The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-16
most respo'
friends.
poL1TICAL IzoEEsTY.


It used to BIO recognized fact, in this ooun-
try, that politics WAS bad pay that men, with
out independent fortunes, uho devoted their
lives TO the public, must bo content with re-
spectacle poverty, and find their compensation
in tho respect and estoom of their follow cit-
zens. Among the great statesmen Of past gen.
crations, few can be named whose means wcro
not limited, and the accumulation Of fortune
by the uso Of political influence has hitherto
been always raro and always disorodtablc.
Even in the South whore, as o general rule,
our politicians haro been selected from that
class in which hereditary wealth most abound.
ed, tho combination Of fortune and largo pub
lio influence was not common. Our statesmen,
while thoy represented fortunes vory seldom
possessed them.
But the progress Of enthusiastically tho
current of practice-sccms to bo changing. If
we arc to trust the continued aud uncontradiot-
ed assertions of the Northern press, men now
go into politics as thcy 60 into trade with thoir
political position A. recognized capital and,
in time, we suppose VIC will hear of members
of the Legislature, and even members Of Con-
gross, selling the "good will " Of thoir seats
in these new-fashioned Exchange Boards.
Ono of tho leading Now York Journals OK
pressed the opinion the other day, that thcre
were not ten men in tho New York Sonnte, and
not thirty in the lower house who voted for
any measure without retainer.
Other papers in other States tell tho samo
story, and We see that tho London papers re-
produce these accusations, and very naturally
refer to thom as Mornings which ought not be
uDheedsd by tho advocates of electoral ro-
form in England. a-..i tt.naa.-.
OF course there must bo some eraggcration
in oil such representations, for whenever pub
lie virtuo becomes indignant, il becomes OK
travagant. But thcro il no doubt Of tho geno-
raj truth of the charge. q i.=Sa
Great interests, involving large Investments
of capital and promising enormous profits, nov
or havo been and never will bo scrupulous
what Influences they uso to control or secure
necessary legislation, and al almost all tho
industrial enterprises of tho country sro con-
Quoted by associations, thore is not only the
means, but tho Organization necessary for cor
ruptiOn on a large scale. .ag.
Z While the temptation to corrupt thus in
creases with our advancing wealth and enter
prise, tho temptation to BIO corrupted is equally
increased by tho steady deterioration of the
politicians who Aro generated by universal
suffrage. The tendency of our population at
the North to congregato in cities, and the
wants of qualification in the yQtors, renders it
impossible for candidates to trust to individual
character and reputation for slctsIs. Tho bot
ter class of men Withdraw with disgust from
dirty conflict, and the worse class Of mon are
willing to use any means to ueouro victory.
Tho truth is, it appears to be' very fast be-
coming fact, and Q very serious one, that the
capital Of the country finds It easier and more
certain to control the legislation Of the country
by outside influence than by contesting seats
for the legislature before the people.
The condition Of the country now, Affords
peculiar facility to this sort Of corruption
The men who hayo earnest convictions are
such strong partizanD that they would pas
sionatcly refuse to sorutini.o the motive Of q
vote which served the party, while the great
bulk of the people are oithor apathetio or
scepticnl, take no interest in politics. or believe
that all opinions are SO unsettled that man
has no moral responsibility as to which opin-
ion he serves. ~ 5i W.. ,ia
II remains to be seen whether wo OF the
South are doomed to walk in tho same down
wnrd path. It is very certain that with us
universal suffrage has created class Of voters
who are peculiarly liable to such corrupting
influences, and IL education does correct such
a tendency, 1t win be very long before it is
general enough to be felt r, -.l
With many faults, our public mon hitherto have
not been corrupt, and oven our woruo enemies
that we oould hold up clean hands in
rsbuke Of political corruption. Whether we can
touch pitch without being dehled, is one Of the
problema which we, have TO solve.