The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-04-29
A Chapter Of Shame.

a NuaptrE VI snhuc.
GOody-gOody John wsnimaker
will surely be accepted as good
authority in republican ranks. John
has = strong stomach. he can see our
soldiers die frOn eating embAlmed
beef, and not sven belch. But the
scquittsl of Quay is like ippicac to the
stomach OF this truly CREST and good
republican. Hear him:
Philadelphia, Pa, April 2l.-John
WSnamsker made the following
statement relative to the aequittal of
ex-senator Quay and the lstter's ap-
Pointnent by the governor as United
States senator:
"The aequittal Of Senator Quay will
be 4 disappointment to every lover Of
justice and every friend Of good gov
eminent throughout the United States.
1t records with emphasis the difficulty
Of convictiDg potent political defen-
dAnts, charged with public crime, no
matter bow clear, convincing and
overwhelming the evidence may be.
The story Of the corrupt use and
speculation in public money in Penn
sylyAnia is an old one, and has been 8
matter Of notorious accusation against
= long line Of state ~treasurers and
political bosses tor many years. Mr..
Quay himself has been again and again
accused Of participation 10 treasury
jobbing BY the newspapers Of tins and
other states, with eircumstantial detail.
Heretofore, however, the basis Of these
accusations largely consisted Of oral
testimony and of allegations by polit-
icsl opponents.
"The case which terminated today,
unlike previous accusations, was found
ed exclusively upon documentary proof
10 his " handwriting and that OF his
friends and coniederates. The evidence
OF the guilt did not depend upon the
y~srAcily Of any man OF men but was
supported exclusively BY his letter
md by written entries recorded by hi.
trusted friends and Supporters.
From the day the prosecution
against him was instituted until the
verdict was recorded, be sought by
every device to delay and obstruet the
efforts Of the commonwealth's officials
to produce the written evidence of his
misdoings and 10 bring him TO trial
for his offenses. The removal Of the
Case from the lower court on the eve
OF the day when it was first set down
for trial BY an extraordinary writ
issued by the supreme court, which
that court subsequently, dismissed, was
successful in taking the prosecution
away from the management Of Former
District Attorney Graham, whose
ability, zeal and effectiveness as q
prosecutor had been demonstrated by
eight years of service.
"This is = new chapter Of shame
for Pennsylvania, 4 new record Of
failure in the administration Of justice
that will do much TO encourage cor.
%ruptionists and public plunderers gen.
Z orally throughout the country. The
first shout Of defiant e~xuliation over
, his acquIttAl bad proceeded from the
} governor Of the commonwealth, who
had promptly appointed him q United
D States senator without authority and
I in violation Of law and 10 defiance o.
the will Of the people as expressed BY
the voters Of the legislature. It il
fitting in every way that the cspstout
should have thus been put into the
edlhce of boss rule and machine
jobbery by the Quay representative In
the governors chair. We will thu
!, see more clearly, it is to be hoped, th,
reckless disregard Of right and decency.
OF public morality and political purity
, that c~haracterizes the Quay mschin,
now entrenched 10 office in Pennsyl
vauia. But friends Of good govern
ment should not despair. There arr
, other indictments undisposed OF still
hanging over Quay, and whatever MAJ
be their fate, even though it should b.
a technical acquittal, the contes
against the degrading forces, practice
. aud principles which Quay and hi
e machine represent will be carried o.
, until justice and right, morality ant
I honesty, shall triumph. The friend
5 Of good government will re-enlist II
2 this warfare today and must coutinu'
5 unremittingly and ~unhlnchiugly in lhI
. strife against all wr~ongdolng ant
t wrongdoers in any party and in al
parties, regardless Of temporary set
backs or defeats, until the treasur,
t iobbers shall be driven from oficis
0 power In the commonwealth.
S-COniederates srs more or les