The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-03-16
The Charges of Corruption against the Ma
ti0nal Administration

MED that they are fruitful in expedients.-
They have new front for every occasion.
When The public mind is diseased upon
any particular question, when reason is de-
throned and passion and prejudice rule su.
preme, then the Opposition shout for prin.
ciple, assume the garb of martyrs for truth,
and petition the people for their votes on
high grounds. The whole Anti Slavery
movement of the Opposition can be covered
by this view of the motives which influence
ed them. The same can with truth be said
of the position assumed by the Opposition
with reference TO the Bank question, the dis
tribution of the Public Lands, and all other
leading, prominent measures on which they
antagonized the Democratic party. They
must find some ground on which TO fight
the Democratic element of the Nation, and
hence they seize hold of the prevailing bias
of public sentiment, and leading it still fur
ther astray from the path of reason and JUS
tce by arful suggestions and the exhibition
of but few of The facts in each particular
case.
But in every instance where there really
was principle at stake 10 be contended for
the Democracy of the country appealed to
the intelligence of the masses, and gained
decided victory. The Opposition where
unaorsed, and the contest ended so far as
principle were concerned. Then however,
came the expediency dodge. When no
longer able 10 find a reasonable objection TO
the measures and policy of Democratic
Administration, they resort to the ready made
charge of corruption, and appeal to the fer.
tile brains of hired defamers to coin false
charges, and send them broadcast over the
land. This has been the course pursued
by the Opposition with reference 10 the ad
ministration OF James Buchanan. They
tried their metal on the measures and policy
OF his administration, and failed in a most
signal and significant manner His foreign
policy elected the commentator of the
whole Conservative portion of the Ameri-
can people. The measures resorted to in
order to bring into subiection the rebelious
Mormons, were endorsed by anaImost unani
Ahouo pbotiS SOhtitiCutj al piOu-
inent acts and suggestions ofthe National Ad-
mnistration W ere responded to in like man.
ner by the patriotic heart ofthe nation The
charges of corruption, too, have been disprov-
en-, but still they reiterated as if mere repeti-
tion of a falsehood could make it more worthy
of belief. But this is no new feature in the
history of Democratic administrations. Gen
Jackson was the object of most unqualified
abuse from the Opposition party, and the
charges Of corruption against his administra-
tion were even more boldly and audacously
persisted in than those now urged against
that of Mr.. Buchanan. AS sample of these
charges, read the following from the Nation
al Journal, printed in Washington in 1890.
That paper thus speaks Of the administra.
ton of Gen Jackson:
"The foregoing incomplete list shows that
Gen. Jackson, has appointed 10 public Off
ces forty-nine persons connected with the
press. On its being viewed in connexior
with the public accounts, the following facts
vii. appear:
"The annual amount of public money
paid 10 four only of the editors, sc thus re-
warded, which four were among the con-
ductors of single paper, is upwards of TEN
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, viz: $4,000
TO N. Green, $4,000 10 A. Dunlap, 81 400 TO
D. Henshaw, and SO, 1876 96 10 T. Dexter
all concerned in the Boston Statesman, the
leading paper in favor of General Jackson
in the State of Massachusetts.
"To nine of those editors, &C., the annual
amount of public money paid is about
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, viz: $4,000
TO Isaac Hill, So, 1000 TO Kendall, Ss.39I "a
TO Wagner, SO 900 to Noah, $c,264 40 10
Carr, and to N Green, Dunlap, Henshaw.
and Dexter the respective sums already
stated.
"To 1ieenty one OF those editors, &c., the
annual amount of public money paid is up.
wards of FORTY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, viz
$4,000 10 Mites, 81 ,69s SO to Daniorth, 81 ,6s6
IS TO Dauby, S 800 10 MeehaE, 400 10
Hunter, $I,3I7 81 TO Dawson, Sl233 so TO
Greenleaf, ,$I, 80 toJohnston, 8 900 10 Rives,
$1,000 10 Fulton, $1,000 10 Bull, $1,000
TO Handy, and TO N. Green, Dunlap, Hen
shaw, Dexter, |. Hill, Kendall, Wagner, Noah
and Carr, the respective sums already stat
ed.n
From this article it will be seen that the
Opposition, after vainly attempting TO defeat
the measures and policy of Gen. Jackson's
administration, fell back upon such charges
as are made in the article from the National
Journal which are here quoted. The coun-
try has accepted and endorsed every prom
inent measure of Mr.. Buchanan's admins !
tration, just as they did those of the old He
ro of the Hermitage. Now the Opposition
makes charges of corruption against MIR.
Buchanan, as they did against General Jack
son. But the result will be the same The
Nation repudiated the men who thus resort
ed TO vile and unworthy means to iniure the |
Chief Magistrate of the Republic, and tarn-
ish the reputation of its ruler for honesty
and fair dealing in 1880, and they will do so
now in the case of Mr.. Buchanan. This |
trick of the Opposition is not new. 1t has
been tried before and failed, and it will fail
now. The Nation has full confidence in the
administration OF James Buchanan, and that !
confidence cannot be shaken by the base