The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-30

?, 1000
Of his own nature Even IL he had suffered 1t 10 go
ton. he must perceive now how oppressive and un-
just 1t IS and what cruel hardship 1t is capable OF
We are still hopeful, however that when the Post
mastcrgenera shall have considered the matter
fully in all its bearings and taken note of the strong
ly and almost universally expressed disapproval of
the plan, he will see the propriety of modifying it so
make it agree with the spirit of our institutions
and the rights of free citizens moments reflection
will show him that jewellers in the nineteenth century
cannot safely be to the systems of the thr
teenth; that secret condemnation of officials is as
much anachronism would be the fagot or the
rack. A day of reckoning must come in such
this. The Republican Senate only too anxious for
pretext to antagonize the Democratic government,
might not dare to make themselves obstructive in the
face of favorable feeling throughout the country;
but should the star chamber continue to flourish,
they will have more than enough justify them and
respectable public sentiment will applaud them IN an
tagonzing an administration which countenances
such things.
That is Democratic utterance, fresh upon
the Inauguration of this scheme Of the secret
assassination of character, and the editor con-
cludes, whatever our friends may say about the
Presidents right to remove from Office that the
country will applaud a Republican Senate II 1t
condemns such practices. All, Mr.. President,
how shall we condemn them except by using
every constitutional power to drag out from
these secret hiding places the charges that have
been filed against worthy men and womenf That
is not the only Democratic paper. My colleague
Mr. Voorhees, knows the indianapolis Sentinel
to be the State organ of the party. l read
sspeeiar to the Indianapolis Sentinel on June
The Post assumes to be organ of President
Cevelands administration, and it is certainly charac
preston. however it severely condemns the methods
obtaining in certain departments of the governments
of preferrng charges and passing sentence incum-
bents without giving them opportunity to be
heard. I'VE wish to remark" says the Post, shat
the practice has cordial and enthusiastic diappro
bation." These dispatches
Continues the correspondent Of the Sentinel
hitherto have attested aversion to anything inocu
star chamber. The views have accepted and writ
ten
And my colleague knows probably who this
is
gathered from the highest political talent in the
country but all my informants objected to being
follows.
And then he quotes the Post approvingiy, and
adds:
Every sentiment emblazoned in the above heard
frequently from the acknowledged leaders of both
political parties. The first impulse of many Demo
cratic Congressman to let the rascals remain
rather than execute the duty imposed by the order to
prove Republican Office holder guilty of nameless
otherwise might be classed among the most splendid
political achievements.
And then this correspondent proceeds:
The postmaster at Upton Stephen Lowley, and the
postmaster at Seymour, Charley Means, both demand
to be heard when charged with offensive partisan
ship" One of them advised with General Gresham
concerning the spirit of the law before assuming party
obligations during the last campaign and he did moth
ing but what the opinion of the then Postmaster
eral, he clearly had a right to do Stephen Lowiey
was commissioned postmaster by Abraham Lincoln.
While very active political foe to the Democratic
party there hundreds of Democrats who would be
unwilling to see him thrust out of Office he has SO
long and mpartially administered under the imputa-
ton of crime of uncertain meaning If offensive
partsanshp means hostility to the party that elected
Cleveland, Mr.. Lowley is guilty 1t it means some
thing corrupt indirect in the management of the
Upton postofce M Il. Low!ey is falsely accused and
neghborhood will resent any imputation cast upon
him.
Ihave another extract from Democratic paper.
Recently, ia the town of Columbus, in the State
of Indiana, O postmaster has been made, and 1t
happens to be the editor and proprietor OF this
paper from which am about to read In
his issue of July 10, which was before he became
postmaster IL have not seen the paper since, [
think), he says:
With all due respect to the President we believe he
has made mistake In requiring the people to become
parties TO an espionage upon the political conduct of
their neighbors
And he concludes:
In other words. the Republican officials should go"
because they are Republicans. This they could not
ceedngs on the part of their neignbors and social
friends. Offensive partisanshp' is a mistake.
In another issue he says:
The universal sentiment-
And here is a newspaper in a strongly Demo
cratic section of the State speaking for Demo
cratic sentiment.
The universal sentiment almost among Democrats
10 e
President Cleveland.
Mr. President, we have in Indianapolis few
very respectable and influential men, for their
number, who belong to the mugwump persua-
sion and supported Mr.. Cleveland with great
earnestness. They have a little paper there
called the Freeman The persons connected with
it connected with the civll-seryice,reform or.
ganization in Indiana. This is what the Free
man says about this policy:
place is wanted for camp-foIlower OF
course it must be forthcoming But Villas has said
that no one will be removed unless charges be pre-
ferred. So some convict gutter-snipe is hired to
blacken the character of man who is unfortunate
enough to hold the eted place. When he is bounced
he tries to find out the for It, and he is told
that he cant be allowed TO see the charges 10 be
faced by his accuser.
He goes out under cloud of suspicion.
We say this is outrageous. 1t is of the funda-
mental rules of AngloSaxon liberty that every man
shall be entitled to fair trial. And this swearing
away the character of American citizens cannot be
apoogzed for by the warmest friend Of the admins
tration.
THE sHELBYvILLE POSTMASTER.
Now I want to supplement what have said
about the general policy of stimulating suggest
ing, receiving charges against men in Office and
refusing them hearing by some individual in
stances of injustice.
The postmaster at Shelbyville. Ind, was
soldier who had served his country for four
years. When the shock. of war broke upon
this land, when treason took the field, this man,
raliying with thousands of other Indianians
under the flag of his country, stepped, not into
place of ease and emolument but into the
bloody front of battle, and for four years, on
dreary marches, in dangers of battle, in the
WEAKNESS of hospital, his brave heart in every
place to which he was called gave its best serv-
ice to the defense of the country and the honor
of the flag. 1t happened that in recognition of