The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-27
THE LATEST TURN IN THE
SCHLEY CASE.

The avy department is at it's old,
low tricks. 1t declines to send the
newspaper statement to Admiral How
ison in which he is reported as reflect
ing on the character Of Rear Admiral
Schley. The newspapers generally refer
to Howison and Schley as admirals.
but Schley signs himself rear admir-
al" and refers tc Howison by that title.
Schley wished to know from Howison
if the report was correct. The depart
ment hedges and plays false and says
it can not interfere, and says it will De
referred to the court. The thing of in
terest is that the department holds
back the clipping and leaves the pub
lie in the dark, How can people know
VIA the bearing is upon the case so
long as is is held from their scrutiny?
The important question is, has Howl
son been talking against Schley? If
he has then he is wholly unfit to sit
as a judge to Investigate and to try the
great naval victor. If Howison has
been talking; if he is really antagonis-
tic to Schley and a partisan of Samp-
son hen by all that is right and hon-
orable and just he is completely unified
for the place lie is named for. If he
agrees to Sit as judge after this re-
velation; if he is willing to obey and to
be a party to Schley's condemnation
and injury, it reveals his character, it
show the country what estimate is to
be placed upon such a fellow whe he
is willing to serve in a position he is
wholly untitled for by reason of his
W bad u
He holds a high place and he has the
reputation OF being a gentleman of
honor, but what can be thought of him
if after %bla5bing for Sampson and to
the detriment and condemnation of
Schley, he is found playing the part Of
judge. not to hold the scales fairly but
to condemn i most highly meritorious
officer Of equal rank with himself? The
court will have to purge itself if Howl
son has been talking against Schley.
| That is the long and the short of it.
Nothing but a fair, full, just trial, will
do. The country demands it and will
have nothing .ess. The Atlanta Journ-
al expresses the rightful, sane view
when it says that "the slightest sus-
picion that any m of the court
did not enter upon the discharge of his
duty with q mind perfectly free from
preconception T bias would be fatal to
the moral value of the verdict if IL
should be controlled by the vote of
such a p%reJuiiced party."
The Washington Post when lot bias
ed politically is apt to utter sound and
safe Judgment. Writing of the eligi-
bility of Howison. it writes most sensi-
sibly and calmly. We make a few de-
tached excerpts:
o course Admiral Howison cannot
serve in the Schley court of nqutry if
he has at any time declared himself
as prejudiced. This is a proposition
which needs no argument. We do o
know that he is disqualified.
This gentleman enjoys a very high
reputation fer intelligence, integrity
and good faltn.
IF he really INDUCED the u~tterances
attributed to him as the result of the
organized deception practiced by the
anti-Schley cabal and not through any
personal feeling or conviction hostile to
the man himself. 1t is quite possible that
ne may make as just and as wise a
judge as any other. But that is a mat
ter for his W conscience. Certainly,
there must be no cloud upon the integ-
rfty of this court.
The American p .ople o welcome
opportunity involved in this inves-
tigation and will accept the verdict of
any tribunes in whose honor and impar-
TALLY they have confidence. But they
will accept on no other terms, and the
man who undertakes to cheat them OF
their stern desire will nave reason to
! curse. h hour o. his birth