Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-02-28
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 25, 1884.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. %, 1884.
Nothing new has transpired in con-
nection with the investigation into the
methods of the Department of Justice,
but it is said new evidence is to be pro-
duced shortly which will show up the
department in a still worse light than
that already given. 1t seems odd to be
hunting for croOkedness and rOttenness
i'm department created to facilitate
the administration of law and justice,
but it is there. There has not been in
the history of the Government so much
of newspaper criticism, nor so much
absolute public scandal in relation to
the imethods, political and otherwise,
of tn particular department, as there
has been within the past two years. 1t
deals out justice with the strong hand
of Government at its back, to the poor
devil who chances to be caught rifiing
letter at the post Office, and throws its
protecting degis around the thieves
who steal the Governments money by
the millions. 1t sends its emissaries to
the remotest confines of the earth to
gather evidence to convict an impecu-
nious thief who steals dollars worth
of postage stamps, while it compro-
misses with the gigantic public plumber
ers and allows them to go scott free
with the spOils of the Government in
their pockets. 1t sends poor fellow to
the penitentiary for certifying to mile
age in travelling upon Government
duty when he had travelled on a rail-
road pass, while its own officials are
constantly doing that very thing and
aggravating the offense by including
eXorbitant items for hotel-fare, hack
hire and other incidentals. If there is
anything that demands thorough in
vestigation and thorough showing up
before the public, it is the detailed ras-
calities, the mercenary prosecutions,
and the coliusions with the high crim-
inals against the Government that have
recently characterized this mis-named
Department of Justice.
Senator Sherman,is reported as ad-
hitting that the Danville investigation
does not pan out as his committee had
expected and that thus far no credita-
BILE evidence that the anti-electiOn riot
there was premeditated, "but," headds,
''it does show great many things that
are not creditable to Southern civiliza-
tion." This result, we are left to infer,
refreshes and cheers Senator Sherman
so much that he feels richly repaid tor
his labors. "These Universalists be-
lieve that everybody is going to be
saved" said the orthodox old woman,
"but we hope better things Suppose
committee of the House were to GO
out and investigate riot in Ohio,
where riots have been known, and
come back declaring that, although the
investigation did not directly make
capital for the Democratic party, il
showed great many things that were
not creditable to the Ohio system OF
civilization. What on earth has the
United States Senate got to do with the
9 defects of the civilization of Virginia oil
Ohio? If an election to its own body
is suspected to be vitiated by fraud OF
: force, it may inquire into the facts
But that the mere finding of faults
which it can do nothing to mend is fl
| work for the Senate, is an opinion
which Senator Sherman has pretty
! much to himself.
The other outrage committee which
has gone to New Orleans to investigate
Mississippi ''civilization," does not ,ap
q pear to be getting along much better
!, Why don't this committee go on tt
Copiah county? Why stop in New
Orleans? 1t is only on the spot tina
; they can get testimony worth anything
= Those who will go to New Orleans t
: testify win be merely the tools of poll
= ticiahs on either side, men who hav'
!. nothing else to do, and will be glad t.
! make the trip to the city to get tn
e witness fees. Every one of them will
4 be coached by the politicians and will
+ reel off plausible story. Now, If tn
i committee were taking testimony OF
u the spot, they could bring before then
, the quiet, everyday citizen who woul'
,, tell the truth, all the truth, withou
II II coaching. But it is always the wa,
'. with Republican committees in tn
South. PHoNo.