The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-09-06
Who are the Corrupt Politicians !,

The great and all important charge bro't
against the mass of the democratic party by
'their opponents, is the charge that they have
become corrupt, and battered away their
great political birthright to the South, and
slavery aggression. This charge is especial
" dwelt upon by those political hacks who
have left the democrats ard joined the ranks
Of the black republican crusaders. What
once was beautiful and patriotic in the de-
mocratic creed has now become unsishtly
and Ioathsome to them, and all the evil they
once saw in the ranks of the enemy Is now
beautiful and pleasing
=. C. Cook, the republican candidate for
Senator, in his harangues in different parts
of the district, we understand is unsparing
in denouncing the action of his former po-
litical associates, and sheds many crocodile
tears about the party having left him, and
that he alone stands as the simon pure pos.
SCISSOR of all the good and honesty that is
left Of tho dsnoo-~ss- "sir, ,nIs may NC ~
in his estimation, but we hardly think that
his evidence is sufficient to convict the grea;
mass of the party Of this grave charge
Something depends, it is true, on how the
word corruption is construed and how the
meaning is applied If he contends that q
mans, or aparty's purity shall be judged by
his or their actions, independent of the posi-
tive proof, then we ask in what respect has
the great mass of the democratic party ever
deserved such strong condemnation The
assertion that they are corrupt and time
serving amounts to but little in the absence
of the proof, and especially is this the case
when an interested party gives the evidence
Are we understood, or is our language too
ambiguous to be readily comprehended: If
20 We viii illustrate by a short comparison
Of what we moan:
Suppose a man, and lawyer, should be
elected to the State Senate, or the House Of
Representative, and should receive fee, of
say fTre Thousand DolLqrs from some rail
road corporation for professional services,
and at the same time that he received it he
well knew that they had no use for his pro-
fessIonal skill TO correspond with such large
fee, but might have need for his vote to pass
$500" 'TSS, "Ouif tuC presumption De
that he is not only politically but morally
corrupt, or must positive proof be adduced
TO show that the money was given and re-
ceived, under the cover of written seal. TO
make the case clear to the minds Of all no.
nest men.
Another,
suppose two men are in company in the
practice of the law, and one of them should
be selected and paid by the people for pro-
scouting criminals, and the other should
take pay from the same criminal for defend
ing him, would the presumpt be tha. both
acted in good faith to their respective eli
ents, or that either the people or the crirni-
nal was fleeced? The correct answer might
perhaps be got at if it could be shown which
party paid the biggest fec, and whether a
mans acts or his words are to be taken as
an index to his moral or political character.
IL Is time that democrats speak ont and
charge home upon their viIIifers and ira
ducers. We are denounced as slavedrivers
-negro-w rshippers-desertors of our che-
rished faith-corrupt betr.yers Of the north
and doughfaces to the south. Let nc me-.
sure out 20 these villiiiers their lust d,sor,- 1
and strip the peacock feathers from, ~,
jackdaw's back"