The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-25
Though There Are Other Moral Lepers,
None Has Displayed Shameless
ness Like the Kentuckian.
HIS BASE ACTS REVIEWED
Dispositions Discussed i'm Court
Behind Closed Doors.
Miss POIIard's Attorneys Argue Against
Admitting Testimony of ROselle,
Lewis and Julian.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

WASHINGTON, March 24-'Can it be
possible that the voters Of the Seventh Ken
lucky district or any other section of the
country will continue such a man in Con-
gressT" This question is upon every
tongue in Washington, referring to the Pol
lard-Breckinridge breach of promise and
damage suit and the political future Of
the defendant.
Whether or not Colonel Breckenridge is
acquitted or convicted by the jury. which
Is expected to bring in a verdict within
the next two or three weeks, tAere never
will be any question in the minds of the
people Of Washington who have followed
the proceedings in this remarkable trial
whether he is a man of good moral char
acter. If the jurors should, without leav-
ing their box and without consultation or
hesitation. return an instant verdict of ac-
quittal he would stand convicted here ard
elsewhere of base moral turpitude There
would be no question OF his depravity. In
point of fact he doesn't question that mat
ter himself. Here is man ripe in years,
white-haired and venerable in appearance,
honored by long public service at the hands
of his people and trusted by all the good
people of Kentucky, who, with lOvable
wife and family, allures a young woman
whether an innocent schoolgirl or one eX-
perienced in the ways Of the world-into
life Of shame. and carries her about from
place to place, first as his daughter, then
as his mistress, and finally as his affianced
bride His own wife died some two years
ago. Testimony shows that before the
earth had settled upon the newly-made
grave he was going about and consorting
with the complainant, and that within q
week he had renewed his promises of mar
riage and publicly acknowledged that he
intended to marry her soon as he could
do SO without being condemned by the
voice of the people Meanwhile he is max
ing overtures to another woman, promises
to marry her. and even goes to New York
and marries her secretly; but at the same
time, according to testimony, he takes the
first woman with him, registers her at the
hotel as his daughter, occupies communi-
eating rooms and consorts with both Wom-
en- almost within the same hour. If ever
such perfidy, such deception was shown In
ability the annals of society have failed 70
record 1t, and there is no old inhabitant
who can recall IL to memory.
All these things and many more are
known and proven in a man fifty-seven
five. Worse than all this, Colonel Breckin-
ridge has posed as a man of prime moral
character a deacon in the Presbyterian
which met in Washington a year ago for
the trial of Dr. Briggs, the eminent di-
vine charged with heresy, he arraigned with
all his powerful eloquence that man whom
no one has ever charged with anything
more serious than the teaching of doctrine
not strictly within the Discipline, and he
arraigned him SO bitterly as to attract
widespread attention. The prosecution has
attempted to prove in the trial now pend
ing that while Colonel Breckenridge was
airing his eloquence in the Presbyterian
sembly he was maintaining his relations
with his present plaintiff. If it is possible
convention COMPOSED
of the good ministers of the Presbyterian
Church each day from the embraces of his
cOnsOrt the church people of the country
are capable of characterizing the act. All
these things must rise like the miasma
time 20 poison the morals of the country
and point a moral to the constituents of
this man. People here are wondering
whether it can be possible that even gal
liant Kentucky constituency can close its
eyes to such things brought against and
not morally disproxed by their Representa-
tive in Congress. There are men in Wash
ington who. while admitting all of the
charges against this man to be true, are
Offering to wager that his friends at home
will renominate him and send him to Con-
gress again with an increased majority.
OTHER STATESMEN AS BAD.
While a great deal of interest is being
shown by the country in this celebrated
cause. it is bringing up in the minds of the
people in Washington, where most is
known, moral suggestions. People are here
inquiring among themselves whether, after
all, Colonel Breckenridge is a very much
worse man than many other men in public
life. This is one of the "unforunates'
caught in the act. 1t will be recalled that
it was only few years ago that another
Kentucky Congressman, who met a tragic
death a short time afterwards was sur
prised first In a most compromising stua-
ton with woman at the Interior De-
partment, and a short time afterward, not
to be baked in his course of wayWardneSS
and feast of lust, in a similar position in
the crypt of the Capitol One of the prin-
cipal attorneys for the defendant, it will
be remembered by readers of current news,
only few years ago assa ssinated the be
trayer of his wife on railroad train, and
escaped punishment by the plea of tempo
But how about the moral characters of
men now in Congress? is question upper
most in the public mind of Washington. 1t
Is alleged that there are many others
guilty, but not in the high degree, of kim
dred crimes against the moral calendar. 1t
is stated that should the jury convict Col
Miss Pollard member of the House stands
ready to offer a resolution looking towards
his expulsion from the membership of that
body. The question has been raised whether
not the House or Senate can take
cogniZance of such an ofense. OF course,
both branches of Congress- like all parla-
mentary bodies, are judges of their own
membership, and they determine the quail
fication and fitness of each individual MEM
members of parliamentary bodies upon
which the bodies themselves pass, it is con-
tended, relates not to ability to discharge
duties imposed, but moral turpitude When
Senator Roach, of North Dakota, was faced
with charges of embeZZlement and an in
VeStigation with a view TO expulsion was
demanded il was clearly proven that the
Senate had the right to investigate such
charges, and, if found true, to expel the
guilty Senator Members of the House who
have discussed and investigated the subject
contend that moral crimes such as have
been brought against Colonel Breckenridge
affect his fitness TO be a member of the
House, as did the charges of embezzIement
alleged against the Senator from North Da-
kota, and that if jury affirms these
charges against Colonel Breckinridge he
can, with perfect proprety, be expelled, be-
cause his presence in the House would not
only degrade that body and deteriorate the
usefulness OF its individual members as
public officers, but injure the moral status
of the individual members of the House
An effort TO expel Representative Breck-
inridge, OF Kentucky, from the House OF
Representatives on the ground that he was
of immoral character. and his presence in
that body was degrading. would be a novel
spectacle. No doubt great many heads
would be ducked every time a hand was
raised TO throw stone. because there are
so many culpable individuals in that body,
so many men who are guilty of the little
sinful friyolities of life. that they would