The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
THE MORALS OF BLACK REPUBLICANS.

seems disposed to hold the Republican party in
Congress responsible for the corruption alleged
against members of that body One might
suppose, from its tone, that official corruption
had never been heard Of till the advent of the
new party, and of course we have satirical con-
trasts between its high flown professions and
low practices. All, doth Job serve God for
nought2 Who would not be a philanthropist,
when it pays 80 we'll Behold these freedom.
shriekers, one hand stretched out to save the
bleeding slave, the other, thrust deep into the
/ Treasury! Justice upon their lips, robbery
in their heartsl The materials for these phi
lipics are furnished by correspondents claimed
supporters of the Republican party, such as
IS" Of the N. York Daily Times, and "Index"
Of the North american. The editor Of the for.
mer remarks:
We have received one or two letters, evil
IDENTITY from friendly sources, kindly warning
that the disclosures which will result from
the labors of the lnvestig a,ing Committee at
Washington may fail Nth special freight upon
tie heads of Members Of Congress 6eionging to
the Republican party. Upon that score, our
friends need give themselves TO special con-
Germ on oar account. We probably knew quite
well as any of our advisers where these
charges would fall when they were made. And
we thought then, as we think now, that the edi-
tor who would hesitate to denounce corru ption
because men of his own party had been guilty
OF II, would thereby MAKE himself their accom-
plice."
We think so, too; bat when that same edi-
tor knows The names of the guilty parties, and
has in his possession the evidence to convict
them and when summoned as g witness, refu-
ses to testify what he knows, what is he then
The letter writers referred to, if innocent
themselves, are rather weak. No large party
can be hurt by the bad acts of individuals be-
longing to it, unless it sustain or attempt to
screen them. We know enough OF members
of the House, called Republicans TO say, that
go Gar from siiIimh,ng Rom tlo investigation
now going on, they are anxious that it should
be thorough, and result in the exposure Of the
actual culprits, whoever they may be- They
have = right to complain of the Times, because
il has brought forward its charges III such
way, made them SO general and indistinct, as
to throw odinm on whole party. Let it tell
the truth, if it knows it, so that the guilty and
not the innocent shall suffer.
Another correspondent, quoted with great
satisfaction by the Pro Slavery Press, is "La-
der" of the Philadelphia North american and
the New York Tribune. The Richmond Wal
Enquirer is particularly delighted with the fol.
lowing extract from one of his letters in the
North american:
"And if the truth must be spoken out, Sla.
very seems to exercise a conservative and hon
cr:,ble influence. The fact is notorious to
every observer at Washington, that nearly all
the Wholesale schemes OF plumber which have
been carried through Congress for years past,
all the corrupt jobbing, all the projects Of spo
lation, and all the vile and venal combinations.
hare been planned and carried on under tn;
control and ruth tie means Of Northern mana.
gers. While they shouted the loudest for Free
dom, and stignatized Slavery 80 a stigma TO
civilization, they took care to pilage the Treas
ury, by way of refreshing this sentimental
devotion.
son the floor of the House and on the floor
of the Senate-lor both are VIGOROUSLY con-.
taminased, the latter in a limited decrea-.he
prcfigste traders most known inside and out
side the hall, are net Only Northern members.
bnt they are members who have endeavored to
figure conspicuously in ali tie recent political
movements. Their names are banded about
with vulgar familiarity by the very menials ar
tending npon Congress, and their audacious
knavery give qualifications for far more than
has yet been charged. They devote them.
selves exclusively to the business of extorting
compensation for legislative favor, aud some
of them have paid enormously for seats as a
means of prosecuting this disgraceful traffic.
Nor is this corruption confined to q few isolated
instances. There are numbers in the House
whose vote, or SILENCE, or absence, was pur.
chased at the last session for the public print
ing, the railroad grants, and other special OBJ
jecs OF legislation. These spois were distrih-
ute6 among certain Republicans holding seats,
and others who were supposed to be Influential
outside. And although portion of this plum.
der was appropriated in consideration Of the
aid and comfort given by Southern Americans.
it is hot believed any of them personally shared
IL It's distribution"
"Such is the mora'e Of Back Republican.
ism! !" says tbe Enquirer.
Ob:erve-all these denurciations are con.
fined to the present Congress We are left TO
infer that corruption for the first time has
saiked upon the stage. The Galphin and Gar
diner claims of former times are forgotten. All
preceding Congresses have been pure and up
spotted. All preceding legislation has been
determined By high considerations of public
interest. Never before have there been fraud
ulent claims, in which members have been in
terested. Never have treaties been ratified.
never have bills been carried through, under
the pressure Of appeals cunningly made to au..
bition, avsrice, fear. Never before has it been
even suspected that votes could be bought By
promises of lucrative Offices, or foreign rais.
sion. Never have members, sent to re present
one Interest, turned about to support precise.
ly opposite Interest, and then, when rejected
by their constituents, found favor with an tx.
ecutiye, acting as the Instrument Of the success
ful Interest. Never has Slavery demeaned it.
self so much az to think Wits rlen, like black
men, may be bought for price. G, not is
frst pure, always pure, appealing alone 20
Reason, Conscience, Patriotism-to the love Of
money, to tie love OF office, to the love of dis
tinctiOn, to the love of power, never, o, never
And as to railroad grants, true, North and