The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-05-04
THE NATIONS CAPITOL.
Tat usTso sTsrgs sss.rg
THE '-~ssses Ea@aEs'' s.stsaa~ rr.sssss .
Fahitstx rs.xtslaaed fhtsf Ir~ssa
txPatxAea-
lsr~v-ial lot. 70 rwrC,reA-i,sl

Z
written more la shame aud sorrow
than anger. they will stand aghast at
the disgfaseful spectacle witnessed
by your humble correspondent in
| the nited States Senate.
TN the 18th of March publication
appeared in the new spaprrs charging,
in specific terms. that in the year
1879 Mr.. lioach. recently elected Ia
the nl,ei States from the new
State Of North Dakotah. had bcen
bank ofiicr in hank iu the Dis
trict Of Columbia. and had embeE.
zled $4,000 aud had fled the city.
that s25,00O of that sum had bern
paid to the bank by his bondsmeu:
that $4,000 had becn realized from
some property which had belonged
20 him, and that the balance had
never been made up TO the bank.
The charges were not even denied
by Roach. and 30 step was taken or
suggestion made ~ him To inyes,i-
gate them. lie WAS branded by the
public press as thief aud be did
not raise his voice in refutation of
the indictment or in ,indication of
his integrity. The charges were
specific and the evidence 10 sustain
them, am informed, is oycrwhel-
ming. Roach is Democrat.
Thief as he is, Roach now says
that he wanted an investigation, but
the Democratic leaders in the Senate
told him such a course was unheard
of and unprecedented aud that it
would compromise the dignity of the
Senate. Here Is what the rascal
says in cold type:
"Now to this body and entirely
unfamiliar with its customs and
"usages, | naturally attached weight
'to the advice and opinion Of those
cold in the service and yersed in the
practices aud precedents of the
"Senate. was informed, or given
''to understand, that, however much
81 might desire or demand an inves-
"tigation, it was lot the practice of
''the Senate to take notice or juris-
''diction of alleged acts or conduct
''prior to the election of a Senator, or
"having no connection with the
LEGALITY thereof"
The situation naturally suggested
resolution of inquiry and lnvcsti-
CATION from the Republican side of
the Senate. 1t was offered by Sem
ator Hoar of Massachusetts,: Ii
directed:
"The Committee on Privileges and
Elections to examine the allegations
made in the public press charging
William \. Roach, a Senator from
the State of North Dakota, with
certain crimina' offenses committed
while cashier or officer Of bank in
the city of Washington, and to as
certain the facts AID circumstances
so far as to enable the committee to
determine what are the duty and
power of the Senate in regard there
to-"
Speaking of this resolution Mr..
Plat. of Connecticut said:
off convicted criminal who has
finished his time in a penitentiary
should be sent here by State, will
it be said that We are powcrless to
reject him or to expel him? ! think
that no precedent can be found in
the United States or England, or any
other civilized country. where the
doctrine has been upheld that the
Senate or the House is held down Gin
Judging of the qualifications of i'll
members) to the rigid constitutional
requisites for election as Senator OF
Member. On the CONTRARY, although
the precedents are, in the nature OF
the case, few, it has been always hel
that jurisdiction is given to invest
gate under such circumstances. vii
it be contended that We should b,
Obliged to admit a physical leper if {
State should elect him to the Senate.
Mr.. Grady, of Delaware, asked
"What would We do about it,"
Il would expel him." Mr.. Plat
replied. 81 would refuse to receiy,
him in the first case, and if received
|, without knowledge of his disease
! would expel him." He continued:
; Could Aaron Burr have come her
and said: 81 am thirty years of age
, | have been a citizen of the State o
New York for nine years" Aut
would the SeLate have been power
. less to have made any other inquir,
into his qualifications? Would rs
: the great notorious fact (eyen though
he had escaped the clutches of tn
: law that he had been engaged in
reasonable conspiracy against th
United States have been facs whicl
D the Senate could have considered.
Aaron Burr had presented himsei
here with the credentials of SOW
| ereign State ! think that the Senat
!. would have discovered that it ha
0 power to inquire into some othe
than the constitutional qualification
of man seeking seat in this BODY.
:. To an ordinary, plain, matter Q
fact honest man the reasoning SCENE
conclusive, but | was soon to han
I my head in very shame wh.n Sens
n tor Voorhees,, of Indiana, Democra
S of Democrats, took the floor. II
V said:
: "What spectacle is presented ,
|. '.the country of a great and stron
IS "party being silent on the subject {
, .fhe alleged sins of one of its men
= 1bers; while the moment that spec
y .can be found on anybody on tn
Il side of the chamber, they clamor /:
5, Ibid the Pharisees of old, when ii
5 Savior said to them: "Take I'll
Ie abeam out of your own eye, so tn,
trA a. l. IL.