Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-09-08
THAT MORAL SPASIM.

Judge Mercur, of the Pennsylvania
Supreme bench, declared its reporter
that when he was in Congress "he
knew, and everybody else knew, that
Congressman were holding stock in
the Credit Mobilier and nothing was
thought Of it more than would be if
they owned any other property. The
whole trouble arose from the lack of
boldness in the men themselves IL
they had come and declared that they
had the stock, and asked what of it,
nothing would have been thought of
it. But sort of moral sp asm struck
the country at that time, and it was
held to be wrong for Congressmen to
hold OF any kind"
The Philadelphia Ledger thinks that
is mischievous talk for a Supreme
Court Justice in Peaf6ylvania. aMis-
chievous" is emitting it very mildly.
And that Judge Mcrcur should talk
thus only shows how difficult it is for
man to adapt bis ideas to his situa.
tion when the latter happens TO be
more exalted than is naturally becom.
ing TO his mental constitution. Judge
Mercur is naturally politician with
the ideas Of the ordinary grade of that
class Of men. He went right to the
Bench out of the midst Of politics. He
was nominated because he was poll.
tician not because of his repute as q
Judge
Hewentirom Congress to the Bench.
The change of atmosphere was great,
and it is not surprising perhaps that
the Judge has not yet got the better
of the politician. 1t is a severe strug-
gle for Judge Mercur, because he con.
tends against both nature and habit. |
Probably he does not yet realize how
improper the language sounds that he
used to that Chicago reporter, The
Judge, no doubt, was telling the truth |
as be recolected it, and giving his
ideas frankly as be entertained them.
Perhaps we ought not to complain
that he speaks freely what he thinks
but certainly we have a rightto object |
to bis thinking as be does, when be is
Supreme Judge of Pennsylvania.
We can reasonably object to his
belief that no harm was done when
Congressman held Credit Mobilier
stock. Most excellent reasons existed |
why they should not TO say nothing
of the dependence. of the Company |
upon the favor of Congress, it is ad.
mitted by Oakes Ames' sons that il
was formed TO avoid the law which
forbade the Pacific Railroad Company
doing what the Credit Mobilier under.
took to do; and yet the one Company
was but another name for the other.
1t was Company formed to violate
the law, and one which Congress could
prosper or wither. Therefore the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania will not patiently
hear the declaration of q Supreme
Judge of their State that no harm was
done when Congressman took stock in
the Credit Mobiier.
And when Judge Mercur declares
that "the whole trouble arose from the
lack OF boldness" of the implicated
62Pgrf6ssRR"Vn 6aSS seen "Vn6Rsfh 0iTpriP iEGeyTRa
admitted and defended their partici-
patton in the Company, which only |
suffered from "moral spasm" that
"struck the country at that time" the
people may reasonably question whetb-
er it is not nearly time for Judge Mer-
cur himself to become the object of a
similar "moral spasm," that he may
determine by experiment whether
boldncss is the only thing needed to
protect an official whose opinions are
obnoxious to the public sense. The
moral spasm that brought low the
Credit Mobilier Congressman was
based upon the objection of the peo.
pie to being taxed to raise fund for
thieves. Such they held to be the
men who asked public aid to build
railroad to the Pacific as bonefcent
National enterprise, and then invented
o scheme by which they defeated the
law which limited the amount of their
possible profits, and by a contract with
themselves and the purchased favor of
Congress, got money enough from the
Nation TO build the road and took all
its bonds and stock as the profit of
their brazen ingenuity.
Judge Mercur needs TO revise his
notion Of this "moral spasm" if he
wishes to be held in esteem as Judge.
The sentiment of the people upon the
Credit Mobilier matter was omphati.
caly and promptly rendered. 1t is
too strongly founded and too stoutly
held to be ever reversed. 1t is but
kicking against the pricks to essay to
do so, and Judge Mercur forgot the
role Of the politician as well as the
Judge if he rashly uttered what the
Chicago paper says he did about that
"moral spasm." m."-LdncdSter inteliigen-
Ger.