Daily national Democrat., 1859-11-09
Omcial Corruption.

what lnnocentlgJi euTpIlsVu w luo N"s'
amount of official corruption which he repre-
sented as existing in numerous branches of
the Government Members of the Cabinet,
he said, were more than suspected Of being
interested in many Of the heavy contracts
which come directly under their own super
vision. The office of Public Printer to Con-
gress was frequently a cover for the most
stupendous swindliug and downright robbery
of the National treasury. Members of Con-
gress, as well in the Upper as the Lower
House, often voted for measures which would
bring money into their own pockets Many
of the large railroad grants to the different
States were made, as matters Of mere private
speculation to those honorable C) Senators
and Representatives who urged them
through. They were either given shares in
the road or owned land through which the
road passed, or received a bonus for their
support of the measure To obtain the pass
age Of some bill for private speculation, it is
only necessary in many cases, he said, to Sc
cure the favor Of few Senators or Repre-
sentatiyes who have influence This being
done, fcourse there are honest men enough
to pass the measure. on the ground that it is
for the public benefit.
This evil, he informed us, was of fearful
extent, and growing continually. The worst
days of official corruption in England-days
to which the English people look back with
horror-scareely beheld a worse condition of
affairs. Votes were in those times openly
bought and sold, and the money paid down
upon the nail. Members of Parliament did
not hesitate to acknowledge that they had
made their votes valuable. In the United
States, at the present day, the only differ
ence-if these accounts be true-is that there
is some little sense of decency left, and the
bargain and sale is not publicly avowed.
The main body of the Peoples Representa-
tives are not corrupt. The difficulty is that
honest Representatives are swayed by men
of influence who are corrupt In the minis
terial departments of the Government, few
corrupt men can do vast deal of injury
can systematically plunder the Treasury, in.
volve the country in debt-and inaugurate a
most ruinous administration of public affairs /;
and the evil effects of this kind of maladmin
istration are of such nature as to run on far
into the future.
Whether the evil be indeed so great as
represented we know not but this we all
tnOU that oarto;D s4unan1ous Fro,J, 81
corruptions have several times of late years
been fairly exposed to the public gaze and it
is natural to suppose that many more shun
the light of day. If these things continue, it
is the fault of the people Mel, known to be
corrupt, however, have been sustained before
the people and re elected to public position.
1t would seem, then, q waste of time to talk.
A public writer, actuated by honest and sim
cere motives, takes up his pen to expose off
cial villainy and corruption-he raises a mes
of hornets around his head-he walks ami,
vipers-the very air is poisoned with tn
} malignity of his slanderous Gssailants but h.
bravely pursues his course, satisfied that th,
people will sustain him in his efforts and en-
dorse public virtue by condemning public
vice at the ballot box Election day rolls
around, and what does he find Why that
the free and intelligent voters of the country
have pronounced as pure and upright men,
the official scoundrels whom he has exposed
and endorsed them and their course by O
majority of overwhelming thousands! This
has been the case in more than one State o.
this Union, and it speaks loudly for the intel
ligence of the American people. 1t encour-
ages men to lift their pens or tongues in be
half of the public good. 1t encourages then
to brave the wrath of successful power
throned in its wealth.giving surroundings
1t encourages man to plant thorns in his
pillow and poison the peace and quiet of hi.
daily life. The laurel that crowns him is
the public rebuke for meddling with what did
not concern him. and the verdict that re-
wards him is, a significant intimation that he
has rendered himself public nuisance. He
has the glory of being martyr without ever
the poor consolation of having the title &C
corded him. Fools taunt him, the miserable
time serving sycophants of successful powe
mock at him as he passes and he is denied
in his naked abandonment the paltry ae-
acknowledgement that he was even honest ir
his motives and intentions. To fail in a great
and noble purpose is bad enough and carries
its own sting, but, on the top of that, to have
the pure sincerity of soul which actuated YOU
Questioned by some miserable human monkey
who is as incapable of understanding true
manly feeling as he is Of comprehending the
God that is supposed to have made him, is
Gaping the very climax of aggravation.
The people must arouse themselves, thro'-
out this Union from the moral lethargv
which seems to bind them. They must arise
soon, or the hour will have passed in which
to save the pristine purity of the government,
by rolling back that tide of public corrup-
tion which is even now washing its slimv
waves against the pillars of the republic
Men who bear about their official robes the
least taint of corruption must be banished
from the high-places of the land and driven
into disgrace or retirement To effect this,
there will be work enough to do at the bal
lot box. But it will have to be done soon,
and we confess we see but little prospect now
of its being done at all.
ITALIAN RELIEF FUND.-The Italians, who
commenced some months since to raise sup.
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