Daily Republican., 1879-04-02
rns,Pisk rasv nsend Bu.Ins.s.

EhoPisk Tessnsend Bustnass.
The Fisk Townsend affair beyond
the mere matter OF defalcation Of some
5000 has created q feeling amongst
the legal fraternity, Of Georgetown es-
pecially, that is not 50 easily2 allayed,
a. the reputation and standing of two
OF the aeading members of the bar of
SUISSE. county became involved in the
whole dishonorable business. In q
political point Of view the fight is none
of ours, and we could With some degree
Of comp laeency afford to look on and see
the warning factions like the Kilkenny
ats swallow each other Up, but for the
sake of honesty ard decaacy in State
government, the whole disreputable
programme Of the appointment Of Town
send to any sffice and keeping him
there after he h ad shown his utter un-
fitness for the place, deserves the rep
rotation Of every man, woRan and
child in the State regardless Of political
affiliations.
When Fisk Townsend was appointed
to the place, his intemperate habits
were we'll knswQ aad none knew of
.L,,., l,%to, +bo >, hi, curat;os uh N ,EIar
wards were the first TO turn against
him and wanted him removed Even
when he was clerk of the House ic
LS75, his habits were SO disgusting that
chose who elected him We're ashamed of
their action before the session was over,
and even Governor Cochran, who was
at ti4ft time commencing his guberna-
torial term and was much in Dover,
could ,Eot but have known OF his utter
unfitness for any Office of trust or ,espon-
bility. .Eut unfortunately with the
Democracy, drunken carousals are in
favor, ann instead of being reprobated
and frowped upon as they should be,
they are too often a recommendation
for appointmaat to office. 1t is hard to
see how any other result could have
been expected ia the case Of Townsend,
aud yet strange 40 say when he was ap-
pointed, be found no trouble to get de-
cent responsible uen to go on his bond !;
men who stood high in social and re-
ligious circles; one Of them DR.. Richards
having for many years figured as the
leading ohaes of the Sussex County
Bible Society. The simon pure Demo
cracy Of Townsend was his great re-
Gommondat on. lie was carpet bag
ger, it is true, thing Democrats al
ways despise unless it serves their pur-
,,oses well, but then h, was an original
rampant secessonist, and that cover
ed q multitude of sins in tho eyes OF
the Sussex county Democracy, and then
1t must not be forcOtten that he loved
whiskey. These sterling recommends
tions could not be overlooked, and
hence We find Cr. Richards and other
good Democrats 90 upon the bond Of
this burning and shining light Of Dem
ecracy, the newly appointed clerk of
the Peace Of Sussex codn!y We are
not surprised that at the end Of
two years, the sureties became restive
under their responsibility and laid the
case before the Legislature asking 70 be
released. The whole history OF the
case there is well known to our readers.
1t was decided by that body that Town.
send was utterly unfit for the Office, but
then he was such good Democrat that
they could not bsar the idea Of remov-
ing him, and left the case witha the
Governor to act in it according to his
discretion. The sequel we have, Of
this indulgence, Townsen poclieting
$4,000 of the county's funds and going
off on glorious drunk, and being ar
rested as 4 common drunken bUmmer
in Philadelphia, with a $1,000 draft in
his pocket for the money belonging to
the county. Under these circumstances
the anxiety Of the sura.es ceases to be
wondered at. Drunkenness and de-
Lauchery in the crooked Clerk were al
lowable, but the certainty Of losing a
little money oueAel the Democratic
heart. Townsend's former counsel,
Jacob Moore, Esq, ex-State's Attorney
leading Republican, ard CLtrles NJ
Cullen, Esq, a leaoing and higil-mind
ed Democrat, had ceasel TO be his at
torneys long ago, and were entirely
disconnect "a with him when the LeglS
latuie decided his Gaze hopeless. !
seems now, hoaever, ly reading let
ter in the "Every Evening" from
Georgetown, that DR.. Richar,s, one o
the suretjes, gave publicity to the ie
port that th's- two prominent lawyer
name, we're in collusion with Town
send, because when Richards went t
Moore for advice the latter asked hin
what fee he wou.d give in the case t.
be made sure Of losing no money. This
report has done great injustice to thos,
two emine.t attorneys, who have a!
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