The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-25

Vest to try to make little cheap capital on the
question of religious freedom in which he intro
'duced Thomas Jefferson and the inscription upon
his monument, aud made great ado over man
OF straw. The reply of Mr. Plumb. of Kansas, was
pertinent and complete. The correspondence
sent to Congress by the State Department shows
that there really religious question in
yoved in the rejection by Austro
Hungary Of the notorious Kelley. Mr.
Bayard himself in q telegram to Mr.
McIane, minister to France, instructiug him TO
''arrestate7 Mr.. Kelley his way to Vienna,
says ii is social question" just as Count Kali
noky and Baron Won Schafer bad put it IN their
communications TO the State Department. De-
voted as the people of the United States are to
che idea OF religious liberty aDd perfect freedom
of conscience, it is yet scarcely to be expected
that they can overturn the social customs and
laws OF Vienna society. which are entirely dis
tiDet from any political Issue that may be in
VOWED in the rejection of Kelley because of his
ofense to Italy with which government Austria
Is near neighbor, and naturally desirous OF
maintaining perfectly neighborly relations IL
Fir Bayard had the first suggestion OF dlplo-
matte intelligence. hs would have seen the
inpropriety and direct insult of sending
to Austria man WHO. for good reason.
had just been rejected by Italy. But Mr.. Plumb
went further than all this, and hoped the com
mittee on foreign relations. which MI. vest
wanted to investigate the Kelley case would in
onre into the question Of the real value OF the
whole diplomatic service. As he understood it,
and had been convinced, the entire diplomatic
service was an Anticipated and costly humoug-a
fact amply, fully aud happily demonstrated by
the Kelley incident There had been no diplo-
matte commissions because the post Kelley could
not be received into had remained vacant and he
did not believe there would be any serious frlc-
dion If the entire diplomatic service were wiped
out Of existence. Mr. Plumb went still further.
and desired the committee to inquire whether
this Anthony III. Kelley had made
speech in the city of Richmond, Va, in
explanation of what was in the air touching his
rejection by Italy because of what ne had SAID
Of Victor Emmanuel in 1871, in which he had
stated that he believed the Italian government
to be, as he believed the American government
ia gross and bloody usurpation of public
rights" Mr.. Plumb wanted the committee TO
inquire whether man who could utter such
sentiment was a proper sort of man to represent
the government anywhere, at home or abroad.
For one, he (Plumb1 did not think he was and
he was glad over the Austro hungarian incident,
if for nothing else, because it had prevented
man entertaining and expressing such
sentiments from being representative OF the
United States in any official position
During this latter part of Mr.. Plumbs very plain
and pointed Speech the Democratic senator's
were dumb as sheep before their shearers they
opened not their mouths. Mr.. Vest himself was
deeply buried in perusa of some pamphlet or
other 1t was at once painful and ludlcrous to
see how the air was let out of the little cheap
tov-balIoon which the valiant Missouri senator
had inflated with 80 much mbast for party ed
ifcation. The Democratic party, even with the
President and Mr.. Bayard at their head, will make
a disastrous failure in any effort to elevate
Kelley into national issue.
Curses, like chickens will come home to
roost." When Grover Cleveland wrote his
letter to George William Curtis that he would
enforce the principle of civil service reform, and
said that faithful aud competent officers should
not be removed, and almost Immediately after
ward conspired with his Postmaster general in
the connection of the most Infamous and das-
I'd o1aroo fnrt no nat character
in order to remove officers for cause" to make
room for the bowling pack of wolves, they and
other party leaders doubtless thought they
had invented smart trick to circumyent the
law. and at the same time to afford a pretext to
the mugwumps to swear that their pewter god
was pure metal. 1t was very nice thing for
Democratic administration to dispatch q sum-
mons to Montana peremptorily removing an
honored exsolder and judge like Gen. John Co
burn for "cause," and to persistently refuse to
let him know what the ''cause" was, to give
him opportunity to be heard in denial Of the
charges, whatever they might be. 1t was very
nice thing to remove Isabella De la Hunt from
the postofice at Canuelton--the widow of an hon
orable Democratic soldier-upon charges which
she was not allowed to know of or given the OPP
portunity to reply to- 1t was very nice to re-
move Gen Robert H. Milroy. the old war; horse
of Indiana. from his Indian agency for cause"
and send the old man adrift with charges hang
ing over him. the nature of which he did not
Know and was not permitted to know. 1t was
Fouke that it was impossible to let men know
the charges made against them and give them an
opportunity to be heard, for this would turn their
removal into political proceeding, and there was
no time for that. All this very nice for
time, bat now the tables are turning. The dis
appointed and disaffected Democrats are filling
the Republican senators and committees with
all manner of charges against the Presidents
appointees 1t is fact that scarcely any oppo-
sition is being made to Democratic nominations
on the part of Republicans; but in many cases
Democrats are busy at work blackening the
characters of their party associates who have
been successful in obtaining Office. Now, these
mon and their friends are coming to Republican
Senators and committeeman and asking the
privilege of knowing what the charges are and
an opportunity to reply to them. This is pre-
cisely the right and privilege denied to all Re-
publicans--to men whose honor had never been as
sailed, and who had proved their manhood where
manhood was necessary for their country's
service. 1t marks the difference between the
spirit and methods of the two parties that the
answer by Republicans to these applications is
that every man assailed shall have the oppor-
tunity to meet the charges made and know who
it is that assas him, and upon what evidence
the attack is basel. The Democrats may not
recognize the difference; and upon the authority
of Holy Writ, not to cast pearls before swine,
the Republicans might be justified in commend
ing the poisoned chalice to their lips but it is to
the credit of common decency that the Republic
ans will have nothing to do with the star
chamber infamies brought into existence under
Democratic administration, and by the author
ity and under the patronage of man who is
paraded ad nauseam paragon of reform.
II.
The star-Eyed and Her Jewels.
The star-eyed Goddess of Reform deployed