The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-06-21
MR.. QUAY AND THE PUBLIC.
lFrOm Harper's Weekly.I

| The recent revival of the stories
| Which were rife some years since about
Senator Quay, of Pennsylvania, and
the impressive and responsible public
arraignment of Mr.. Quay by Henry G..
Lea, and by journals of the highest
character, aud in the most direct and
unqualified terms, are signs of the
times which cannot be disregarded
In politics "the campaign of mud
opens with every canyass. But definite
accusations OF dishonesty and crime,
which are punishable with long i'm :
! prisonment, made against prominent
public iasR by the most honorable and
responsible authorities. accompanied
by the evidence, is an astounding reve
lation OF public morals which cannot
be dismissed as "mud" and campaign
calunnies. II the mere charge of a
political, not pecunisry, bargain by
which Henry Clay was said to have
secured the election of John Quincy
Adams as president, in consideration of
the appointment 10 be secretary of stale
"a charge which was never In any
degree substantiated, aud was really
discredited overshadowed Claws
whole political career for q quarter of
century, what ought TO be the effect
oi the charges of pecuniary dishonesty
now brought with testimony, and re-
iterated in detail day after day, against
Mr.. Quay1
Such accusations cannot be dismissed
az beneRth the notice of any public
mausA Disregard of charges like those
against Mr.. Quay, made as they are
made, Is a practical admission that they
are unanswerabie. We do not, indeed,
admit the moral right of newspaper
teg accuse men OF dishonesty, and then
spirking 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 Nor
ton, the outrage is not extenuated by
the announcement that equal publicity
will be given to 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, the figures, the methods, of the
alleged dishonesty; with corroborstive
testimony and legal records, are pub
lished, and denial Of the truth of the
charges Is defantly challenged. Under
such circumstances, Washington him
self would have felt 1t to be the most
imperative public duty to bring the
matter to prompt and thorough inves.
tigation, that the libellers. II such they
were, should be punished like other
reckless malefactors.
A perfectly reputable journal makes
and repeats what it states to be Ga
charge supported by evidence, that Mr..
Quay took at one time $500, 900 from
the Pennsylvania state treasury, and
lost il in stock gambling, and at an.
other time took $400 900, when he was
state treasurer, and used it to pay for
certain railroad securities which he had
purchased, subsequently returning the
states money, when he had sold the
securities" 1t cannot be said that Mr..
Quay's character defends him against
such charges. His standing in the coun.
try does not permit him to treat them
with scorn. Indeed, he is known to
the country only by such unanswered
accusations made with proof, and by
reports, universally believed, Of dis
reputable pecuniary transactions in the
COhuuCt OA dh CiOStiOh 40 Suoh Lhoh Va
the republican national committee.
Such charges, without evidence, alleged
against Senator Edmunds or Senator
Hoar would be discredited. But made
as they are made against Quay, both Of
those senator's would at once challenge
legal inquiry. Mr.. Quay, through
friends, replies only that the accusa-
tions are due to the spleen of tree
traders and the rage of defeated demo-
Gratis. Was the Philadelphia Press a
splenetic free trader aud defeated demo-
crat when it said, alluding to these
charges when they were first familiar,
'sTske the lid from off the state treas
ury, and uncover secrets before which
republicans would stand dumb?" Is
Mr.. Lea disappointed and malignant
free trader? Mr.. Quay's indirect re-
joinder is not a denial, but rather q
confession. 1t makes his position very
much worse. Yet he ia still comptn-
ion and counsellor of the president, the
associate of senator's, and the chairman
of the republican national committee.
NJ nil IN