New-York tribune., 1879-02-01
CREEPING 1LONG.

The Potter Committee has delegated five
of its members TO come to New-YoIk aud
take testimony respecting the CIPHER plot
This is Il highly improper proceeding. Inc
whole ease Ought to lee tried at the National
Capital. the point to which the country looks
for pOlitical news, where the facilities for dis
spminating intelligence OF the Committees
proccedings are most complete, and the sur
roundiugs are most favorable to IA thorough
and c0murcheuSlve inquiry. In New-IOrk
the subcommittee will be encompasScd
by the distractions and turmoil Of a great COM
mcrcial metropolis winch never fixes It's attcn-
ton long upon any one subject. In Washing
ton the investigation would have been watched
by a Congress full of acute political observers
familiar with the ground over which the Com
mittee has to travel, and by representatives
Of all tie most important newspapers III the
United States. Nowhere could II obtain so
many side lights upon the mystery as in
Washington, and nowhere could it so easily
give publicity to its discoveries.
What is the object of coming to New-York
l. it 10 spare the feelings of McSsrs. Iiden
and Marble! The Committee viii not avow
a purpose to do that. Other witnesses, not
suspected of any wrong, have been sum,AOned
to the Capital; it is hardly decent that the
extraordinary Difference OF personal visit
should he paid by the court to those men,
and those only, who have been smirchod by
the scandal submitted for investigation. They
should be called to Washington just as others
have been, and as Others, doubtless, will be-
Is it the purpose of the Committee 10
avoid the keen, bright sunlight of publicity
10y escaping from the conspicuous eminence OF
the National Capital to the hustle of Broad
way, as "A man who is hunted hides from pur-
suit by plunging into the midst of Il crowd!
Publicity is what the Democratic party pro-
fesses TO desire above all things il Is what
the friends of the principal defendant declare
tnat he desires. Ii his interests are to be con-
suited, why do they not set hIm up on an open
height, where he can have his vindlcatlOn in
view of all the world !
j. it, finally, the fact that the visit to New
York is only another development of the policy
of delay which the Democrats have pursued so
faithfully ever since this hateful duty was
forced upon Them That they are in mortal
fear of these ciphcrS nobody can doubt. The
dispatches have been translated and published
now for more than three months. They were
in the possession of the anti Republican mem
bcrs of the Committee months before they
reached TIE TRIBUNE. They had been
taken from the telegraph company for a
legitimate public use. But the majority
of the Committee was determined not to let
them be put to that use it was afraid to use
them Mr.. UIscOck, in this state of things,
did his duty mantuly and sensibly. He took
efftctnal measures to force the publication
which the majority wished to prevent; and
! since THE TRIBUNE. 10y its treatment of the
| Oregon matter and i'll other ways, had
manifested "a more lively interest i'll the
ease than most of its contemporaries,
the dispatches were sent to Us. Mr..
IIiscOck performed an important public
service III thus compelling the disclosure, and
he should receive the need OF praise which
he has fairly earned. Defeated in the at
tempt to suppress the dispatches. the Demo-
crats-Or ut least a portion of them-are ap-
parenty now trying to ruin the investigation
by delay, consuming weeks in unnecessary
plelimnaries and side issues, and irreleyan-
cies. that the 4th of March may oyertake