Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-05-21
HOT SHELLS FOR SHELLY,
THE VIII HDRAwAL OF JAMES
BLACKBURN

~~&AOAAA%o NV
For the Fourth Audftorshfp of the |
Treasury ON Account of Disloyal SEM
timsnts Expressed In the Heat OF |
Rebellion.
Special Correspondence Of the Sentinel.
WAsHrSGToH, ID. c., May 18-At
the head of departments where COR
.ruption has Hourished during the past
twenty years, il 10 almost impossible |
for Cabinet officers TO know all that
seCurs i'm their respective official
spheres. That they are responsible
for the official actions of men whom
they have selected to serve as chief of
bureaus, and in other capacities, it is
evident. The responsibility must rest
on the Cabinet officer, certainly, as lit
tie, if any, rests on the chief. In turn,
responsibility rests on the
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Not only as the representative of vic
torious party, but as the Chief Magis-
trate whom the Constitution commands
to "take care that the laws be faithful
1y executed" the people of the United
States hold the President, above all,
responsible. Rascality may occur, it
is true, without his knowledge, but his
failure to be alert, to use an expression,
is "none of the peoples business" They
put him there to guard and promote
the public interests. If, by unfortu-
nate ignorance or mis-judgment, he /
errs in the selection Of subordinates or
Cabinet, he deserves, in the peoples
eye, to suffer rs much as the poor dew
ii who steals loaf of bread under the |
delusion that he has right to escape
from starvation. There is wide dis |
tinetion between the President and |
this poor devil, but no line can be |
drawn when both are guilty of crimes
affecting public morals rather than
upsetting the pillars of law. The
voice of the people may not be effect
ual at the time, but it must eventually |
prove strong enough to overthrow
what has caused its displeasure. What
the present administration has done,
or will do, the shoulders of Grover
Cleveland must bear. That this man
OF wisdom and impartiality fully real
izes the importance of that RESPONSE.
bility, morally, and politically, there
can be no doubt. Mistakes may occur
from lack of proper information or
schening advisers. We do not be-
lieve Grover Cleveland would inten-
tioa1ally commit -1-.-
AN INJUSTICE.
But, to all fair-miaded Southerners,
the withdrawal of James Black burns
appointment, on the ground of rebell-
ious sentiments expressed twenty-four
years age, in the heat of rebellion,
| must appear Unjust. If, by this, pre-
cedent is established, the incident must
meet with displeasure, not only from
Southerners, but from every Ameri-
| can citizen who realizes that the
South's hundred odd electoral votes
are part of the y. S. Electoral Col
lcge. As contrast to this, observe
the appointment of Charles nj. Shell
ley, of Alabama, to the Fourth Audi
torship of the Treasury. Mr.. Shelley 4
was Confederate, too, but has fa-ed
better than he deserved. Mr.. Black
burn is an honest gentleman. Mr..
Shelley-well, there can be little hon.
esty in man who repeatedly usurped
q seat in Congress. We know Mr..
Shelley is Democrat, but the Demo-
cratic party can not afford to uphold
rascals and usurpers. There are
enough honest men bearing the Dem
.ecratic standard to again carry it to
the glory just achieved. Any one ia
mi.iar with the case knows that Mr..
Shelley never was elected to Congress,
h,,f %k~& hxv hn forr
pering with ballot boxes, and subor-
natioE of witnesses, he succeeded in
acquiring a scat he never deserved,
morally, legally or intellectually. We
do not speak at random. THE SEN
TTEKL representative has more than
two hundred pages of legal cap con-
tanning testimony in the Shelley case,
but not one line Shows Shelley's right
either to q seat In Congress or to the
title of an honest man. This evidence,
we believe, was outlawed or excluded
by, .ShelleEg intrigues, but it still
shows the man IN his true light. 1t
ID written on the paper of Selma
stationer. If Grover Cleveland will
turn to his correspondence Of Janua-
ry, 80, perhaps ON the day he resign
ed the Governorship of New York, q
missing sheet, belonging to this mass
of exposure. may be found, bearing
the impression of the Selma station
er's seal.
| This injustice as intimated, may be
due to bad advisers. But, if thus sur
rounded, the sooner Grover Cleveland
makes . "clean sweep" of bad advis-
srs the better. The example their
retention would set Cabinet, and all
other snbordinatss, threatens great
dangers.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR,
for instance, has been slow to make
changes. As natural result, he has
more or less depended on the servi-
ces and information of men whose
non-partisanism, If not honesty, has
often been questioned. Mr.. Endicott
doubtless intends to supplant these
undsrlings, but he has permitted
many dangers in shape of Republicans
vices to remain long enough. 1t MIR.
Epdicott or Grover Cleveland, IN
whom the responsibility almost equal
Iy rests, think that the retained. Re-
publican kpaves have been idle during
the present administration, il j. high
time better infof nation he'd been ac-
.quired. Dir. Endicott eaR not AFFORD