New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-13
PO1CH'S CASE TNDER COTLP.

The Democrats of the Senate make u hu
initiating confession of cowardico and partisan
ship and OF want OF Sclf-rcSpcct and Of re-
spcct for the body of which they are mem
bcrs when they refuse to discuss the rcSolu-
ton of inquiry into Senator Roachs alleged
entertainments except behind 81 jScd doors
They confess dulncSS. too. for this is not the
way TO fool the people. The attempt u hide
from the public not only the facts of such a
case as this, but the positions OF parties and
individual Senators with regard &, it. i doomed
10 be unayaing. 4 caucus Of Democratic
Senators decided yesterday not 10 allow Il
committee TO inquire into the case, but the
debate upon the resolution which will be re-
ported will como in open session. and the facts
will be spread before the country. Senator
Roach either did or did not steal SCI, 900
from the Citizens National Bank of
Washington. If he did, he ought t,
bs in Jail. and his presence in the
Senate of the United States is National dis
grace. If he did not, he has been treated with
shameful cruelty, and it is his right, and pccu-
iarly the right Of the state which sent him 10
Washington and Of the Senators who are com
PEELED 10 be his associates. TO prove his nno-
cence and to silence his accuScrs. Now, as we
understand the facts in Senator ROach'S case,
he did steal the money, and the records in
proof Of his crime are in the Treasury Depart
mcnt from which, at IN hours notice, they can
be brought and spread before the Senate; he
stole the money and ran away, aband ,ning his
wife and children such part Ct the dcralcaion
as his b0ndsmcn were liable for they paid, and
hon nrIn IA nj, 1.,
It's seizure Of some property that he had owned
Behind the closed doors of the Senate on
Tuesday Mr.. Voorhees, defending Mr.. Roach
described this transaction rs a 6 mistake" and
in accents chOkcd with emotion he wanted TO
know If this was a hard and unforgiving coun-
try where men who make mistakes have no
yghtS. He made some quotations from Script
urc about the duty Of fra human beings TO
forgive one another. Mr.. Voorhees, is an in
tclIigcnt person, and he knows that what he
meant by this is that, although Roach is a
dcfaultcr he is a Democrat, and is necessary
clement of the narrow Democratic majority in
:hc Senate that he comes from Republican
state, and if expelled from the Senate will be
replaced by Il Republican. This is what Mr.
Voorhees, meant and as for what he SAID the
reply, Of course is that we are not a hard and
unforgiving people, and that If Reach is re-
rcntant and max cs good the money he st,lc or
even seriously undertakes t. make it coed we
shall all forgive hiro especially as the statute
Of limitations applies and we cannot send him
to prison. But our forgiveness must not be
understood to imply that we want him to make
laws for us, t. sit in our highest National cJun-
Gil or TO cary his head unduly erect We want
him t. bring forth fruits meet for repentance
The Democratic Senators have taken this
discrcditabc course because their power as a
majority party in the Senate depends on their
holding him fast in his seat. They value their
partisan power above their personal honor.
above the honor OF the Senate, above taoir duty