The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-06
ssNo. as this Publican."

: p
The Nation, Of July 30, has curious
article on the question: "Where shall hon
tsest men go?" A comparison is therein
instituted between the Republicans and the
DemSeSats-a comparison from which the
writer draws the conclusion that both are
set of Villains, but that the Republicans,
being the less worthless Of the two, should
still be charged with the conduct Of our
public affairs; 20 So =
The thoughtful reader will draw precisely
the opposite conclusion from the article.
The, yillifcation Of the Democrats is mat
ter Of course IN d Republican journal. This
party device everybody understands, and
rates at its true value. Charges against
political antagonists, unsupported by proofs,
60 for nothing. But the concessions Of o
politician, with reference to the shortcom-
inss and abuses Of which his own party has
been guilty, are positive proofs. There
is no longer room for do. ! in regard to
the guilt of a suspected and arraigned
party, when he makes voluntary confess
sion Of the orime.5i 4,
Let the ehargesto which thegreat organ
Of Republication pleads guilty, be scruti-
uised. Could the malignity Of enemies
have invented more damning record than
that to whose genuineness the Nation un-
/ hesitat;ngly subscribes? I?
That journal admits the truth Of the ale
cations that have been presented against
the Republican party,-"that as an ergani-
0zation it has become corrupt; that its man
.agers are lobbyists and its chosen legisls-
s.tors yenal; that Republican revenue officers
stdefrsud the treasury of millions and a
e.Republican Senate keeps them in Office,
"whils q Republican House Of Representa-
.tives kills every proposition for reform in
"the civil service; and Republican newspa-
s.pers strive to abolish the only court which
.is terror to the whiskey ring" Not
only so, but the Nation further admits the
truth of the allegation that seven the hon
sest portion of the party are ignorant of
"political economy, blind to the corrupting
s.inAuence Of government expenditure, and
.ready to applaud the financial follies of
s'their leaders, in the hope Of violently
sschecking the operation Of the laws of
s4rade." Nay, it acknowledges the exis-
tence Of vast multitude in the Republican
party Of other: more unreliable as poll
ticians than these honest blockheads. 1t
pleads guilty to the charge that "the Re-
publican party has an army Of corrup-
stionists in its midst whose schemes con-
sstemplate the return of one dollar to the
ssnation and hundred dollars to them
.sselves; and that the whole organization
sshas inherited from the old Whig party q
ssdisposition to tinker at the business of the
"country, and to spend the public funds
ssiberally, which makes it easy to be de-
ssceived by these men," Henceforth these
charges stand confessed. Their truth is
admitted by the highest and boldest Re-
publican journal in the United States. 1t
cannot henceforth be denied that the Re-
publicans have not only squandered the re-
sources Of the country, but plundered its
treasury of uncounted millions. And they
now ask that the people shall perpetuate
their lease of power, so that they may plum
der without restriction and without end.
The plea is curious, upon which, after
such a confession, the Nation claims the
popular suffrages for Radicalism. 1t is to
the effect that while the Republicans have
behaved very badly, no doubt the Demo
Gratis will behave much worse. If the one
is the political frying pan, the other is the
political fire. If the one has debased the
currency and unsettled the business of the
country, the other will perpetuate the de-
basement; if the one has plundered by the
million, the other will plunder three times
more. The argument of the Nation is thus
simply plea for rogues in Office. Don't
turn out the rogues; for those who take
their places may be worse
What would business man reply to such
an argument in favor Of dishonest clerk
He has stolen from you, it is true; but you
had better not dismiss him, for his succes-
sor no doubt will steal more What will
the American people say to such plea ?
Are they prepared to acknowledge the truth
Of the principle that underlies it? Alas
for order and liberty and civic virtue, if it
should prove true that ruler is but an
other name for public plunderer-that the