The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-05-23

i RMAIM 1UWI uFW 49,
can l,ecency aud eson"rs
h recent revival Of the stories when
were rife some years since senator
QUAY Of Pennsylvania. and the impress.
siyc and responsible public arraignmen.
of Mr.. QUAY BY Mr.. Henry Z. Lea ana
~ ,ournals 81 the highest character.
And IN the most direct and nnquaiihcu
,erms. are signs Of the times which can
not be disrcgarded. In politics "the
campaign 81 mud opens with every
canyaxs. But definite accusations 81
d-ishonesty and crime. which are pun
ishable with prolonged imprisonmen''
made against prominent public men py
the most honorable and responsible au-
thor tiles. accompanied BY the evidence.
II an astounding revelation OF public
morals which can not be dismissed as
..mud' and campaign calumnies- II the
mere charge OF a political. not pecuniary.
bargain by which Henry Clay was SAID
70 have secured the election 81 John
Quincy Adams as President, in considers
alton OF the appointment % be >ecr'-
tary OF Statc-a charge which was never
in any degree s~ubstantiatcd. and was
really discrcditcd-oycrshadow Clays
whole political career for a quarter 81 .
century. what ought TO be the effect OF
She charges Of pecuniary dishonesty
nov brought with testimony. and rcitcr-
ntcd in detail day after day. against
Mr.. Quay?
Such accusations can not be dismiss
Ell as beneath the notice OF any public
man. Disregard OF charges like those
against Mr.. Quay, made as they are
made. is a practical admission that they
are unanswerable. We do not. indeed.
admit the moral right Of a newspaper
10 accuse men OF dishonesty. and then
with a Sinking conceit OF candor pro-
claim that its columns are open for an
explanation. II a newspaper alleges
forgery against Bishop Potter. or grand
larceny against Vice President Morton,
the outrage is not extcnuated by the
nnonnccmen that equal publicity will
be given 10 their denial. Such men
will not deny such charges. II their
characters do not defend them. their
word would be no defence. But this Is
not Mr.. Quay's case. The time. the
place. thu figures. the methods, Of the
alleged dishonesty. with corfoborativc
testimony and legal records. are pub
lished. and denial Of the truth o. the
charges Is defiantly challenged Under
such circumstances. Washington him
self would have felt II TO be the most
Imperative public duty TO bring the
matter 10 prompt and thorough invcsti-
cation. that the libcllers. II such they
were. should be punished like other
reck less malefactors.
A perfectly reputable journal makes
and repeats what II states TO be -
charge supported by evidence. that Mr..
Quay took at one time 500. 900 from the
Pennsylvania State Treasurer. and
lost il in stock gambling. and vt another
time took $500. 600, when he was State
Treasurer. and used 1t to pay for Ger
tain railroad securities which he had
purchased. subsequently returning
the States money when he had
sold tho sedurfties" II can mot b said
that MI. Quay's cborec<cr 1cfen1n Mn
against such charSce HE 11nndlng a
the county dots - pev11f> Ain "
treat them with ccog1- Indeed, ~ q
known 20 the country only BY such mn
answerable accusations made with
proof. and BY reports, universally be-
lieved. Of disreputable pecuniary tram
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-
hut made as they arc 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
f~ree-traders and the rage OF defeated
Democrats. Was the Philadelphia
Press . splenetic frcc-trader and de-
featcd Democrat when IL said, abiding
to these charges when they were first
familiar: Take the lid from on the
State Treasury. and uncover secrets be-
fore which Republicans would stand
dumb?~ Is Mr.. Lea a disappointed and
malignant frce-trader? Mr.. Quay's in
direct rejoinder Is not : denial, but
rather a confession. 1t makes his 20.
sition very much worse. Yet he is still
a companion and counsellor OF the Pres
ident. the associate OF Senators, and the
chairman Of the Republican National
committee. Do these facts comport
With public decency?-Harpcr's Weekly.
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