Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-02-02
CHAMP CLARK : LETTER
Senators Under Indict-
ment For Felony.
SHOULD HAVE FAIR TRIAL.
Until Then Judgment Should Be
Suspended.
SHOULD HAVE FAIR TRIAL.
FAMOUS TRIAL OF AARON BURR.

FAMOUS TRIAL OF AARON BURR.
Great Minds That Participated In
That incident OF the Republics
Early Days-The "Backwoods Ruff
fan"-Burr Compared With quay.
Two Giant InteiIeet. Republican
Rottenness In California.
Especial Washington LetterI
s'The most august Legislative body on
earth is the proud and haughty title
which the senate of the United States
has long arrogated to itself; but, con-
sidering some of the unsavory char
aeters now holding seats there and some
who are trying to 'sbreak in to the
charmed circle, it may be not unreason-
ably concluded that the real name of
that chamber of the ancients should be
changed into something more unassum-
ing 1t will be remembered that SEN
ator Quay Of Pennsylvania and Senator
Kenney of Delaware-t the former a Re
under Indictment for felony; not such
felony as murder, manslaughter or as
sauit with intent to kill, which might
be committed under sudden and ire
sistible provocatien by any man Of hot
temper, even by man who is essen
TALLY good and moral citizen. but for
felony involving dishonesty as to money.
If these men are guilty at all, they can
not even plead the poor excuse of igno-
rance for violating the laws Of their
country, for they possess exquisite in
tellects and are justly reputed men of
learning Nor have they to urge in
mitigation that necessity of hunger
which has induced many poor and
starving wretch to infract that portion
of the Decalogue which says, Thou
shalt not steal, for both Of these grave
and reverend seigniors are men of sub
stance.
Hitherto in these letters have said
that as a matter of ordinary justice and
for the sake of our good name as a peo-
pie we should suspend judgment upon
these two illustrious culprits until they
can have fair trial by an impartial
jury of their countrymen. Kenney, the
Delaware Democrat, young and hand
some man. has had two such trials re-
sulting in each instance in a hung
jury. He appears to be always ready
for II ial, and must therefore believe in
his own innocence, especially as the
machinery of the court in which his
case is impending is in the hands of his
political enemies. So it would appear
from surface indications that Senator
Kenney is more sinned against than sin
ming. By the love we bear our institu-
tions let us hope that this is true and
that he will pass unscathed through the
fiery furnace
A Distinguished Parsonage.
Save and except Aaron Burr alone
Matthew Stanley Quay is far and away
the most distinguished parsonage that
ever appeared in the criminal dock on
this continent True, Andrew johnson.
president of the United States, was i'm
peached, and Macmillan of Hapsburg,
sol disant emperor of Mexico. was
stood up against wall and shot as a
common malefactor. but they do not
count. They were actors in great politi-
cal dramas. Nobody charged them with
violating the Ten Commandments. No
body accused them of any mental con-
fusion as to meum and tuum. No sheriff
dared lay his hand upon their collars
and say, ''In the name of the common
wealth arrest you as common thief. .
Even Burr, though actually indicted by
a grand jury and tried by petit jury,
securing the dubious triumph Of the
Scotch verdict of Not proved, is in
a class superior to Quay for his crime,
if any he committed or meditated, was
a political crime. just such as Philip Of
Macedon, Caesar, Napoleon the Great,
Louis Philippe, Napoleon the Little
and divers others meditated and COM
mitted and are lauded in history for SO
doing.
Trial of Aaron Burr.
That Burr contemplated seizing Mex
leo and converting it into an empire of
which he should be the emperor, with
succession to his daughter. the well be-
loved Theodosia and her little son. is
as clear to me as that George Washing
ton was once president of the United
States. If this were his only purpose, a
lover of his kind might we'll applaud
his ambition; for Burr would have
made an ideal ruler, wise and benign
monarch. He would have brought the
blessings of peace and settled govern
ment to that then badly distracted coun-
try. Whether he intended to sever our
possessions west of the Alleghanies and
add them to his Mexican empire is
mystery which nothing short of the
great Judgment day will clear mp.
But whatever his intentions, the I'M
quailing heart, the bland manners, the
amazing fortitude, the invincible cour-
age, the infinite tact, the manifest
eagerness, the commanding ability and
the consummate address with which he
faced his army Of accusers, with the
ardent and mighty jefferson at tneir
head, and overcame them all half re
deems his fame.
To criminal lawyers that historic trial
in the little town of Richmond, in the
nascent days of the republic, must for
ever remain one of the most fascinating
in the annals of Jurisprudence
The greatest jurist of the age sat
upon the bench, John Marshall, chief
justice of the United States The most
brilliant and spectacular figure of our
politics was foreman of the grand Jury.
John Randolph of Roanoke The most
scintillatiHg orator of the time was the
chief counsel for the government, Will
liam Writ, for 10 years attorney gen
eral Of the United States. The principal
lawyer for the defense was the Federal
Bulldog, who knew more law and
could drink more wine than any man
betwixt the two oceans. Luther Mar
tin Of Maryland The main witness for
the prosecution. the greatest liar known
among men since Ananias and Sapphira
had their i'll starred land transaction,
the most variegated rascal Of whom
American history tells, who. while wear
ing his country : uniform, sold her to
the Spaniards, and who posing as Burr i
friend. sold him to the government,
Brigadier General james Wilkinson.
Back Of the prosecution and urging ii
on with all the powers Of mighty ma
ton, animated by lofty patriotism and
personal hate stood the profoundest
philosopher that ever devoted his life 10
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