National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-03
THE oLIvER-CANmRoN CASE.

~
Those who watched the progress and de-
velopment OF The OLrvER-CAMERoN trial
with attentive care are not disappointed at
the result. 1t could not, in justice, have
been different from what IL IS II was evi-
IDENTIFY blackmailing affair from beginning
to end, and though it was not clearly devel-
oped as n conspiracy on the part of suffi-
cient number of persons to make it such,
there were indications that others beside
the widow had hand in the scheme, That
there has been forgery and perjury connect
cd with the affair, prior and during the
trial, there is no shadow of doubt. Indeed,
the contradictions and reckless statements
Of the widow and the rebutting testimony
Of Others pending the trial seem to be quite
sufficient to establish the crime of perjury,
while the testimony was ample to establish
the fact that two of the three letters upon
which the action was based are rank for
geries
In the fight made by Mr.. CAMERON to
resist and thwart the purposes of blackmail-
ing him he has exhibited an unusual de-
which is more creditable than any other
feature Of The case. A great majority of
public men would have bled more freely to
evade such scandal rs has been brought
TO his name through this most dcspirnhle
affair. Indeed, he yielded to that resort rs
door Of escape in the first instance but
he found that he had grappled m end
less chain rs an expedient of es-
cape, and then resorted to absolute
resistance, which eventuated in q
suit in court and inevitable exposure rather
than to be victimized any farther than to
the extent of 81 900, which he paid at the
suggestion of counsel, though he protested
that they would not relieve him. In this
Mr.. CAMERON is entitled to the thanks Of
all public men for having brought the case
| to full exposure and the most perfect de-
feat at the hands of jury. No doubt the
court discovered early in the trial the true
character Of the case, and, under ordinary
circumstances, would have granted a non
suit the moment the plaintiff closed her
case; but Judge CARTIER no doubt came
to the deliberate conclusion that the ends
Of justice would be better subserved by q
full development of the defense and ver-
dict at the hands of the jury. This came
and with it full vindication of the de-
fendant, though he must realize the fact
very sensibly, that it is not possible to
handle pitch without being defled.
This case Of an attempt to blackmail q
man in high political and social position
has its parallels in almost every year OF
American history. Some pay dearly for a
door Of escape without public exposure,
while Others defy the attempt and resist
the blackmailers. ALEXANDER HAMIL-
TONS history furnishes case almost
parallel to this. He was guilty Of indis
cretions with woman more glaring tha I
those attending this oLIvER-CADIERos
case, and severe exactions on the part of the
female followed. He resisted, and she fol-
lowed up what she thought to be her ad-
vantage until he met her unreasonable de
mands with pamphlet publication, il
but presented the full case so plainly ant
forcibly that his prosecutor was sent int
public odium, and was forced to relinquisl
her pursuit in the interest OF securing
blackmail from her victim. If every sucl
case was met thus promptly and boldly
these harpies who first entice men to sill
: and then attempt to rob them would b
thwarted in their purposes, and their at
tempts would be less frequent.