New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-16
HANGING on 70 HOA GU.
slDicuOus.

The Senate has Adjourned without taking
action in the case Of Senator Reach. The Dem
ocratc mt mbcIs are still in great concern about
the law They enacted a most dvcrting com
Cdy on Friday when Roach, who had sat silent
in his seat for the last two months under con-
ditionS that would have made any man in whom
lcs:ded the smallest instinct OF honor squirm
with humiliation made the calm announcement
that he desired the resolution OF investigation
to pas>, and that he would long ago have made
such a request had he not been restrained by
the advice of friends. 1.-The advice of friends -
Think of it What friend advises an innocent
man t. sit still under a shameful impUta'ion?
What friend suggests to a man who has done
10 wrong that he silently endure rcproach for
so much as the fraction of a second?
But even in declaring at 50 late day that
he wished the investigation to proceed. Roach
made no formal protcstaton Of innocence
Knowing that the records in the office OF the
Controller of the Currency identified him as
the Citizens Bank dcsaulter and contained Il
complete story of his crime, he could not very
well have done 50. Still his silence slmplilc'
tho issue. 1t leaves the Democrats standing on
an admission of guilt and plea that because
it had to do with a crime committed prior t.
the date of Roach's election, the Senate is I'M
able to inquire into it. For the honor OF the
country, but especially for the honor OF the
Senate, We regret this disgrac ,ful partisan po-
sition The Democratic party will regret it,
The Democratic Senators will regret it, They
will live to learn that the people of the United
States dcSpisc them for the course they have
taken in this matter. If. when Roach'S rcc!d
I,I nh ,- l1.l.
cd that he prove his innocence or resign, notify
ing to him that if he failed to do either one
thing or the other they would vote as party
for his expulsion. they would have command
the respect Of the people and degree of G Mi
denCe in the general rcditudc Of their inton-
tiCnS which would have commended their a'ti
en- all partisan questions as a; Last sincerely
meant for the country's good. They have lost
a great opportunity t. be men and patriots. and
they stand out MT merely As par;i>an'. but a
men to whom the political power of the mo
ment is Of greater value than the respect they
owe TO themselves. to the great body Of which
they are members and TO the Nation.
The people understand the Roach matter
pretty well. Expressed in a sentence ii Is this
Roach has committed a crime for which. had
lie not escaped punishment by flight. he woull
have been sentenced to penal >crvtudc and
forever deprived Of the Iight' Of citizenship:
but he is one Of very narrow Democratic ma
ority in the Senate he was elected fr,m
Republican State. and by a Republican Lcgl'-
aturc. under conditions that Justify the giayc'
suspicion of the methods II which resort W.
had to elect him. if expelled, he would I'M
doubcdy be succeeded by Republican. and
Il Z h.,
ca.e as one in which any action can be taken.
Every citizen Of the United States should be
put in possession of these plain, undi>puted