The Portland daily press., 1882-12-02
The Star Routes Again.
Hartford Cour ant.


In connection with the star route trials,
President Arthur has taken action which will
attract much attention and exert very whole
some influence in Washington. He has ordered
the removal of five office-holders who have ex-
erted their influence in favor of the star route
criminals The charges against them were
made in letter Of George Bliss, government
counsel in the star route cases and approved by
Acknowledgement Brewster. The cabinet
unanimously approved the Presidents actis
Mr. Bliss says that Colonel Henry, U. S. mi
shall for the district, is clearly in sympathy
with the defendants, having, during the last
trial, abused the government counsel and de-
clared that the government had no case. How
| far the marshal is responsible for the selection
of jurors we cannot say, but no man acquainted
with the district and desiring conviction
would ever have selected such jury as that
which heard the last case.
d. B. Anger, postmaster of Washington,
and his assistant M. NJ. Parker, are charged
bonds of certain contractors During the late
trial Anger wrote a letter over his own sigma
ture to paper in Michigan, in which his name
| appears as proprietor, 1enouncing the prosecu
tion and declaring that the government had
/ no case. M. D. Helm, in charge of the Con.
| gressional Record, at the government printing
effice is also the responsible editor of the Crit
| ic, daily evening paper, owned by rout-
| ers, which has been grossly abusive of the
| court aud everybody connected with the prose
| Gu ion.
George E. Spencer, ex-senator of the United
| States from Alabama, is man of whom better
| thugs we're expected aud believed. His Office
/ is that of government dirv ctor on the Pacific
railroad. He was duly summoned witness il
| the last case, but did not appear, and it was
| impossible to find him.
There probably has not been since the form
| alton OF the national government more auda
| cious and shameless pundering of the treasury
nor one panied by more amazing impu-
dence of defense, and not defense me rely bu;
bull ing couhter-assaul, as this star route con-
/ truveVsy has exhibi ed from the beginning.
The chief criminals are dead as Julius Caesar
| in public opinion, bat they have lot vet heard
| prison doors locked upon them as they deserve,
ana possibly some Of them may not hear il
| The statutes of limitations had good start III
| their favor before the department of justice
was at work. Witnesses ara scattered over the
| routes to the Pacific shore; some are dead, and
| others are kept out OF sight. So much severe,
continuous and far-reaching labor was never
| done in any other case by government prosecu
| tors. Yet the government under either Gar
| field or Arthur, has never had credit for being
Sin dead earnest," as Mr.. Bliss puts it, aud TO
| bear most OF the newspapers published in
Washington, one would suppose that the fraud,
audacity and injustice were all on the side OF
| the government against publc-spirted and
| honorable ctizens.
President AIlhur's action is in accord with
| his uniform feeling since he became president.
| He has simply done exactly right.
Tue usual mischievous attempts will be
made to create capital against The administrs-
| Iion by representing the Presidents action as
| directed against this, that or the other promi-
nent politician. II is direc ed against crime,
aud nobody can afford to resist it.