The daily gazette., 1880-09-10
SECOND EDITION.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE" "TRI-
BUNE" TO DISTINGUISH IT
SELF

SELF.
From the N. Y. World, Sept. 8, 1880.
The New York Tribune said ON the
2Sth of February, 1873, in the courase Of
q contemptuous article on the 90 called
'resolutions of censure," in which the
House took refuge from its plain judicial
duty. We invite the tribune to repro
dnce that article now. IL runs thus:
From the N. Y. Tribune, February. .8, 1873.
"They found the pris ,ner in the high
way, rummaging,the pockets of his dead
within, tried HIM for murder In the first
d, gree and found him guilty of-breach
Of the peace. That is about the nature
Of 1t. IL would be work of superero-
CATION to allude in this connection to the
paTturition of the mountain on the birth
OF the ridiculous mouse. Whoever has
IT ad the action of tie House on the great
Credit MObilier cases has been invOlun-
Iarily reminded of all that already. Never
had trial or Investigation SO weak and
| illogical an outcome; never was verdict
30 utterly out of relation with the gravity
OF the OffeDse and the bearing Of the evil
drnce. H. .NI
"Take the case Of Oakes Ames. What
was charged against him? No more or
less than bribery. Not an attempt at
bribery, but actual bribery-a consum-
mated and compl te ofiense. 1t was this
that the commit e W IS sent out to inves-
tigate; IL was This for which he was tled
a tor which the committee, after a
tender-footed inquiry that held the case
al arms leugtb, .shiyering at every step,
recommended bis expulsion. II was up
OH his own confession in writing that he
intended the distribution of the stock to
influence the men who received 1t, by
making 1t "for their interest 10 look into
the law" that he was convicted. 1t was
either bribery, to be punised with expul-
tempt. lift was censurable, II was more
than that. The committee had sufficient
| ly belittIed the traiiaction AID exposed It's
own weakness and timidi.y in the absurd
report that Oakes Ames was guilty OF
bribery, but that no oIe had been bribed
the House belittled even that, whiting
it down to a more silly and inconsequent
conclusion by accepting the verdict OF
guilty and resolving only that absolutely
condemned The briber who had bribed
nobody. Was ever anything more
ridiculous? The mauLer and the circHm-
Stances of the distribution prove it beyond
question to have been done with corrupt
motive. did need Mr.. Oakes Ames's
ungrammaiical explanation over his
own signature to convince the most
casual observer of that.
"The men who received it were not
fools or blind. They knew the tenor Of
the transaction; could not help knowing
that this gift for It hardly had the thin
disguise of an investment--was for an
object and with a purpose. The testi-
nony need not be recapitulated to con-
vince the reader OIL that head. 1t II
fresh in tile memory of the people, an(
hat impression of 1t is distinct aEd clear
Ii Ames was guilty so were all the rest
rhe committee saved the others and pui
all the guilt on Ames. The House wen
still more softly over it and saved Anne:
from all except the two words absolute
ly condemned;' No other penalty, moth
ing but words, and very empty, fabby
wordsat that. The attempt to express milo
disapproval of the conduct of the mel
bribed, and who have in consequence
entangled themselves in such maze o
contradictions, was voted down and the
| IOlduu NOmlILoG uloCuhEScus III
House has absolutely condemned Oake'
Ames-for what? For nothing in tht
world that we can see but disclosing hi:
object. lfthere is any warning II. it fol
future bribers Of Congressman and cor
rupters of public servants, it is that they
be more guarded in their confidenta
communication. For CongressmeI
themselves there is no warning what
ever.
GAS to Mr.. Brooks, his case differed
entirely from that of Mr.. Ames. Ht
was guilty of violating an express stat
ute, and of using his official position fol
purpose of blackmail. Absolute con
demnation' Of such an offense is abou
like reprimand from the bench fol
hi yhway robbery. 1t has the merit
however, of being entirely consistent
with the weak and meaningless actor
of the House upon the whole matter
"Congress having failed to punish the
offenders and vindicate its own dignit,
and honor, the case goes now to th'
people,"
The people will pass upon it in No
vember next. The mills of God grint
slowly, but they grind exceeding small
/