The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-13
The Morals or Politics md Party
journal issu.


The Morals or Politics md Party
JOsarnaIism.
We perceive that political corrupti0r has
spread and is spreading from this State to other
States. II originated in the State Of New York
The first spcck of the dark cloud which is over
shadowing the land and ncnacing she safety
and stability Of our institutions was the Erie
Canal The politicians wrested this gigantic
scheme of internal Improvement out % the
hands Of De Witt Clinton and turned it to the
purposes of party plumber 1t became the
common prey of wings and democrats allie.
Whichever party gained the ascendant for this
time assumed the right to batten on this source
of corruption. To the yictors belong the
spoils" The corruption spread to other objects
as well as the canals. The wealth of New
York city claimed the special attention of the
public robbers, till now the people are loaded
with burthen of taxation which exceeds the
cost of governing one half of the States Of the
Union.
One indispensable part Of the machinery for
accomplishing this wholesale plander OF the
people is the party press, which lives, moves,
and has its being in corruption. All the party
journals are alike. Their first principle is
never to tell truth il lie will serve their pur-
pose. Their second principle is to rob the people
without remorse; and their third is to cheat
brother democrats, that the plumber may be mo-
nopolized by their own clique, which is sort OF
imperieun IN imperio. Their standing motto
is
- Bear welcome in your eye
Your hand your tongue; look like the nnoccn; flower,
But be the serpent under il.
SO diligently and so successfully have they
reduced these principles to practice, that they
have covered the body polite with moral le-
prosy. Here in New York city men Of respect
able standing in society-iawyers, merchants.
even members Of the church-hire rowdics to
violate the Constitution and by controlling the
primary elections through violence. virtually
take away from the people their mos sacred
and essential right--the choice Of their repre-
sentatives-so that they might as well have no
votes at all. In this villainy the rowdics and
those who pay them their wages are aided and
assisted by the party press, which, in turn, is
nourished by the corruption which il snstains.
Like the insect which takes the hue Of The
leaves which it feeds upon. the party journal
becomes yellow with the public plumber on
which it lives Without this food il would
perish of hamilton, so worthless and so con
temptble is it in the eyes of the people
The ANas-1ry,s is a curious specimen of this
description of journals. Seymour Dickinson,
Dean Richmond, Erastus Corning and others.
hire fellow like Cassidy, who has no charac-
ter to lose, and who does their dirty work while
they are concealed behind the scenes and pull
the wires This wretched agent of theirs Oh
tains private letter Of Governor Wise. of yir-
ginia. one of the most distinguished democrats
of the South aud candidate for the Presidency.
He obtains it from silly Barney Donnelly under
false pretencss, and Immediately turns it
against the writer and in favor of his masters,
who are also candidates foa the Presidency.
for the Vice Presidency, and for all the public
plumber upon which they can pouncc. To
avoid the appearance Of the treachcry and dis
honor which this act involved, the letter was
privately circulated by means of manuscript
copies one Of which, it was well known would
be sure to reach the press. And when il does
appear in print, the Judas who sold il. through
one of his instruments, for thirty pieces OF sill
ver has the unparalleled effrontery to throw the
odium of the traitorism oa the New York
HERALD When Cassidy is confronted by the
ghost of the murdered Wise, as was Macbeth
at the feast by the spirit Of Banquo, he ex-
claims
Thou eanst moi say did il; never shake
Thy CORY locks at me;
and he points his blood-stancd finger at the
journal which first published the letter as news.
AS well might Professor Webster have charged
the murder of his victim, DR.. Parkman, on
those journals which published the proofs of
his guilt.
Governor Wise had a perfect right to look
for the nomination to the Presidency from the
democracy of New York, as well as Douglas,
Seymour, Dickinson and others. The attempt
to cheat out Of the nomination a fellow demo-
crat, Southern gentleman who holds the
highest position in his own State-to attempt to
cheat him by means Of so vile tricks with
out precedent in the history of the country.
1t is a melancholy proof of the progress ofpo-
litical dcgcneracy.
Now, it is true that HoratiO Seymour. Daniel
S. Dickinson, Dean Richmond Erastus Corning
and others, owners of the AHas-Argss, are not
directly responsible for the corrupt morals, the
atrocoHs acts, and the mad. Fantastic tricks Y
Of their organ and its conductor; bat they are
indirectly and morally accountable, aud public
opinion and the country will hold them to it.
To clear themselves from the rascality of their
agent they must repudiate his acts. The we'll
established principle of law and reason is. that
'.he who docs anything through the agency of
another does the act himself Ii is the same
in morals and in politics.
The consequence of this treachery will be
felt by the whole democratic party in this State
unless the nrnncr stems are taken to nnrrc IL Of