The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-29

being prohibited by the Sunday laws.
Tho Public Service, OF the Late Mr..
l1emble.
Few men that were conspicuous In public
affairs during tho lush days OF Grantism
ever rendered to the cause OF honest gov
eminent n greater service than that which
will distinguish. for long time to come.
the name and career of the late WILLIAM II.
KEMBLE of Philadelphia.
When We first became acquainted with
this gentleman. TIE Sun was engaged.
almost snglc-handcd. In n struggle with
three Of the most corrupt. powerful. and in
solent rings or combinations known to the
historian Of American politics: the TWEED
ring not even excepted. We refer first. to
the gang which ruled tho Navy Department
under SECoR RoBESoN'S notorious leader
ship. and by COLLISION between long -pursed
contractors outside and corrupt Government
officials inside. plundcred the United States
Treasury while pretending to patch and
tinker the United States navy. The second
combination was tho District Of Columbia
Ring. OF which ALEXANDER r. SHEPHERD
was Boss. This ring included some OF the
closest personal friends and favoritcs OF the
President Of tho United States. Tho third
combination which THE Sun was then at
lacking was the Harrisburg Ring. gang OF
robbers who We're running the State OF
Pennsylvania In tho interests Of themselves
and the Republican party.
Tho relations and corrclations OF these
three powerful systems OF scoundrelsm
were many and intricate. The man or the
journal who trod on one was sure to be
struck at by the poisoned fangs OF one or
both OF tho others. Tho three rings were
linked. and each represented Grantism
WILLIAM II. KEMBLE. for example. was at
tho same time State Treasurer OF Penn
sylvania and tho Pennsylvania member OF
tho Republican National Committee. Tho
Harrisburg and Philadelphia jobs reached
to Washington in n thousand different ways
In tho pursuit OF its duty as an honest
newspaper. THE Sun exposed the share OF
WILLIAM H. KEMBLE and his fellow conspir-
atOrs in tho war claim frauds. At the same
time tho editor OF The Sun was in Wash
ington testifying before tho committee
appointed to Investigate" and white
wash the rascals OF tho Navy Department.
On March 30. 1879. at about 2 o'clock In tho
morning. Mr.. DANA was arrested in Phila-
dolphia on the train bringing him to New
York. The arrest was at tho suit OF WILL
LIAM II. KEMBLE. who charged THE Sun
With libclling his reputation.
1t was during this month. namely, March,
1872. that Mr.. KEMBLE ,nwittIngly fur
nshcd TIE Sun and the friends OF honest
government throughout the country with
ono of tho most effective weapons ever
turned against intrenched corruption. Tho
weapon consisted OF n phrase. and tho
phrase occurred in letter which KEMBrE
had written several years earlier. This ccle-
bratcd letter has been published in several
slightly varying versions. Hero it Isl
TREASURY DErAIrSsyr or PrxssrLvAxA,
"IIARRiSsURG March 90 1877 I
my DEAR TITAN: Allow me to introduce to you my
particular friend Mr., GroRGK o. Evans lie has claim
OF some magnitude that he wishes you help him
In, Pit him through ms you would Inc. IIe under.
stands addition. division and silence. Yours
wv, II. KranrE
ITO TrAsJ Corrrr. Esq, Washington. D. G."
In tho legal proceedings which followed
Mr.. DANA's arrest. the author OF the letter
was compelled to admit. under oath, that
he had pcnncd this brief creed OF rascallty
while Treasurer Of tho State OF Pennsyl-
vania. Tho phrase Addition. Division and
Silence became historic. II caught the public
car aud awakened the public conscience. No
words ever before put together conveyed 81
conclscly and forclby the exact formula by
which the people were plundcrrd Mt Washing.
ton and ut Harrisburg during the days when
GRANT was President ~ the United States,
robson Secretary Of the Navy. SHEPHERD
Boss Of tho District ~ Columbia. and KEN
BLE and.his gang nll-powrrful In Prnnsyl-
vania. II any one thing can be snid to have
won the battle for TIE Sun and for the
| cause Of honest government. 1t was this
| phrase Of four words. invented and supplied
/ by one Of the worst enemies good govern
| ment ever had in the State OF Pennsylvania
| or In the whole Union.
Tho subsequent history can be summed
| up 10 very short space. The robson
| Ring was broken. The SHEPHERD Ring
| was broken and the Boss sent into exile
| Evans. who understood Addition, Division
| and Silence. died in West Philadelphia early
| In the summer OF 1875 Five years later
| KEMBLE himself was sentenced by Penn.
| sylvania Judge to solitary confinement AT
hard labor in the Eastern Penitentiary OF
Pennsylvania for carrying his method into
| practice once too often at Harrisburg
| He was pardoned through the influence oi
| MATTHEW STANLEY QUAY and other friends
| In power. He spent the remainder OF his
] life in retirement from public affairs. rich.