, 1880-03-23
A WASHINGTON SCANDAL.



Tie Democratic scnnte sergeunt.at-
Arms.
Fdnsas Cifp 1Itnts fDtnt.1 Mtrth -,
There aro scandals alNl sca,s1a1s, but the
scnntIni III scnntaNts re.{cctilg oh onr National
Congress crops out III tho Ti.Rcs' special cur
respontleuce this morning, exposing the auto
celcnts Of tho Senate Scrge0ni.at-Ar1ns,
Richard J. Bright {Dcm.) Thu disgrnccfal
chnrgcs 1nadU against Mr.. bright nro as Sc
rolls ami damaging us ever mat!e ngntnst MI
occr of tho United States Senate, nntl, beftg
snbstanlfntetl by transcripts or tho court REQ
ortts of 1nIiana asl af1lslnvts, 1t ts ctear they
cnll neither bc controyertcl nor denied. In
1S7i Mr.. Bright (Denl.) was elected State
Printer In Indiana by the Dcn,ocrAtsi and. IN
rendering his account to tile State before lIe
Ind been six nlo,,ths IN office, hn presented
fraudulent bill III over So 900 for tic purchase
Ut pr1ntttlg-tNtpCr, md uIlUu swurtl voucher
obtained and appropriated the money. Tlle
| frnnI was discovered and exposed. Alr.
tried, and bnrc1y escaped through tho tech,si
cn}i.ies Ut tho law u,M tie cleiMe,,ey Ut Tho
State, iudueea by ills pi!rchnsn arld restor!-
tut to tho State Df over 50, ,000 worth 0f print
frsn tie ptnbIlc treasury TLis Is TIC ease i,
| II nutshell. Invested Ut the Incidental facts
and proceedings which arc reported else
where III this paper.
| luE uIAI "llSEEbS u tllS VifHlNEElAl 3CttAr
t!nl were not lltard III Washington nnsil n
few werks since, and possibly wnuhi 1iaye
altogether escaped public discussion except
for the oA!s!a. Irregularities Of Bright, a',s!
s!ble posi!on to further the lersa1,nl ends Of
corrupt iohl,ersntt! adventures like htmsrlf
Ills sllbsrrriency To Senator Ingalls,. IN dis
| placing the correspondent Of tho Times from
t!rtly lii keeping with Ills eharm.ter w q
fawnIng tool, who wotIld *sucritlcsn u member
Of his own purity ut the tlicsallUn of a
poliitca! opponent, wllilo ut tho same time
tllscfaFpe. mid tic tluiics Of lis aiIlce hatl
been discharged with marked fidelity. Wns
1t because Bright lsat! escaped conviction 1ar
q felony through tlr lux administration hf
lily, rnch resolving 10 ntd and prntcet tho
obligation? sfr. Ingalls, Ind only to s!clnatlt!
md Mr.. Bright to execute. ,RcelprOralty. il
.leieni brjsSt aEaii!st IFS feIo1lioas rseoni II
tion i,s his dssEraeesl II, tlae Senate. 49,.
IL the moral tone Of tho lInised States
hive lnrl sts,lie ugly skeletons silalsrtl ont o
the )r'nncratlc closet; Int tho spectacle, oi
lstcnul i. bright, Of inslian, Iii tho seat Oi
brancll ol tho Government. exccls MI Others
III shAmelesness 4 n'atl whose frnUtls mt
pcrJurles liavn ttlado other plnces Of trust !,
byWortl, should llnye 10 footing III plRccs O
Nattona! honor. The offices bestowed by tll1
Senate arc. in tho nature Of ihlngs. rewards
Of public or purity service, not Of vice. II tht
true prizes for honest and honorable 10 citizen
ship arn withheld from those to whom the,
rfEhtfuly belong nI,tl awarded to lsnHyps mi
nlOnhtebanks, there Is llO usn Iii l,0nest mel
. trying to .cHuIrn them by. bAlneless a,ltl dis
lint party tools and persnnni fayorit'
! Will always be taken cnro of; hui
IT,. - l,Ht expeete,l that honest,
: will bn discounted by corruption, alltt pre-
MUM be plncGit npDr 4 ntNll's capacity FIJI
theft. nieltnclty, md political intrigue
l1riEht's occupancy OF the utl1ty Of Sergpnnt
at-.Arms. tn the light Of hi4, former Utf!cin
record Iii Indiana, Is stalMll!sE reprOnch Il
tho Serate, ny much SO us II hi were coll
victel tlief amt perI,lrer. There are men 0
worth, a,.tl ability, nld lifelong service VII,
stniMl quietly III thu background because liie
with their stlnHges ar1 ltlctet Upon til
pnrty n.Mt tho Treasury Of tho cutntry. 1t,
,rnetce Ii common to htfl IHlrttcs nike; all
, we slall continue 10 strike ut attl OPPOSE Il
, whether the disgrace falls upon lsepal,l1cn
or Democratic shoulders. Uillcea, WllutIc
elective or apppintiyr, should bu tho reward
J" Of luigi ctlaracter, anaesttanc.t lIonesty, an
J capacity. IN put dishonest or i,lferlur me
intn tllB places tint rlghtfully belong
, tl,sn Of thu highest grade IL u crime ugnln:
tho btnte a,lit ngNiIlSt Virtue.