Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1858-08-28
The Corruption of Our National Gov
erunlent.

The Corruption of Our Natiohai $50"
ernment.
II is not 10 be doubted that the conc ltlon
Of things at the Federal City, during the last
session of Congress and even now, have devel-
oued eprosy at work in the heart OF our po-
Itical institutions which threatens ere long
10 cover the whole body polite with corrupt
and destroying sores.
Those of our citlzens-not otfce-holderS
arriving here this spring and summer, from
the National Capital, all, irrespective OF par
* creeds. have united IN speaking Of the de
plorabe rascality and venality with which
every department and office of the Govern
ment is imbued
No matter what your business there, tie
most simple as well as the most complex,
the most honest as well as that in which ras-
calitv is the chief ingredient and fraudulent
pretence the foundation, all stand upon one
common level. and are indebted for attention
or favorable consummation solely to the
amount and extent in which parties seeking
favors or Justice. can afford to Jribe Govern
ment officers to grant the one or concede the
other
From the lowest Clerk up to very near the
heads of Departments every step attained oy
q claimant of honest dues, or Spectator IN
doubtful claims, must be pared Nth gold
In the olden times of the Republic, bribery
Was the eyception-now, under the continued
predominancc of Democracy, it has become
the rule of the Government in all its offices
When FLoYD, the Secretary Of War, and
Senator's and Members of Congress, and even,
it is said, Vice President, are reputed to be
tainted with the leprosy of corruption; how
can it be expected that any subordinate officer
will escape the Infection ? .
Nor have they. The poison pervades al
most ever vein of the national offices-one
seething. reeking, foul and damning viainy
ramifies through every department fthc Gov
eminent
BriJay may be said to be the keynote to
which everything else vibrates in Washing
ton.
The President set the example when n
great public measure, involving vital prin-
ciples. was before Congress, by almost open
Is holding ont Foreign Missions and ther
HIGH Governmental positions, as the rc'cayd
OF subserviency to his behests and treason to
constituents The Heads of Departments
boldly descended into the arena of the Con
gressional floor. and contended for victory by
promising fat contracts and minor offices as
JriJeS. to obtain the votes of Congressman for
Administration measures. The sale OF the
National Property-of Fort Res erves like
that of Sneing-are made the objects OF
conspiracy, and the Chief Of that Depart
mcat in winch hon2r has heretofore been sup
posed to be the peculiar and especial guiding
star, is, by the conspiratOrs who need his aid.
Indirectly bribed to wink at and assist their
robbery Of the People.
Minor officers follow suit on the high-road
Of public corruption travelled by their super
iors; and finally the whole clan of men of
itching palms" found themselves justifi ed
in their bribery and peculation by the recent
concurrent public action of the Executive and
Legislative Departments of the Government,
in offering to the people Of Kansas the huge
J,'ije of several millions of acres of land, and
sovereign power if they would but ignore
principle and fail down and worship the Le-
compton Moloc1 Of Slavery This capped
the climax of villainy, and is the best evil
dence of the radical CORD tion which covers
with its mould and fungus every floor and
post and pillar and wall of the National edi-
flee
The evidence that such is the deplorablc
condition into which Democracy has de
bauched the government, in all its ramifica-
tons, is not confined to oral testimony OF
witnesses from Washington, making decara-
lions of facts to us personally. The whole
press throughout the land has teemed with
corroborative proof The editor of the Chi
cago Times, the leading Democratic organ of
Illinois, few months since, was sojourner in
Washington, and he thus described things as
be found them there:
We stayed in the great city five days,
ard in that brief period we saw enough to
satisfy us that personal and political deprav-
ity never had such harvest as they are now
reaping in the Federal CITY.
"Ofces are Jopght Just as openly as the
butcher buys the beef intended for his GUS
toners. Ofce brolerS have the run of the
Senate ante-chamber, of the several depart
ments and the eDecWice mansion; and the
actuai sim of money TO be paid for an office
is as publicly named by these brokers ard
their clients, as the prices OF dry goods are
named between dealer in those articles and
his customers. Corruption stalks through
the city not in disguise, but with unblushing
front and exalted mcin; the time for vice to
seek dark lanes and private places for its op-
erations is gone by, and now men are bought
and sold, Uotes purchased, and all the detesta-
BILE traffic in the hopes, weaknesses AID sOr-
rows of human nature is carried on wihout
shame. The cause Of this great change is
plain to ALL Fraud rules the Cabinet ana
Senate Fraud deep, malicious, Infamous
fraud upon the people Of tie Union, upon
Kansas, and especially upon the Democrat ic
party-is set up as an object of worship. The
Lecompton Fraud has become another mol
ten calf, and those who have set it up for wor-
ship have corrupted themselves
Is not the above deplorable picture The
cause for it, the editor Of the Times, as a
Douglas man, attributed to the demoraliza-
ton consequent upon the effects of the Ad.
ministration to put through the Lecompton
Fraud.
Was this not rather confounding what is
merely consequence with cause? When
President Pierce bought through Congress,
by using the power and patronage of the