Sharp County record., 1890-06-19
o,IAv AND The PUBLIC.
r.o.s THAT Do Not Comport with aher''
con Deeency and Honor'

The recent revival VI VhO -
wore rife some years since about 9eli"'oi
orav Of Pennsylvania, and the impress
siye and responsible public arralgnmens
of Mr.. Quay by Mr. Henry L. Lea @ anu
nv journals of the highest characCet,
and in the most direct and unquallheu
terms are signs of the times whlch can
not he disregarded. In politics Vne
camraign of mud" opens with every
canvass, But definite accusations ol
dishonesty and crime, when are pun
ishable with prolonged imprlsonmens
made against prominent public men py
,bo most honorable and responsible au-
tborities, accompanied by the evidence
is an astounding revelation 0l puolc
r,oroIs which can not be dismissed as
s.mud" and campaign calumnies. II the
mere charge of political, not pecunlary,
BARGAIN by which Henry Clay was SAID
70 have secured the election OF Jonh
Quincy Adams as President, in consider
alton of the appointment to De oecre-
tarv of State-a charge which was never
in anv degree substantiated, and was
really Observation-Disclosures Clays
whole political career for quarter OF a
century. what ought to be the effect OF
the charges of pecuniary dishonesty
now brought with testimony, and relter-
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 smirking conceit Of candor pro-
claim that its columns are open for an
exclamation. If a 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 corfoborative
testimony and legal records, are pub
lished, and denial of the truth of the
charges is defantly 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-
CATION, that the libellers, if such they
were, should be punished like other
reck less malefactors.
A perfectly reputable journal makes
and repeats what it states to be "a
charge supported by evidence, that Mr..
Quay took at one time $3.50, 900 from the
Pennsylvania State Treasurer, and
lost it in stock gambling, and at another
time took 100000, when he was State
Treasurer, and used it to pay for cer-
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 un-
answcrable 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 evi-
dence, alleged against Senator Edmunds
Or Senator lIoar would bo 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
Pressa splenetic frce-trader and de-
featod Democrat when it said, alluding
to these charges when they were first
familiar "Take the lid from off tho
State Treasury, and uncover secrets be-
fore which Republicans would stand
dumb?' Is Mr.. Lea disappointed and
malignant frce-trader? Mr.. Quay's in
direct rejoinder is not a denial, but
rather confession, 1t makes his po-
siCion very much worse. Yet he is still
n companion and counsellor Of the Pres.
ident, the associate of Senators, and the
chairman of the Republican National
committee, DO these facts comport
With nnhliC doConcv2-ILnrnnr,s Wnnklu