The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-04
Political and Social Decentralization of TIA,
Country.

more especially Ii Chlle
Political and Social Decentralization OF the
Country.
The insecurity of lie and property in some
pnts Of the United States, and the almost uni
versal corruption that prevails among the poll
ticians have been cited by numerous European
writers 10 prove that the republican form Of 60
vernment is a iailure-that our institutions are
not only now unsuccessful in attaining the OBJ
jec!s aimed for by their founders, but that they
never will attain those objects; that life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness are not guaranteed
to every CITIZEN that therefore peace, order and
justice can only be attained by placing the GO
veinment in the hands of the .iudicious few
rather than in those Of the unthinking many
The facts would certainly seem TO bear out
the views of the European philosophers to a
certain extent. As regards the corruption Of
the politicians there can be no doubt Wncther
we go to the capital of our own State, and look
at the interruptions Albany regency, or the still
worse Weed dynasty, parcelling out the money
swindled from city taxpayers among broken
down village politicians; or to Wisconsin, with
its wholesale La Crosse and Milwaukee land Job.
branches Of the State government were bought
as coolly as one would purchase 50 much pork:
or to Ohio, where three State Treasurers
OF three several political parties have
been accused Of robbing the State Treasury. aud
conspiring with each other to cover up their mu-
nv,nln IN 1,a al
ton itself, where the buying and selling of Con-
gressmen is so lightly thought of as to be the
subject Of jests in the hotels, clubs and saloons
we shall find the same old story, that the public
virtue Of an American politician is as easy as
that Of Turkish pacha or Russian governor.
To encompass all these ends the politicians are
often obliged to resort to the meanest intrigues,
to use the lowest and the most degraded tools
The statesman descends to hobnob with the bully
and the pugilist; the Senator fraternizes with
thieves and assassins, and is hail fellow well met
with the scum Of the great cities No path is too
sinuous, no road too filthy, no trick too dirty if
success is to be gained thereby. The pitch that
the sometime gentleman touches is made no
cleaner by the contact but assoils the new sur
face which it meets. Insensibly, the statesman
degenerates to the level Of the grogshop, the
gambling hell and the brothel. He shields and
protects the scamps who have aided him, and ex-
tends bis influence to their friends and their
friends friends, making up great family party
Of roguery, rascality and scoundrelism of all
grades
But the social generalization, which is the ma
tural consequence of the political corruption that
poisons every department Of the government, is
not universal, although it is widespread. If we
look further into society, we shall find testimony
in favor of our institutions as well as against
them. We shall find people who keep aloof from
politics altogether, who will not hold Office, who
follow strictly their private pursuits in the
learned professions, in science, art, literature
agriculture, commerce and the trades. True
there is swindling in buying and selling dry
goods as well as in trading in votes; but the
swindlers in one case are the exceptions, and in
the other the rule. AS rule, the people. dis
tinct from the politicians, are governed by the
principles Of truth, honor and integrity. They
are part of the stock in trade of the farmer, the
lIdtei, tuc UdAhcl, VI Tue LuecndnlC. lOneSty
is found to be the best policy in the long run.
and the spirit Of our government in remov-
ing odious trade restrictions and the thou
sand petty conventionalities of caste which
prevail abroad, has had much to do with the
rapid developement and wonderful growth of
the republic. We submit that had the old forms
been engrafted upon our new country.we should
not have stood as we stand to-day-a leading
Power on the earth; and we have the proof-in
the Canadas CLOSE to our doors. The real diff
Guilty with us seems to be that our people are 80
much engrossed with their private matters as to
be utterly Indifferent to public affairs. An Eng
hshman goes into political life for the love of it,
An American either disnlisses the subject as
bore, or takes it up with view of making IL
trade, and despairs of reforming the odious per
version of our system which is growing worse
every day. If our people took as much interest
in the affairs of the United States as of England,
France, Russia or Sardinia we should soon see a
different order Of things. When they get to the
worst-and it strikes us they are pretty near It
now-they will undoubtedly mend
THE WAY THE Ten GOVERNORS LyE-TAe
Almshouse Governors have just issued theft an.
nual rpnort Cor 1888 which ropraaonfs tho total