Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1876 — RORICK E. JAMES,-INDICT HIM. [ARTICLE]

RORICK E. JAMES,-INDICT HIM.

In the number of the Remington Record ot December Ist, Mr. F. R. Donnelly, an old and respectable citizen ot this county, in an article to which his name is attached, charges by innuendo that Horae? E. James, of The Union, did, on the Saturday evening preceding the late presidential election day, visit the town of Remington aud “dis“tributu money and whiskey to “bribe needy and thirsty democrats “to vote for Hayes and Wheeler.” This is a grave charge, because it covers the commission of a misdemeanor; it is a serious one, because it is made by a gentleman of respectable standing in community, whose age renders him venerable;

•wd it is made after the fever of the campaign has assuaged, deliberately and without provocation, the accused having no controversy with him and knowing no reason why there should be other than friendly personal relations between his accuser and himself. The law of Indiana in relation to the offense charged by Mr. Donnelly is to be found in second Gavin 4 Hord,page 478, section CI, and is*as follows; If aaj person ahU um any threats, menaces, force, or any corrupt ntrsna, at or prenoaa to any election pursuant < 0 Jaws of thia state, toward spy elector to hinder or deter such elector from voting st such election, or shiaH directly or indirectly offer any bribe or reward #f any kind, to induce any ctaetov to vote contrary to hit inclination, or shall on the day of election any public treat, or authorize any ether person to de ao, to obtain votes for •ny person, the person so offending shall be ■nod not exceeding five hundred dollars, •nd be incapable of holding office fur two years after conviction thereof. Hext week the grand jury tor this «oauly will be In session at BensseII Jty. Doundly, or any other gentleman, has knowledge that Horace B. James, or any other per,TL ’ hW “ r, “ r any other tiring, to bribe democrat*, <or X>tbw peraous, to vote for Hayas g/ni Wheeler, or other candidates,

let him or them present their evidence before said tribunal, to the end that a true bill may be found against the guilty person, or persons, and they brought to trial. There is evidence which may not be succesiefully controverted, sup-, ported by the affidavits of unimpeachable witnesses, that Mr. Tilden's party friends did,’ by fraud, illegal voting, intimidation, pro scription, violence, and barbarous murder, prevent a fair, full and conscientious expression of the sentimeuts of a large number of the citisens of the United Slates in several certain states of the nation at the late presidential election, thereby not only rendering popular suffrage a mockery and a farce, but also forcing the country to the verge of revolution and civil war. Language is not adequate to condemn these acts as they deserve, and no lawful punishment is too severe to be meted to those who committed them. A principle has been violated that is deeper and broadei than mere party foundations; a principle that cannot be circumscribed or defined by party lines. Those who are guilty of corrupting popular elections, whether they are recognized as democrats or republicans, deserve to suffer the penalties of law; and if the person whom Mr. Donnelly accuses is guilty as charged he is entitled to a less degree of clemency, judicial and popular, than if he were a person whose profession did not place him in the position of a teacher and moulder of public morals. Hence The Union embraces the opportunity to call the attention of the gentlemen who are empaneled as members of the grand jury, four of the six of whom are democrats, and ot the prosecuting attorney who is a republican, to the-article referred to containing Mr. Donnelly's accusation, and suggests that they give it such consideration as its gravity demands, in Qrder that justice the law may overtake the guilty,’ if any such there be.

This place is probably as favorable as any to notice another matter, which, however, is of a purely personal character. It could not be effectively discussed while the campaign was in progress for the reason that men’s minds were too much wrought up by the excitement incident to a canvass involving questions which were thought to affect the public welfare to give scarcely passing attention to private griefs, or wrongs perpetrated upon persons who were not candidates for public office. The fierceness of political strife has subsided, and now it is desired to make a statement to the people of Jasper county in regard to a story which was set afloat during the progress of the campaign calculated to seriously reflect upon the integrity of the manager of this paper. Some time about the latter part of August or the first of September an article appeared in the Remington Record as an editorial, which substantially charged that Horace E. James had been paid SBOO to conduct The Union in the interest of the republican party. It has been told us that Al. J. Kitt, Ira W. Yeoman, Dr. James H. Loughridge, Wm. A. Erwin, Daniel B. Miller, Win. Barkley, democrats, Rev. J. W. Hogan, Dr. S. W. Ritchey. Hon. Geo. Major, C. H. Price, independents, and many other genmen of respectability whose names are not now recalled,.actively disseminated the report. The charge was libelous. There was no truth in it. It was false. Neither SBOO nor any other sum of money was promised or paid for the consideration stated. No member of the republican county, state or national organization, or the agent of either, ever offered a dollar or piomised a reward of any character to induce the manager of this paper to advocate the republican party; not even has any member of the republican party made an effort, that we have any knowledge of, to secure another patron to the paper. The Union is not a pauper, a beggar, nor a cringing sycophant to lick the feet of those in power. It is not a party organ. It is free to condemn th* wrong and advocate the right at all times and under all conditions; and by the grace ot God it will remain so as long as the wapager controls it.

We harbor no feelings of ill will for either of the gentlemen named in thia connection-—they probably felt like contributing something to the cause of Tilden and reform, and stifled any conscientious scruples with the Jerfbistic Casuistry that the end justifies the means—but feeling a little sensitive about matters of this character think it not entirely improper to make a denial, lest silence might be construed as an admission of the truthfulness of their campaign report.

Hon. Abraham S. Hewett, who ought to be considered respectable authority by democrats from the fact that he is a representative of their party in.congress and the chairman of their national commit’tee, recently was accorded a private interview with President Grant whose bearing and conversation on that occasion impressed him so favorably that he declares his belief that the president honestly intends to act with absolute impartiality towards all parties while the election snarl is being unraveled.

On Wednesday evening gold was quoted in New York at 108|, a decline of | of a cent for the day. The Chicago market quotation<*ior that day on cattle were, choice to extra grades [email protected], common to prime shipping steers $3.40@4, cows $2.50@3. Hogs, ordinary to prime heavy packing [email protected], light weights [email protected], inferior [email protected]. A slight advance was noticed in the quotations of good poultry and game. Up to yesterday the attitude of the democracy towards the country was that of a highway man towards a traveler. It was stand and deliver enough electoral votes to seat Mr. Tilden in the presidential chair. What they will do now that plan has failed cannot be predicted with certainty; but probably they will stand at a safe distance and swear.

President Grant’s animal message was delivered to congress on Tuesday. It contains timely suggestions concerning measures for the public welfare, but makes no allusion, oi merely the slightest and that indirectly, to the election muddle. We have not space to review it in these columns this week, but in the next number will present its full text. Other matters have crowded out the list of publications with which The Union has clubbing arrangements for 1877. It will appear in next week’s issue. At latest advices Wade Hampton was still standing behind his rifle clubs, swearing, shaking his fists and making mouths at Governor, Chamberlain.