, that previous statements
which he had made under similar sanctions
and solemnities were deliberate and unqualified
lies. Now the investigation was set on foot 10
bring out Just such testimony, and not permit 1t
to be contradicted or discredited; the party that
started it.wanted Mr. Webbor to testify that
L., IA wanted
him to do it with just rs much reluctance
az he could command. Notwithstanding
which Governor Cox is permitted 10 ask
tEe witness questions which, though APP
parently civil and courteous in themselves,
were plainly calculated to draw out answers
which would convict the witness OF lying.
Is it any wonder that Mr.. Webber resented
with some spirit line of questioning which,
as it led him squarely up TO an admission oil
previous perjuries, was obviously foreign TO
the purpose of the inquiry What could be
more natural than for this reluctant witness,
after being tangled in a maze OF contradlc-
tons, and admitting peljuries enough to satisiy
any reasonable cross-examiner, TO turn upon
his tormenter with this outburst of patriotic
Indignation: "You Republicans could use
"use US on the stand to swear to
any kind of a lie you wanted, in order to
" support and sustain you now that you can
"not use me as your tool, you propose to ruin
"mer 1t was q scathing rebuke. Governor
Cox must have felt it. He evidently did, Tor
the report SAYS that he fastened to disclaim
any such motive, and said he only wanted to
give the witness an opportunity to Vlndlcate
himself. This, however, will hardly do. The
fendish purpose TO ruin Webber stands out
clearly through the whole crOss-examlnauon'
Else. why did Governor Cox, after Webber
had frankly described his previous peTJurleS'
continue TO prod him with questions which
the most casual observer cannot help seeing
csnyeved doubt of Webber's veracity. 1t
can hardly be claimed that Governor
Cox was merely endeavoring to get from
the witness more precise information as
70 which of his sworn statements he
meant TO have believed; he was too search
ing in his inquiries for that. No. we
fear it is too true that the object was to lead
him around through the labyrinth of his lying,
and so confuse him in the mazcs of his own
mendacity that be could not tell definitely
which of the lies he Intended to stick to, or
which he intended to take back. Webber dis
cerned the plan and its diabOlical intent, and
with his legs all tangled up in the snares of
the adversary, cried out in anguish that there
WAS plot TO ruin him. That cry startled the
country. Governor Cox stands before the
whole world to-day with the stamp on his
brow of the man who attempted to ruin Web
ber. CThats too long a stamp for the brow
of even a very bald-headed man, but Mr..
Charles Francis Adams will presently con-
dense il in some shorter phrase conveying the
same meaning, which will just fit) 1t IS a
great comfort to think, though, that Governor
Coxs Vaccinations cannot succeed. He can
not ruin Webber. Nay, more: nobody can
ruin Webber.
And now let us have an end of this trifling
with witnesses who have volunteered to be
reluctant, and to say under oath that what
they have said under oath before WAS false.
Mr.. Webber and the other Louisiana witnesses
should be permitted to choose out of their
own unrivalled collection of lies the particular
lies which, in the interests of this investiga-
ton, they desire to have believed. To follow
them up with cross-examinations and prod
them with inquiries, the only object of which
is TO confuse them in their selection, and cast
doubt on their sincerity as patriots and their
integrity as men, is wholly foreign to the pur
pose of the Committee and irrelevant to the
business in hand. The Committee should re-
spond at once to Webbers appeal for protec-
ton. After that careful and judicious person
has made his choice as TO which of his lies he
means to stick to, no member of the
| Committee should be permitted to brow
beat him out of his position or ask him
questions intended to ruin him. The scope
of the inquiry must not be enlarged. Great
care has been taken in receiving testimony to
| oon6na II IN ono side of the nuestion Tho