The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-10-28
DRFAULTING.

In times Of great public excitement, when
the country is cOnvulsed either by internal or
foreign war, an excellent opportunity is pre-
sented for INSCRIPTIONS officials not only to
innict a moral injury upon the Government
by iactious opposition, but also to materially
deprive IL of its liGe-blood by robbing it of its
funds.
In times like the present, il is impossible
for the Executive or his immediate advisers
to inspect the actions of the extra thousands
of employeesi called into Office by the emer-
gency. They have done their best, and have
succeeded far better than could have been
expected. The number of cases detected and
punished are the best monuments of their
watchfulness; and a grateful people do not
hold them responsible for what it is impos-
sible TO prevent but will rather give them
thanks for limiting the evil to such small
| dimensions
There are, Of course, a certain class Of
Locofocos who are addicted to flult-hndng,
and who blame the Government for all the
acts of its subordinates.
Now let us say to such men as these, that
you are more to blame by far for the existence
|
The Government does all in its power to stop
the crime, while you receive the criminal as
your friend and equal, invite him to your
houses, and receive him as gentleman.
If hungry child steals a cake it is at once
seized and committed for larceny; if an officer
of Government, in whom the President Of your
country places confidence, elopes with hun
dreds of thousands of the funds at his disposal,
you mildly call him defdulter.
The Government does its duty, prosecutes
, the criminal, and removes him from Office but
6 | this can effect no reform so long as society
treats him rather as a successful competitor fol
some honorable prize, rather than as bas'
robber, Emore criminal, ten times, than ont
n who breaks into house and robs its sleeping
h inhabitants.
d More criminal, because one Injuries only
Y private persons, while the other not only
! Injuries a nation, but also coins money out o
t the lives of its brave defenders. To max
: money by furnishing medicinal stores Of infe
t rior quality is rightly characterized by Mr.
] Holt as crime of unparalleled atrocity
? Can a civilized man imagiIe any one calling
r himself Christian, mixing, to gain few dol.
s lars, copperas with green tea, intended for oui
a wounded soldiers2 Yet such a case actually
Il occurred, and the parties who were guilty are
> still termed by aged ladies as "My dear Mr.
g -" and by gentlemen as "old fellow,
Il and greeted with shaking of hands.
1t IS by such a course as this that defaultin.
is prcpagated; it is by such actions these tha
s Government thieves are encouraged. Ii i
$ not the Government which is responsible 70
e these crimes, but il is those very croakers wht
s are abusing it,
o Ifsociety would only do its duty, only frowr
c down these suckers Of the nations blood, thC
n evil would be remedied. II, after having beer
If declared "inehgiblo to any Office of public
n trust or honor" il, after having been deprived
g OF all their lll-gotten spoiIs, they were to be
n treated by society as outcasts, as jail birds
0 then would they have no object in the com
J. mission Of their crimes.
y Ii they were discovered they would lose
o both wealth and respectabillty; if they sue.
n ceeded, popular feeling would stamp them as
# deiaultes who went unpunished--so that
\ whether discovered or not, nothing could be
n accomplished by their deed.
When society takes this stand, and default
d ers are held in the abhorrence which is theiI
y due, then, and not till then, viii the Govern
h ment cease TO be deJpoied by its uniaithiu
t serypnts.