Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-05-19
The Corruption AT Wsssfifn.:fOn.

The Corruption at SynsIifn.:tOn.l
Perhaps corruption is an inscpcrable All
junct Of all governments. And it is there
fore unjust to make any particular form O
government chargeablc for its existence.
Somehow, it has managed TO thrive under
every mutation, and has hiemishcl and dis
figured the best and most free rs well n the
worst and most despotie. Th,ee, therefore.
who charge it as the peculiar vice and ssain
Of popular government, bctrav At once,
either an ignorance of or Il disregard for thc
teachings Of history and propensity 10
untruth the most ralpablc.
There are times. however, in tlc life Of
every nation aud in the duration of cve4.
government, when The vice Of corruption
becomes especially criminal a.d hateful. Il
is bad enough when everything j. prosper
Gus when the high toned morals which
grows most vigorously IN period, OF suffer
ing aud trial have become ciietc " hen the
more heroic virtues are drowned With pleas
urc or stated with luxury. But it IS base and
wicked beyond the power OF language, when
it chooses to flourish il a season Of rasc
natural peril, when nation i iasi.inr
self to it, uttermosi to PFC serve is yeys iite.
when It's brave sons are filling Ia tens o.
thousand, on bloody fields. when he dcva.
tation of var makes countless thousand
mourn" If ever there was time for the
exercise not merely of elfdenial. bot for
the remuneration Of every vice whicl, /, e.
upon the public weiar and for the practice
of every virtue which goes TO make up the
sum of national wel-being, il is at such
time as this
Unfortunately, however, just this time of
national peril and universal suffering APP
pears to have been chosen by vile men to
rcvcl in unholy lust, and to dcbase, defame,
ravish and plumber the national honor by
their infamous orgies and, incredible tho
1t may seem, the place they have chosen for
the theatre of their bascncss is the most
conspicuous one in the nation-cycn the ma
tional capital itself Not only this. but,
soaring IL their aEdacious Guilt, they have
chosen not only the national capital as the
scene Of their wichedncss, bat also tie most
prominent of its public departments
A few days Since we quoted from Tie
Springfield Mass RpuJl,cena description
OF the corruption now prevalent 1T Wash
ing;on. Its language was vehement, ht!
graphic and viii bear TO be repeated L
was as follows
1t is sad, shocking picture OF life IL
Washington which our correspondent, are
giving Us. \ p,:saau Of the Treasury d.
partmenf made lousc ~ so;.aeiion and
prostitution. The necessities ot ,,co- and
pretty women made tie mcans :. Il. r a.
banchciy BY iiea government otiiei.ls.-
Members OF Congress putting their mistress
es into clerk ships il tie department.. An
honorable senator knocked down il tle
street By woman WHOM he had outraged.
Whisky drinking "a ibifauu. The roy
ernhent cheated ia contracts AID orcnlv
robbed by lis employees. II rites our mos
careful eofrcsl on,lent--long resident Of
the ealnial-"N ashington was never u VII
aino'iSiy corrupt Is at the present time. Ii
the ralmt days Of southern rule. of slave
ry' there was no; half the corruption ;se,e
Is now. We do net doubt thu i St,;ssi,.
true, and We repeat, it is Il sad sl.pking ,,ic-
tu!c
Pursuing the subject, the Reyus;icda cx
presses itself with 50 much manlncss. cour-
ase' and with such heightened principle
"i'iiai' that we believe It's dissection Of The
great cancer upon oar body polite, and tie
remedy which il proposes viii ID = n,,,.-
NC service, il generally Reproduced T,,e
following remarks will bean 10 he no,aor.a
anu acted upon. Says the R.p,5,,cs3
alter depicting the inlamy Of Was,,;no,on
morals va
THERE'S another side to be ,oll-of ,.,.,.
thank God that there is Of natr;n.; o.' -,
vation and devotion, Of faithful SER s..,.;,;',
ing industry in the nation service. SIM.
lated by the nations peril. But Ne have
dweit upon this SO much that We have H.
most forgotten Inc deep darkness and dam
nation that go along with it the yillianv
ana corruption and foalness that riof in ~.
opportunities that the wide national call far
service and the national expenditure of mil.
mons have created, and in the temn.atians
that they scatter 50 pro.usely. But we must |
not look away from this--wc must hold H. |
VISION to our eyes, explore and unfold its
rccking Nth, throw ii open TO the mill |
gaxc, aud gain for it the public detcstpt;o.,
and arouse against it and all sharers !, !, 81,
popular cxecra;ion and scourge. Tnar - ''; !.
- other remedy for the evils that prsss ~ =
= the Republic. The people must 10 "; up
1fmed and aroused. The fountain Of MI ~
lfe justice is there. When p,csidcnts p quo,
onbinefs, camp and eAeS4g fau us-.fa;i a' y
~ ed purity ~ inavi,lua,'
w must r. N to the pri-
49, citiseq< epsbiessto the men
l4 ween1 {, where virtue tlwells
- = ibssllOd and in whom and whose
e ~ re only appeaA ~ they and !
q .eA asasSs q
s9naxta w.
-