The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-07-06

Butler before JenkS-Nobodg HNrt-The
Countrys Scandal-Hints to the AdminiS-
tration.
WASHINGTON, D, c., June 90, 1873.
During the testimoney before the Potter
Committee, Mrs. Agnes jerks has shown
sublime heights of self-complacence, impu-
dence and wit She has kept General But
Ter waltzing three days out of possible four,
and she has conducted herself like shrewd
and brilliant lawyer and he like clumsy
and embarrassed witness. She snatched his
questions out of his mouth before they were
fairly uttered and returned them to him
like so many boomerangs, always bringing
peal of laughter as she boxed the red ears
of the "august committee" This country
has never before witnessed just such spec
tacle. Mrs. jerks told just exactly what she
pleased, and no more-that she "dictated"
the "John Sherman" letter; that it paci-
fed Anderson; that Anderson, whom Sat-
urday she described as "a magnificent and
sublime scoundrel," was good enough
don't you say anything against him." that
tated :" she would lose her hand first She
has exhibited nonchalance and readiness
very seldom exhibited on the witness stand,
and succeeded in bluffing and bantering
Butler till his head swan. And it is odd
that this female politician of the worst sort,
so agile, so impudent, so cross, so unscrupu-
lous, so alert and expert, so cunning in eva
sion and severe in repartee, quick as streak
of lightning and with unlimited ''cheek'
and dip" is not an American at all, but an
Englishwoman, born i'll Glasgow about-a
good many years ago.
1t may be said of all the oral evidence
taken as yet in the Louisiana investigation
that it is untrustworthy. Anderson was not
credible on oath neither is Captain" jerks
nor his interesting wife, Mrs. Agnes D..
jerks. Neither will the estmable kellogg
be when he comes to be examined nor Pack
ard, nor Pinchback, nor any of them. No
body of any party seriously believes or has
believed or would believe word they say.
When jerks contradicts Anderson, but ad-
mits that he has long been his intimate
friend, it makes one laugh. And so when
Mrs. jerks says she wrote the so-called
Sherman letter, there is still as much doubt
as ever whether any such letter is in exist
ence. No rational person spends minute
irving to reconcile their stories. If they had
produced no documents the time spent on
them would have been wholly wasted.
What the investigation is doing is not fast
ening guilt on any person not hitherto sus-
pected, or revealing any flaw in the Presi-
dents title, but letting the world know what
kind of people they were who had charge of
the State government and worked the politi-
cal machine from 1868 to last year. To say
that their manners and morals, and the
stories they tell of each other, read like a
chapter of jail-yard gossip, and that every
one of them ought to be in the penitentiary,
is putting the case mildly. 1t is no eXag-
geration to say that it was an awful thing
to have left the government of a civilized
community in such hands so long, and
lamentable and alarming that the scamps
should have been able to palm themselves
off so long on good people of our country as
suffering friends of the black man.
A statement that General Butler is going
home in about two weeks, "to look after his
political interests" has set some ofthe north
ern papers to discussing what his political
interests are, in view Of his recent perform
ances in Congress and in the Potter commit.
tee. 1t may be safely asserted that they are
the interests of Ben. Butler-frst, last, and
all the time.
1t is hoped that President Hayes will not
permit another occasion of publicly reward
ing the testifying Anderson. One of the
duties most grateful to the mind of our Chief
| Magistrate should be the selection of citizens
most prominently known for civic virtues
and for high moral worth, for the purpose
of dignifying them with suitable positions
| in the public service, and as a proper stimu-
liant to Presidential aspirations in the mind;
| of Young America. Unlike the late lament
| ed George the present distinguished occu'
pant of the White House has not spent hi:
! precious hours in the ignoble persecution o.
the cherry-tree by means of the keen and
aggressive hatchet, but has devoted himsel
exclusively to the onerous duties of his lofty
! office. | doubt not, therefore, that the meed
| of simple justice will not long be withheld
from the distinguished gentleman referred
to, and that as soon as Anderson is released
from the guileful rule of Potter, some fitting
place Of honor may be found, which may b,
gently urged to fill and ornament. ON
place he could certainly fill with honor, th'
position of commissioner to administe
oaths, for which he is eminently qualified
having sworn so much, so often and so vari
ously, that he "knows how it is himself
EDWARD,
ma =