The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-08-01
THE JAcKALs OF THE PRESS,


Expose of the Lies They Have sent
Out From Here About the Star
Route Cascs--riicir Lies About the
Prosecuting Counsel and The Prcsi-
dent Arc Frozen Truth When Com
pared 10 the Lies They Have Told
About the Defendants.
During several weeks prior TO the appear
ance OF Walsh as witness In the Star-Routo
case, Washington correspondents OF that order
who mako the greatest professions OF caudor
and independence, sent out to tho coun-
Try, day after day, reports, rumors and
scandals Intended to convey tho impression
that, by direction, or at the intlmation
Of tho President or others high In authority,
tho prosecution in the present case was con-
Quoting the matter In manner which would
DO sure to result in acqulttal. In other cases
the charge was made openly. one correspond
emit, who has the reputation OF being sensa-
tional rather than reliable, and vindictive
rather than impartial, recently asserted that
President Arthur is as anxious to see his friends
In the starhonto conspiracy escape punish.
never was an indication that General Garfield
desired tho Star.Route conspirators to escape
the punishment SO there Is nothing 70 show
desire. For some weeks the assumption
that the prosecution had selected Its weak-
est case Tor ,riai, airord l .ho scandal
gestod many versions and as many falsehood5.
Walsh was not called before the Grand Jury
because his Testimony would impllcate Repub.
lieten to Walsh's testimony. 1t was presented
In detail, but tho Jury failed to md an indict.
gust OF the prosecution. The eossips were
equal to the emergency. All sorts OF stories
were devised for the occasion. One was that
threatened to resign II this matter was pushed.
Another was that no bill was found because
Colonel Bliss 80 conducted the examination as
who sent them out to the press must have
known that they were absurd and probably
without foundation. But mo one. took the
pains to put these sensations to the test before
sending them out TO the country. 1t does not
seem to these men that thore can be any
injustice In ussailing tho character and mo.
yes q public 9cias y seems
provocation for the misrepresentation of pub
lie officers, particularly Republicans. The In
dependent correspondents appear to BIO suffer.
Ing from ono OF those periodical attacks OF
malice which they would have tho public
accept as the quintessence OF virtue aud can
well epiced with scandal, and show that all the
s. world except themselves Is determined to be
bad, they are satisfied. Truth is condemned
because anybody can tell 1t.
The revelations OF the past two weeks have
proved to tho country the utter falslty OF the
reports published 10 the detriment OF tho pros
ecution and the Administration In connection
with the Star Route trial.
On their face they are preposterous. If the
Republican authorities had Intended sham
for q trial. would they have called such
prominent Democrat and well-known lawyer
as Mr.. Merrick to assist In the trial and thus
BIO made familiar with the duplicity intended?
II Is scarcely probable. Indeed, there is noact
OF the prosecution thus far that furnishes an
iota OF evidence to show that the Admlnistra-
tion desires tho acquittal of those who arc
guilty OF a conspiracy to defraud the Govern
ment. 1t Is clear assumption from the begin
ming; and for the most part these assumptions
are malicious falsehoods and not the candid
statements they claim TO be.-Boston Journal