Year: 1876

bound In paper, OF . cents bound In CLOTH



From the Cincinnati Gazette.


Inyestigations-Th Abuse.


Republican Congressman have thrown


no obs tacle in the way Of Democratic in


vestigations Republican newspaper


have spread broadcast all the ex
parte statements that they have elected,
and all the scandals they have manufac-
tured, and, thereby. have helped them
to execute judgment before any defense
was heard. All that they can give in
their formal reports. and vastly more. is
thus spread abroad Immediately, whereas,
if it were left to such publicity as their
reports could give, the mass of it would
fall still-born


The public will reflect how different
this is from the treatment Of investiga-
tions Of the last Democratic administra.
ton by n Republican House Every Dem
ocratic Congressman resisted them as
paFtizan. denied their evidence, attacked
the witnesses, and rejected their ex-
posures of most abominable corruption,
and every Democratic journal excluded
all reports of them from its columns.


This difference exhibits the radical diff
ference in the character Of the two par
ties. But has not the time come when
independent Republicans may look into
the conduct Of these pretended investi-
cations, and little into the extravagant
expenditure of them, to see for whose
profit this public money is so lavishly
spent We see pretended investigations.
not directed by any previous knowledge
or by any specific cause for suspicion, or
by any special aim. but like arrows shot
into the sky, to see If at random they
may hit something. We see pretended
Investigations conducted with secrecy,
which can have no rational object but to
avoid the exposure of Democrats, who
are almost certain to be found wherever
any corruption is discovered. 1t is not
because of the willingness Of these inves-
tigators that their proceedings have been
made public, but because they could not
help it.


We see persons summoned from all
parts of the country, upon a suppositiOn
that they can tell something, and q kind
of general invitation held out that any
who can tell anything suspicious Of any
Republican officer can have mileage and
witness fees by coming to the Capital
We see pretended Investigations turned
into a general scandal hunt, brides offer



dals Of any sort, rOgues turning pretend
ed informers, and dead beats getting
travelling expenses and n support for a
time out Of the public money. on the pre-
tense of knowing something evil of the
Administration. We see also these COM
mittees pretending to investigate trials
which have been had in the courts. And
what is worse, we see them set on by the
agents Of the ring OF corrupt revenue
officers who have thus far been success
fully prosecuted.


All this has given the pretended inves-
LEGATIONS the character OF mere scandal
hunt for mere party effect. and has be-
gun to bring strongly forward the matter
of the expense Of this partisan raid. All
these witnesses must have their mileage
and witness fees. And TO each there is
the expense Of serving subpoena and
this raises the question whether there is
not in each case charge for construct
i've mileage and service by a deputy Ser
even although the sum
mons be by telegraph. People have
only to remember so far back as the last
Democratic Administration, to recOllect
how large a business was done in this
line of constructive mileage and con-
stuctive service to support Democratic
bummers. In this city it was carried on
in the most shameless manner.


Whenever a slave hunter came into
Ohio, the theory was set up that there
was danger OF a rescue, and a multitude |
Of Democratic fellows OF the baser sort T.
were enlisted as deputies by the United /
States Marshal, who themselves raised a
riot to help the pretense. But not con-
tent with paying fees to these unneces-
4 II
they were called from remote places,
such as Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, and
charged and collected mileage for them.
These accounts, whose face showed they
were fraudulent, were allowed BY the
Democratic Administration. This nat
urally suggests the inquiry whether this
pretense Of summoning witnesses from
all parts OF the country. especially from
the remote frontier, is for the purpose of
paying constructive mileage and fees to
Democratic officers and other party re-
tainers.


None who remember what Democratic
was, will regard this as an
suspicion. IL would not be
at all unlike the former character Of the
party II, while il was starving the female
laborers in the Treasury Department,
and reducing the public buildings
throughout the country to darkness, in
the pretense OF zeal for economy. and
were cutting down the salaries Of the
poorest paid OF the clerks, il was squan-
dering money illegally to feed a horde
Of party bummers. The conduct of this
pretenee of invest igations has raised the
serious question whether It is not a
grosser abuse than anything which it
pretends to investigate. The moral sup
port which the Republican party and
press has given to It warrants them in
raising this question, and in holding il to
a strict accountability.