National Republican., 1878-12-18
DEMOCRATIC CONSISTENCY.

The Democrats attempt TO be law unto
themselves under all circumstances. When
the present and preceding Congress met
of Representatives that body inauguratcd
an almost numberless series of investigations
of Republican officials The committees
were appointed, and almost without excep-
tion they entered upon the work before
them with closed doors. The investigations
were mere secret inquisitions, where the ac-
cused parties, or those being pursued, were
not permitted TO be present TO insist upon
proper observance of the rules of evidence,
or to protect themselves with rebutting tes-
timony. The doors were tiled with faithful
guardian to protect the sanctity and sccresy
Of the place. Witnesses, trained to the SER
vice, so far as that was feasible, were ex-
amined, and the testimony given was re-
corded or excluded, as the ends in view
and the caprice of the inquisitors seemed 10
dictate. Everything was secret, er pdrte,
and cruel in the proceedings instituted, and
Republican reputation was damaged and
! slaughtered, so far as that end could he
reached, without an opportunity for rebuff
tai, explanation, or defense.
This is the fourth session in which secret
Investigations have been pursued by the
Democrats, clothed with hyena-like
spirit, and in violation of every principle OF
equity, fairness aud justice; ard with them
the end IL not yet, for these inq uisitions
are now in almost daily session for the pur-
pose of smirching some Republican OIL
| cial without hearing or defense, and
up to tins time without conviction Of NAL
ieasance or corruption in Office in solitary
instance. Now the boot is drawn upon the
other foot. The Democrats have been de-
tccted in the open violation of the consti.
tuition and the laws in nearly every South.
crn State Of the Union, and Senator BLAINE
calls for an investigation. The Democrats
fearing that their own inquisitorial medi
cine may be commended to their lips, sud
denly discover that all such investigations
should bc conducted with open doors
Senator BUTLER, upon whose hands th'
blood of the Hamburg massacre is scarcely
dry, demands that the investigation shal
be conducted openly and not inquisitOrally
and his party in the Senate backed his de
mand unanimously; but rs the DcmOcrat
have not yet u majority in tn,
Senate, BUTLER's motion was lost
Pending the discussion Senator BAY
ARD insisted that the plan pro
posed for closing the doors and hold
secret nquests are un-American and ol
l fensive to his sensc of fairness, when on th
very day of this pous uttcrance scycra
Democratic inquisitiOns were in full blast Il
the other end of the Capitol Senator kEI
! NAN was then seized with the sudden idc
that the system OF taking testimony il
courts Of justice had ever been with Ope
doors, when at the same time his part
: were running inquisitions MS cruel and un
Just as ever marked the bloody history &
l Spain. lie seemed to forget that the court
of justice initiate criminal proceeding by
I grand jury, which takes testimony and dc
Iiberates in secret. We do not raise thi
point so much TO antaSonizc the Democrat
propositions as to show how utterly incOr
sistent the Democrats are in this instance
Guided by no principle or rule of action
l they propose 10 do in the Senate just til
c reverse OF what their COparcCners are the
doing in the other branch of the law-mab
4 ing power, where they have u majority