Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-05-15
QUAY AND THE PUBLIC.
Facts That Do MT Comport with Amer
can Decency and Honor.

The recent revival of the stories which
we're rife some wears since about Senator
Quay of Pennsylvania, and the impress
| sive and responsible public Arrangement
of Mr.. Quay by Mr.. Henry c. Lea and
by journals of the highest character,
and in the most direct and unqualified
| terms, are signs of the times which can
not be disregarded. In politics the
campaign of mud" opens with every
canvass. But definite accusations of
dishonesty and crime, which are pun
1shabie with prolonged imprisonment,
made against prominent public men by
the most honorable and responsible au-
| thorities, accompanied by the evidence,
is an astounding revelation of public
morals which can not be dismissed as
mud" and campaign calumnies. If the
mere charge of a political, not pecuniary.
bargain by which Henry Clay was said
to have secured the election of John
Q.incy Adams as President, in consider
alton of the appointment to be Secre-
tary Of State-a charge which was never
in any degree disseminated. and was
really ed-oyershadowe Clay's
whole political career for a quarter of
century, what ought to be the effect of
the charges Of pecuniary dishonesty
now brought with testimony, and reiter-
I ated in detail day after day, against
! Mr.. Quay?
Such accusations can not be dismiss
ed as beneath the notice of any public
man. Disregard of charges like those
against Mr.. Quay, made as they are
made. is practical admission that they
are unanswerable. We do not, indeed,
admit the moral right of a newspaper
to accuse men of dishonesty, and then
with a Sinking conceit of candor pro-
claim that its columns are open for an
explanation. If newspaper alleges
forgery against Bishop Potter. or grand
larceny against Vice President Morton,
the outrage is not extenuated by the
| announcement that equal publicity will
be given to their denial. Such men
will not deny such charges. If their
characters do not defend them, their
word would be no defence. But this is
not Mr.. Quay's case. The time, the
place, the figures, the methods, of the
alleged dishonesty, with corroborativc
testimony and legal records, are pub
| lished, and denial of the truth of the
charges is defiantly challenged. Under
such circumstances. Washington him
Sc If would have felt it to be the most
imperative public duty to bring the
matter to prompt and thorough investi-
g;stion, that the libellers. if such they
We're. should be punished Like other
rec1 less malefactors.
A perfectly reputable journal makes
and repeats what it states to be "a
charge supported by evidence. that Mr..
( l. -, ~,
Pennsylvania State Treasurer, and
lost it in stock gambling, and at another
time took 500, 900, when he was State
| Treasurer, and used it to pay for GER
tain railroad securities which he had
purchased, subsequently returning
the States money when he had
sold the securities" 1t can not be said
that Mr.. Quay's character defends him
against such charges. His standing in
the country does not permit him to
treat them with scorn. Indeed, he is
known to the country only by such I'M
ansWerable accusations made with
proof, and by reports, universally be-
lieved, of disreputable pecuniary tran
sactions in the conduct of an election
as chairman of the Republican National
committee. Such charges, without evil
dence, alleged against Senator Edmunds
or Senator HOar would be discredited.
But made as they are made against Mr.
QUAY both of those Senators would at
once challenge legal inquiry. Mr.
Quay, through friends, replies only that
the accusations are due to the spleen of
free-traders and the rage of defeated
Democrats. Was the Philadelphia
Press splenetic ree-trader and de-
feated Democrat when it said. abiding
to these charges when they were first
familiar: Take the lid from off the
State Treasury. and uncover secrets be-
fore which Republicans would stand
dumb?' Is Mr.. Lea disappointed and
m alignant free-trader? Mr.. Quay's in
direct rejoinder is not a denial, but
rather confession. 1t makes his po-
sition very much worse. Yet he is still
a companion and counsellor of the Pres
ident the associate of Senator's and the
chairman of the Republican National
committee. Do these facts comport
with public decency?-Harper's Weekly.