National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-22

Of 1856, one year five months and twelve |
6y and and tRSs o. 1sod S Sne SG
any member or senator refuse or
neglect to- receive d9ll ,s,, OF i ne
great o pss Of tbe repb n neudus css
Clayton, Collamer, Crittonden, Douglas, Fes-
sender, Fish, Hamiin, Hunter, Mason, Seward,
sumner ITumPnl Wilsen' 06and d r Sr1Ined
over $1,000 Of this sort Of salary grab indeed
every senator and member Of 1856 and 1865 had
SO offended. But the demand for howl had
TO be met. The press enacted code making It
n crime to follow the precedents, and com
mencod the Slaughter OF the innocents This
law, of however doubtful taste aud proprety,
was constitutional, and the money IL allowed
was thereby made the lawful property of
members. Some took Il and some. did not
some returned II after taking 1t, and some left
II In limbo to SEQ IL the storm would blow over,
The panic could not have been greater II there
had been robbery, The fright of intlmidAted
members was looked upon as evidence of &c.
knowledged guilt, and the general disgust
caused by the preyaricatons aud littlenesses In
the Credit Mobilier business was greatly in
tcnkifed.
INJURIOUS RESULTS.
have given "A sketch OF these two domoral-
izing episodes because they come In order be-
fore the commencement of Grant, second term.
They receive no mention In Mr. Blalne's his.
tory, but they played an important part In tho
disintegration of tho Republican party In 1874.
They were given a place In public discussion
nnu ~ bnlI any IN Inc
way ofthe consideration OF means for prevent
ing the. subyersion OF republican government
which has since been consummated.
The Congress elected In 1872 assembled In
December, 1873.
THE HISTORIANS MEAGER RECITAL.
The history of It's proceedings occupies but
very small space In Mr. Blaine stately volume
OF all the stirring events II saw aud enacted,
he makes mention only of these: The tcrmina-
lion OF Mr. McPhersois term as clerk OF the
House; the funeral obsequies OF Mr.. sumner;
the change of the government of the District
OF Columbia; the abolition of molotics to Gus.
toms officers; the resumption net and the ad-
mission Of Colorado into the Union.
SHEPHERD AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Concerning Gov. Shepherd and his splendid
recreation Of the national capital he could
not have Faid more without dlsplcaslng that
gentleman's unjust traducers He highly ex-
tolls the improvements made, but Is very mig.
gardly In his statement Of the vindication OF
investigation resulted H'W6atever fault may
| be found, whatever charge may be made,
Gov, Shepherd wrought complete
There the was sppe nH Sloo tsa
| selfish motives had inspired his action" ''He
had not enriched HIMSELF These are not the
words in which to praise brave and honora-
ble man to whom The nation owes SO much.
He could have said, most truthfully, that the
testimony proved the work to have been done
cheaper and better than in other cities:
' WSs Induced which '" tended to o. reject
| upon Shepherd In any manner, and that tho
q proof OF Republican timidity in the presence
| of Democratic bluster. The Democratic party
| stood greatly In need of n Republican Tweed
Just then, and Washington being, the city in
| which the most extensive and costly improve
| ments were being made, and Shepherd being
| in charge of them, he was made avictim For
that sacrlncial Office he was nominated by the
| Democrats, and as is usual in such cases, he
was promptly confirmed by the Republicans.
The committee being unable to report anything
against him simply recommended the abolition
OF the District government. The verdict was
Not guilty; the sentence, decapit0tion. One
reputation was solled by the testimony con.
corning the De Golyor pavement contract, but
II was not that of any one connected with the
District government, or friendly to the admin.
istration OF Gen. Grant. 1t was that Of very
near friend OF Mr.. Blaine's.
CONCERNING RESPECTABLE sMUGGLERs.
The change In the customs laws by which
moictics of sums forfeited by smuggler'
should no longer go TO officers making the
seizures, which Mr.. Blaine approvngly credits
to his friend Ellis II. Roberts, was as pleasing
TO wholesale smugglers in New York city as II
seems to have been to him. Mr.. Roberts con
trolled the investigation which led to the
change in the law, 1t proved that n grea'
e @Sfai at Rn the head "n Of pSo Of tSc
greatest business houses in New York
had for years been committing perjury TO de-
fraud the government, and that his house kept
book In which was habitually recorded {
false invoice opposite the true one. TO show a
| glance how much had been made by falsC
oaihs at the custom house as TO the valuation
OF imported articles. This book was exhibited
in the Senate by Senator Edmuuds June 10
1874, and EXTRACTS from II, proving the truth o
| the statement have made, may be found II
his speech, at page 1870 of volume 2, part 8, o
the CUngTC{ aOndl Ia ord,
In this battle between the smugglers aud tn
government Congress sided with the SNUG
glers. and the iniquity Of those who rudely eX
posed them to the gaze of the world was nc
cordinely rebmked: Thus the piGipocke
nrouscs the Indignation OF the yerdant bystand
ers against the policeman who would Interrup
him while plying his vocation.
A POLITICAL CYCLONE AND ITS CAUSES.
The election of 1874 changed the Republican
majority Of a hundred in the House of Repre-
scntatiVes TO Il DemCcrdfi majority OF owe
| sCtCliiV.
This political cyclone, following within tw,
years efIer the apparent annihllationo OF the nov
Blaine pretends to believe, by the ilnaucla
panic OF tho preceding year. 1t twas the natura
result the succession Of sensational howls, in
auguTated by Mr. Blaine in 1872, and followed
up in the succeeding Congress.
A TERRoRIZED CONGRESS.
These bowls of which have mentioned onl!
the most notable, did their deadly work, Tn
iorty.third Congress- with Republican ma
jOrity OF two.thirds in the House and three
iouTths IN the Senate,was terroriZed and pOnit
stricken. II covered and faltered, when
should have been firm and aggressive. 1t al
rial ho for Eep tSe Seusdps 'T %
and permitted sham reformers as counsC
for the defense, to enter Il plea of guilty
; II wasted Its long session over trliles, and d
its last and short session II was at the mere
of the Democratic minority, re.enforced b
r Blaine and his two dozen ofRepublican follow
ers who. by flibusterlng tactics, defeated
; force under the law. II only awok
to the fact that II must act when IL had slime
away its day OF grace. 1t had allowed tn
enemy to sow tares among the wheat while
, | had slept. 1t had not only aided in maxim
the next Congress Democratic, but 1t had a
lowed treason to confuse and divide IT, le'
Grant might benefit BY the honest e eil
last Republican Housew we have had but on,
and II expired nearly twelve years ago. Ho
1t was delivered over to the enemy by NJ
Blaine, at the crisis when 1t might have lie
, power behind 1t for a final struggle with til
: enemies of the constitutional amendment