The times., 1899-08-30
aIacyeaeh to the Breach.

MacNeagh to the Breach.
Even for the hottest month in the yeal
the caloriic energy of the Carter scandal
appears to be extreme, and liable to touch
something off. 1t is red pepper in the eyes
of Griggs, and tacks in the chair of stats
for the President One of them swears like
pirate, and the other afirms like the
presiding elder of a canal boat, every time
the subject is mentioned, which is at the
rate of about a cord of newspaper clip
pings day.
The reason for all this excitement exists
in the fact that Mr.. Mckinley is having
trouble over the case. Wherever he goes
the leading Republican politicians tel him
that it is a millstone around the neck of
the party, and the Commander-i in Chief
dislikes millstones as much as he does
/ plough factories. Conviction that the mat
| ter must be put out of the way in some
manner has dawned upon the Executive
mind and made it extremely difficult for
Griggs to keep faith with the friends OF
the prisoner, Wayne MacVeagh in partic-
ular.
/
situation, and is moving to meet it with
the boldness Of desperation. MacVeagh's
brief has been published, and a more re-
markable document perhaps never found
its iilegitimate way into a department not
legally concerned with its subject matter.
This amazing argument declares the COM
plete and demonsuabIe innocence of the
lnrt icfa III afv HI
and crueifed Dreyfus. and denounces the
eourtmartial that tried him as an aggre-
cation of military ignora1fluses, mentally
and morally unfit to pass on the guilt OF
a eat caught in the act of stealing cream.
Attorney MacYeagh asserts that the evil
dence upon which the verdict was reached
was totally inadmissible. and that when
subjected to the analytical criticism of a
Philadelphia lawyer, it becomes conclusive
of the falsity of every charge against Car
ter.
It is noticeable that the captains chief
counsel does not go into any detailed refuta-
ton of the material evidence; probably for
the reason that that would be superiuous,
as every line and word of it has been al
ready sifted by George F. Edmunds in the
hope that he might be able to find some
flaw which would furnish the President
with tangible excuse TO disapprove the
findings and sentence of the court The fact
that, although spurred by the promise OF
five thousand dollars, and the certain
gratitude of Carter's powerful coparce-
ners and hackers, Edmunds was unable
TO discover the least injustice, illegal
ity. or irregularity in the record. is
proof that MacVeagh was wise in sticking
TO assertion and inYective, and attacking
the personnel of the tribunal rather than
specifically the basis of its action.
Now. if We are to believe the gossip of
Army circles, Carter is not playing exactly
good second hand in the game projected
by his lawyer. He does not act the injured
innocent as one would expect him to under |
such auspices. On the contrary, it is said, |
he IS showing his teeth and breathing /
threatenings and slaughter. How far he |
may be correctly reported We are unable /
10 say, but, according to the stories in cir |
culation, he declares that he viii not go |
to the penitentiary alone and, if the people |
who profted by his operations do not turn
in and save him, he will round" on the I
the whole lot-confederates, contractors,
Senators, and Representatives in Congress.
This is a serious matter. If Carter's
lie in such direction they
should be warmly encouraged. There is
great deal behind the scandal that the
the American people would greatly like
TO have exposed to the light. Probably no
one living could produce that spectacle for
amiable defendant excepted. So
great is the public interest in the matter
that IL ne would turn states evidence and
lay bare the whole guilty mystery, not
emitting to reveal the names of all
persons, in whatever station Of life,
who have been implicated in his opera
tons, why, we think it probable that mil I
lions of citizens could be found who would
sign petition for his immediate pardon.
We may predict with much confidence
that something viii happen in the Carter
case before many days. 1t is a fruit badly
overripe, and the Administration viii try +
TO pluck it from the limb before it has a
chance to fall and spoil Mr.. McKinley's
best political Sunday hat.