St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-04-04

intemperance of language and of
temperament in 1868, as well as a
quarter of a century later, unfit him
for the delicate and responsible duties
of a diplomat, at so important a post
as Berlin. This motive doubtless
controlled Senator Dawes, who had
the strongest reasons SO far as the
Payne case was concerned for voting
with his colleague, Senator Hoar.
Several Senators who voted for con-
firmation were not displcased by
Halsteads defeat. His sneers at the
whole senatorial body cut deep and
left wounds not yet healed.
The more one considers this case
the smaller the action of the six re-
publican and 13 democratic Sena-
tors appears. Editor Halstead told
the truth when Senator Payne of
Standard Oil fame was seated, and
an office for which he was eminently
fitted OF course he used strong Ian
guage at the time; the circumstances
of the case demanded it. He has
since bitterly attacked the Senate
and declared that other Senators
have bought their seats with gold.
When one sees a score of milliOna1res
in that body he begins to think that
perhaps Murat Halstead is right
Richard Smith, the associate editor
of the Commercial-Gazette, has told
the whole story in the following edi-
torial, published in his paper after
Editor HalStead was rejected:
1t is proper to say right here that
not been consulted in regard to this
matter He is therefore in no way
responsible for these remarks. His
appointment as minister to Germany
was rejected, not because of his unfit
ness for the place, for that question
never was and never could be raised.
HewaS rejected because, as an editor,
he honestly criticised the methods by
which men were elected to the United
States Senate. The origin of this
matter was the election of Henry B.
Payne. That was not a republican
contest, but a democratic fight. Geo.
H. Pendleton was the known demo-
cratic candidate in Ohio. The Legis-
lature was chosen with reference to
his election When the Legislature
had been chosen, Payne with his
money backing appeared in the field.
He bought Pendletons men and was
elected. Everybody knew that then,
and everybody knows it now. There
is not an intelligent man in Ohio who
does not believe and does not know
that Payne was elected by fraud.
The subsequent republican Legisla-
ture was, through the defeat of the
most gigantic frauds ever undertaken
in any state upon the elective fran
chise. An indictment was framed
and the United States Senate was
asked to inquire into the methods of
Payne's election. This became a
party measure. 1t was sustained by
the republican press. 1t had the sym
pathy of the best part of the demo-
Gratis of Ohio.
1t went to the United States Sen
ate. There it encountered the Oppo-
sition of republicans who were in the
same boat with Payne-of men who
disgraced their seats then, as they do
now-and the investigation was de-
feated. Had Payne been conscious
of innocence-had he felt that he was
honestly elected-he would quickly
have demanded an investigation.
This he took care not to do He
knew perfectly well that he could not
afford that. He appealed instead to
that thing called senatorial courtesy,
and he found republicans who had
been elected as he was-by fraud
These joined with him. They could
not help it. They were plainly
threatened that if Payne should be
investigated the matter would not
stop there. Rascals are natural cow
ards. The senators who are there
by fraud are towards. They Joined
hands with Payne and there was no
investigation. The very thing that
an honest man would have demand
ed was defeate by the votes of men
the use of money. What the Com
mercial-Gazette said in the whole
controversy was the truth. 1t was
the truth when it was written. 1t is
the truth now. Perhaps it was
roughly expressed, but it was the
truth all the same.
For this Mr. Halstead was defeat
ed, and for no other reason. There
was no pretense of objection to him
on the grounds of fitness. He was
rejected by senatorial frauds because
he had the courage of his convictions
and was not afraid to tell the truth.
The result, therefore, cannot hurt
him, but it is bound to hurt guilty
senator's. Perhaps, too, it may lead
to line of thought, or increase the
force of line of thought that will
abolish the United States Senate al
together with its star chamber pro-
ceedings, or compel change in the
methods of election that will bring
that body closer to the people and
forceitS members outside of the mon
ey influence. People would be star
tied to know how many seats in the
United States Senate were bought
with money, and how many seats
are therefore disgraced. This is a
business that cannot last. The Peo-
pie will not tolerate it This kind of
corruption must be wiped out.
PAYNE thinks the defeat of Hal
stead has indicated him. This is
bosh To do that would require the
defeat of nearly all the editors in Ohio