The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-03
SENATORIAL SAFEGUARDS.

"The Gods are Just and of our pleasant
vices make Instruments to scourge IL"
Ii was not hard to foreSee what the re-
Mlt OF the Oliver-t ameron suit would
be if submitted to an intelligent jury. In
FACT but for rule that Judge Cartier
nys he has followed for fifteen years.
10 let all cases in which there is particle
Of evidence for the prosecution go to the
Jury, he must have thrown the case out
oil court when the plaintiffs rested. The
Enit will only rank among causes cclebrrc
by reason OF the prominent position of
Che defendant and the utterly shallow
and stupidity managed plot devised and
carried out by the plaintiff. But in the
progress OF the trial some developments
have been made which give rise to retlec-
tions The wisdom If the elder Weller
in advising his son Samuel to "bcvare Of
vidders' becomes apparent, whether these
widows are grass-widows, widows by
brevet, or the genuine, lawful relict Of
defunct husband. Again it is a caution
to all men, but to old men particularly,
20 go slow in their dealings with women
whose good character is not well cstab-
hshed, and particularly with those
whose antecedents are a little off color.
There is a large, and, it is sad to be-
Heve, an increasing class of women in
this country who have nothing to lose,
but everything to gain, by involving
guileless men in their wanton meshes.
They lay in wait for men of means and
position, and particularly for statesmen.
Perhaps the patriot is more liable to
their wicked destinations than any other
class. As a general thing his vast intel
lect is heavily taxed in running caucuses
and looking after the welfare of his par
ty, his party friends and himself, and in
the hours of relaxation, which become
imperative, he is too apt to seek solace
in high proof whisky and amatory pleas,
ures.
This view of the subject throws light
on the testimony of Mr. Riddle in
the Oliver-Cameron case. Mr.. Riddle is
Washington lawyer Of eminence, who
was employed by the plaintitfto conduct
the pecuniary negotiations with Mr.
Cameron, and who succeeded in making
the chaste old statesman pay 81 900 to be
let alone But when the brevet widow
wanted Mr.. Riddle to act as her attorney
to bring suit against the Senator, he say.
he told her: II can have nothing to dc
with any matter in which Senator i.
concerned, for my hands are full of tha
kind of business" And he specified two
or three cases of q delicate Senatorial
nature that he had on his hands at tn,
time. Aud he intimated in answer to
question by Gen. Butler that the season
wasn't unusually good for that kind o
Senatorial wickedness either-nothin!
more than an average crop. 1t was onl.
few years ago that a young and bril-
liant statesman was beguiled into indis
cretions of u delicate nature at Lon
Branch and in New York hotels, and hi
reputation was made to suffer thereb
grievously; and his constituents wer
wroth, and after retiring him to privat
life few years, have sent him back t
see if he wouldn't do better next time
Other cases might be cited, but these ar
enough to warrant the organization of
"Society to Protect American Statesma
from Female Temptations" The A. 5
would then be able to give his entire el
ergies to the public service. He woul
be relieved from constantly mountir