Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-09
Tho Teller Committee.

When member of Congress moves
an investigation into subject of pub
lie concern, it is not to be presumed
that he already possesses the informa-
ton OF which he processes to be in
search, and that he only wishes to use
committee az q convenient agency
for putting it into official form. An
investigation is not like q case in
court, where tho prosecutor secures
the evidence before he opens the
charges it is not a trial at all; it is
simply an inquiry, which does not
presnppose the commission of any
wrong, but only the existence OF q
state OF things respecting which it is
desirable that Congress or the country
should have fuller intelligence. When
Mr.. Blaine, therefore, on the first day
Of the session, called for the appoint.
ment of committee on the Southern
election cases, he did not allege in his
resolution that any fraud or violence
had been committed he did not even
refer to reports of fraud and violence !;
he did not volunteer as q prosecutor
or witness; he merely asked for an
inquiry, and the Senate voted it.
Mr.. Teller and his associates seem
to have misapprehended the position
of affairs when they asked Mr.. Blaine
to tell them what they ought to do,
and to supply them with the evidence
which the Senate instructed them to
look for. They were called together.
not to prosecute, but to find out. Mr..
Blaine very properly reminded them
that the instructions of the Senate.
and not the instructions of the mover
of the resolution, must be their guide
in determining the scope and direction
OF the inquiry. He might have added
that there was no good reason for
assuming that he had private bud.
set of evidence to lay before them, or
any other "facts" than those that are
within reach of every citizen who
reads the newspapers. The transac-
tions which gave rise TO this investi.
cation are notorious. They were not
first brought to light by Mr.. Blaine.
His speech in support of the resolution
only emphasized statements which
have been current all over the North
ever since the election, have been
confirmed by the inquiries instituted
by Northern journals, and practically
admitted by many Of the newspapers
Of the South. Mr.. Blaine is too eau
tious man to repeat accusations or
rumors q. random, and the Committee
did well to ask tor his suggestions
and assistance. But in placing him
by implication in the position of a
prosecutor, and calling upon him to
perform the duties which it has been
commanded to undertake itself, it
made mistake which Mr.. Blaine
courteously aud properly corrected.
The correction was all the more
proper because portion of the press
seems to have fallen into the same
error. Newspapers are calling upon
Mr.. Blaine to "produce his evidence"
and declaring that he had no business
to ask for inquiry unless he was pre-
pared with testimony to convict. The
collection of the testimony is the
business of the Committee. Mr.. Tel
Ter and his brother Senators are not
to sit as High Commission to hear
the statements of opposing parties,
aud make up judgment only upon
such evidence and arguments as rival
advocates may bring before them.
Their duty may be defined to consist
in original research rather than in
weighing the facts collected by other
persons. They are now supplied with
the necessary money to go to work
we are certain that they lack neither
the zeal nor the ability to make a
thorough and impartial investigation.
N. Y. Tribune.