Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-05-04
Hanging on to Roach.

The Senate adjourned without taking
action in the case of Senator Roach. The
Democratic members are still in great con-
Germ about the law. They enacted most
diverting comedy on Friday week, when
Roach, who had sat silent In his seat for
the last two months under conditions that
would have made any man 10 whom resid-
ed the smallest instinct of honor sQuirm
with humiliation, made the calm announce
ment that he desired the resolution of in
vestigation to pass, and that he would long
ago have made such request had he not
been restrained by the advice of friends.
The advice of friends" Think Of it!
What friend advises an innocent man to
sit still under a shameful imputation?
What friend suggests to a man who has
done no wrong that he silently endure re-
proach for so much as the fraction of
second?
But even In declaring at so late a day
that he wished the investigation to pro-
coed, Roach made no formal protestation
of innocence. Knowing that the records
in the office of the Controller of the
Currency identified him as the Citizens
Bank defaulter. and contained a complete
story of his crime, he could not very well
have done so. Still, his silence simplifes
the issue. 1t leaves the Democrats stand
ing on an admission of guilt and plea
that because IL had to do with a crime
committed prior to the date of Roach's
election, the Senate is unable to inquire
into 1t. For the honor of the country but
especially for the honor of the Senate, we
regret this disgraceful partisan position
Tie Democratic party will regret it. The
Democratic Senators will regret it, They
will live to learn that the people of the
United States despise them for the course
they have taken In this matter. If, when
Roachs record was first exposed they had
honorably demanded that he prove his in
nocence or resign, notifying him that If
he failed to do either one thing or the
other they would vote as party for his
expulsion, they would have commanded
the respect of the people and a degree Of
confidence in the general rect,ude of their
intentions which would have commended
their action on all partisan questions as at
least sincerely meant for the country's
good. They have lost great opportunity
to De men and patriots, and they stand out
not merely as partisans, but as men to
whom the political power of the moment
is of greater value than the respect they
owe To themselves, TO the great body Of
which they are members and 10 the nation.
The people understand the Roach matter
pretty well. Expressed In sentence. IL
i this: Roach has committed a crime for
which. had he not escaped punishment by
hight, he would haze been sentenced to
penal servitude and forever deprived of
the rights Of citizenship; but he is one of
very narrow Democratic majority Ia the
Senate; he was elected from Republican
State and by a Republican Legislature,
under conditions that justify the gravest
suspicion Of the methods to which resort
was hsd to elect him; IL expelled he
would undoubtedly be succeeded by
Republican, and the Democratic Senators
refuse to consider the case As one in which
any action can be taken. Every citizen Of
the United States should be put In posses
sion Of these plain, uudisputed facts
Nst- York Tribune