The Washington critic., 1888-01-27
wAsnINGToN. JAN. q. lsss.
TnE OUTRAGE nusINEss.


could appropriately investigate the jackson
outrage because three Federal officials are
charged with misduing In IT, We fail To SEQ
the force of this. pray, what does the sen
ate propose tu do II they are found guilty:
The Senate has no power on authority over
them. II would bc u case for the President,
and II Is tu be hoped that he will inquire into
IL, and see that the men are removed from
office IL guilty. But Federal o1iceholders are
me- more under the control of the Senate thln
arr other people after that body has confirmed
their appointment. Boston Herald.
That is all very true, and probably
nobody knows it any better than our
friend Chandler. The object is not
to bring these Offending officials to
justice, but to make campaign capital
ont of the investigation. The Senate
wouldn't convict them and send them
10 the penitcntiary, if it could. 1t
doesn't want them convicted or pnn-
ished, or even removed from office.
II simply wants them just where the
resolution places them, the central
figures of an alleged conspiracy
against the freedom Of suffrage in
Mississippi, and all that an investiga-
ton is proposed for is to hold them
more prominently before the country
until the horrifying spectacle shall
have exhausted whatever partisan
effect there may be in it.
or course the Senate will not feel
AT all grateful to United States Attor-
ney Harris of Jackson, for resigning.
lie says that 50 far as he was con-
cerned in the late election troubles he
did what in his judgment was the
duty of good citizen, but rather than
embarrass the President in any way
he will step down and out Of his
Office. This action ON his part plays
moro into the hands of the President
than IL doee into those of Senator
Chandler and his associatesN 1t is not
confession of wrong doing, hut the
voluntary surrender of place otNrust
in order that the Administration may
be saved to that extent, even the APP
pearance of implication in the alleged
outragcs, or the necessity of joining
with Senators on frivolous yet an
noying issue.
ltis already apparent that the in
vestigation will not pan out according
10 expectation. The opinion is gain
ing ground that the South, with all of
her prejudices, is on the whole dis
posed to deal fairly with the colored
people, and that while neighborhood
disturbances are liable to occur here
and there in the excitement Of politi-
cal campaigns, they are of purely
local character and of no particular
concern to the Congress of the United
States.
Imagine such mob as met at Will
lard Hall the other day turned loose
upon an election precinct in Missis-
sippi, or even in Ohio or Massachu-
sets, with ballots in their hands and
riotous desperation in their hearts,
who, good Senators, would you most
likely have to hold answerable for the
consequences, the mob or the peace
loving community which the mob
sought to ride over?
1t is not at all strange that "out-
RACES now and then occur mt the
South, when elements of disorder,
such as exist under the very shadow
Of the Capitol, that are fortunately di-
vested of the franchise, are brought
into contact with law-abiding and
intelligent citizens at the polls.
1t is surprising that they do not
occur more frequently. That they
do not, shows the normal condition of
the South to be pacific, tolerant and
in harmony with good government,
and of itself disproves the necessity
and condemns the policy of ordering
Senatorial Investigation whenever
the bounds of restraint happen to be
violently overstepped.
But, as we say above, the investiga
ton which the Senate proposes, is not
TO do justice where justice has failed
il is simply to carry out certain mis-
chievous and mercenary ends, besi
known to the manipulators Of cam
paign politics.
II has been tried many times befor,
for the same purpose-so often, in
deed, that with the lapse of years il
will be found TO have lost its efficacy
What might have answered its parti
sam intent in the stormy days Of 1865
is altogether out of date and out oi
place in the fraternal sunburst of 1888
Mr.. Chandler is willy politician
and has proved himself sagacioui
lnanipulator of men and things il
many an eyentful contest, but in thil
matter he is at least twenty years be
hind the times.