Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-28
Aa1lcaster frltelligenrer.
MONDAY EVENING, NOV. %. 1881.
Phillips to Gibson.

MONDAY EVENING. NOV. %. 1881.
Phillips to Gibson.
Tie star route prosecut ions have been
a disjointed and poorly managed affair
throughout. Even were it conceded
that an honesty of purpose inspired all
who are formally on record on the side
of the government in these suits, they
seem to be divided by jealousies and
their councils distracted by an utter
lack of the harmony necessary to suc-
cess Mr.. MacVeagh and Mr.. James no
doubt started with common purpose
and good understanding, and apparently
had full authority to proceed to the
uttermost and to employ all the agencies
necessary to effect the punishment of
the offenders. Long since it has been
apparent that there has been some dis
cord among these various agencies, If
not some misunderstanding between the
postal department and that of justice,
and between both and the department Of
criminal prosecutions in the District.
For the failure of the indictments within
the proper time to escape the operation
of the limitations statute, resulting in
the miscarriage of the information
proceedings, there was q divided
responsibility, by the force of which
COrkhill was able to escape &C
countability TO public opinion, in a
measure at least, by plainly showing that
he had been so far distrusted by the gov
ernment's $ counsel as to have no control
of the cases and no responsibility for
their failure. Mr.. MacVeagh quits
the cabinet in manner which very
plainly shows his lack of confidence in
those who shOIld have cO-Operated with
him the counsel seem to he working on
different lines ornOt working at all and
now when Gibson puts his report and
compilation of the case into print, ap-
parently trying to clear his skirts of an
ticipatel failure of the prosecution, he
is discredited by the. present head OF the
department of justice, and made to
appear as all irresponsible and imperti-
nent metldler in business in which he
has no concern. Mr.. Gibson'S peculiar
detective skill, his long service in un-
earth:ns just such frauds rs these in
Was.lin3tHi, and the notoriety Of his
employment by Mac Veagh, are ample to
give all the credibility and authority to
his report, which the public need. But
the present acting attorney general, find
ing no record of his appointment or of
his legal qualification, cannot recognize
him or his work, under the statutes, rs
he has presented his report. For this
failure 10 have Mr.. Gibson duly yqualitied
the responsibility seems to rest with
MacN.:,yi. who has not yet cleared him
miscar,ivd indictments.
Vixen it was limited in the New
York Hc.uld the other day that
Gibsohs authority was not recognized
10y the department and therefore this
report WAS either III impertinence by
him or !, forgery 10y some one else,
thesa nutgiviEgs were regarded simply
as Il part of the desperate devices
of the thieves, cmbsldened by the restOr.
alton oi StalwartiSm in the person of Mr.,
Arthur, who gave cciot to the New York
dinner 10 Star Reuter- Dorsey. But now
that the attorney general pr" tem. rules
Mr.. Giison out and there Are cited Mr.
MacNeagi,'s letter to Bliss, ami the stat
ute directing assistant attorneys to take
the oatl.-whicli Gibson did nOt-the
strongest :,rr..iyuaent of the thieves has
to be rejected for informality and they
are correspondingly happy. Mr.. Gibson
can 10 doubt make his report as u g de-
tective." or "agent.' if he chooses moi
to stan.i on punctiliousAess. Or he Can
make it over the name of " Assistant
AttcrEty" Bliss, who, @le says, approved
it. But in securing what seems to be al
official snuh Of Gibson, the men whom
he is cunning for congratulate them
selves upon having helped theil
case. Doubtless even this advan
tagc will ail to convince the
people that there is 10 he no punish
ment Cor the men who We're the "best
workers = Of the Republican party, who
when personally appealed to 10y Mr.. Gar
field opened their purses filled with gov.
ernment plumber and gave freely tC
corrupll: carry Indiana, and who, after
the battle, were honored by the Dorse y
dinner liz New York, wlIeTeat the pres
ent president sat the most distinguished
member of the party and unbiushingly
commended the vile means by which the
guest ui The occasion had contributed Ia
Republican success.
In the Wrong Place.
Perhaps the priSOn-kccpers would do;
wise thing if they would ask the COVER