Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-08

the courts here, on = motion to quash the
proceedings on the ground, simply speaking,
Of 'no case" The action Of the Govern
ment in coming into court and fling bill OF
information was in order to prevent a defect
Of the suit By plea under the statute Of lin
itafions, which would have certainly been
brought in By the defendants if the case had
been DELAYED until the session of the court in
general term. Now. IL the motion TO quash
the present proceedings il granted. the case
is likely TO default: hence the interest excit.
ed by the points in question.
The information filed rests mainly upon the
record. on file in Congressional Committee
rooms. in the post-offlce department. and up
on the sworn afidavits of few contractors,
and more sub-co3tractors who were interest
ed in these expedited routes. Whether the
records on file will be sufficient TO convict Is
a mooted question.
That they prove that these routes were ex.
pedited enormously there is no doubt. That
there were many persons who too largely ben
Gifted their own pockets by such expedition
there is no doubt: and that many Of these
transaciioas were barefaced and disgraceful
canno, be denied. Still, the chief actors in
this post office drama so adroitly managed
the stage fright word 10 this natter and ar
ranged the side scenes, that it is not impos'
sible ave- il il probable, that prosecution
will fail because, technically construed. these
acts were legally sanctioned. In short they
were legalized frauds.
These very records now brought up to con
Wet Brady and his corfederates, are the very
record. W hich Brady desires to use in his de-
fence as he claims that they show that each
and every act now considered fraudulent OF
unlawful is, by them, proved TO have been
legal. inasmuch they were laid before Con-
gress for its action; passed through pro
lorna at least the usual committee examin-
alton. and finally were sanctioned by Congress
itself.
The only doubt is (and in that doubt exists
a hope) whether the prosecution has IN It's
po..ession better evidence of guilt in and
outside Of these records than Brady ct ais ,
suppose. II, in their search for direct evil
derce they have been more fortunate than
the Iega! fraternity believe, all honest men
will be- rcjoiced But there is the feeling
that the evidence wing to the legalized fraud
action. is indirect and hardly cognizabie in a
court of law Ii SO. then the present motion
will be quashed and, as previously sand, the
plea uudcr the Statute of Limitations will fol-
low Whatever NAV be the result, the action
of Attorney General McVeagh is, to say the
least. discreditable to his reputation as a law
yer, and cowsrdy as a man.
1t seems it has only been by the persistent
effort of Postmaster General James and
President Arthur himself that he has been
kent. so far, from crawling directly out of his
office and letting his subordinates prosecute
these most important cases which he was
most instrumental in institutin2 and having
had published broadcast to the country as
ndictable and punishable crimes.
OFFICE SEEKING.
Owing to the moderate action of the Presi-
dent and his deferring most of his political
action until the meeting of Congress, the class
of public spirited individuals known as office
seekers are fewer now than at any time
within the memory the Oldest inhabitant,
perhaps taking into consideration that this is
as it were, the beginning of an Administra-
ton.
But there is a good time coming. and this
class hope to crowd ia then and get share
of it. f. J. B.