Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-01-07
National Corruption.

No patriot can close his eyes to the evil |
dences Of the national decentralization that
meet him on every h'nd. Cotton and La
con,very forcibe says: "Tbat nation can.
not be free that is Sought by lis own con-
sen, and sold against it where the rogue
that is 10 rags is kept in count enenco by
the rogue that is in rufics and where, from
high 10 low, there is nothing radical bu I
corruption f; nothing contemplate but pov.
erty where both patriot and placemen,
perceiving that money can do everything,
are prepared to do everything for money"
Had the author of this sentiment lived in
our day, he could not have given more
lie like portraiture of the times in which
we live. The developments of public pro.
aigacy that meet US on every hand, the
low state of public morals, as evinced by
men in high places, the venaliiy and men.
dacity Of the public press, tho gambl ing,
reckless spirit that p:evades all the chan
nels Of business, make men Of probity and
rehestion shuddor as they look toward to
the effect of all this debasement upon the
future of the country. The great mottoes
in the world of trade are, "gct rich by fair
means, if possible but by all means get
rich. Keep all on get, and get all you
can" The notices in the political world
are; "Honesty is no policy at all"-and
Gall things at Rome are for price" po-
/, ltical preaching is made the stepping stone
for political preferment, or lucrative ap-
poinlment to ohaplaincies in the army
Men run to their churches as they do to
the political hustings,to hear denuncation
and vituperation. The morals of our
national legislature are tainted with the
general corruption and another Crom-
well, who should initiate the first, by
clearing the house, might repeat the exact
language used by the first with great cor
rectness "You are adulterers, you are
extortioners, you are gluttons, you are no
longer apar,iament." He may we'll say
as he looks round him to day, With the
prophet "Truth is fallen in the street t,and
equity cannot ENTER The mud of the
Nile never spawned more monsters than
this terribel war. 1t makes one blush for
his nation, for his kind, to see the raven
ing ferosity with these plundercrs swarm
in our large cities, and about the depart
ments in Washington. Outside of the
limited circle Of sell they care Tor nothing
The country may suffer and bleed at cv-
cry pore but, SO their object is attained
of obtaining place and securing wealth
they care little for all the suffering and
ruin that awaits their country. In fact
the voice OF freedom is extinct, and the
natl ional spirit is fast succumbing to the
power of u mon3yed aristocracy. The
most renowned republics OF ancient time:
successfully maintained their liberties Of
long as they acknowledged ass,heir guide
the principles of an elevated patriotism
So long as this spirit prevailed among
them they maintained their independence
but when they were overtaken by the de
basing feeling of avericc, and yielded to
its corrupting influences, their declensior
was rapid, until they fall into the arms o.
some tyrannical master because they were
unfit longer to govern themselves. The
period which marked the greatest degen
er~cy of the Roman Empire was that il
which the Office of Emperor was sat up fol
sale by The Pretoriun Bands, and the sue
cessful candidate was burne to the Imper-
ial throne upon the shields OF mercenary
soldiery; and if this spirit of corruption
in the nation goes on increasingly will no
: be long before ours will not be simila
fate.
DsS~The city debt of Philadelphia i