Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-05-13
THE FRlGuTFUL CORRUPT.
THONS DE THE HOUR.

THE FRlGUTFlL COxHUlss
TlONS DE THE HOUR.
That wasA telling anecdote Of Mr.. Evarts'
illustrating the thirst for Office in this coun.
try, when he said che remembered to have
heard Of On old lady Who summed up an
earnest defence Of Calvanism, by saying il
you took away her total:dspraviiy you took
away I'll her religion And there are .
good many people in this country OF whom
il may be said III you take away removal
o. the hope Of Office you take away oil their
politics" There are 90 many individuals
in THE country whose principles are embod'
led in the hope Of the loaves and fishes OF o.
fcs that IL has brought the science o. politics
into bad repu,e. Men become politicians,
no, from any love Of the principles involved
hut simply because by the adoption Of the
principles of the party in pcycr they expect
% dad their reward in the off, ial emou-
insnts they control and dispense. Ia the
earlier land better DAYS Of the Republic
oiIies sought the man. and not man the Of
flee; What were known as politicians in
that day were the leading statesmen Of the
land. Now politics has been transformed
into mere trade. and il looked upon as the
compensatory pursuit q an inferior body Of
mea bsrroom brGwlcrs, and corrupt schem-
era. !. lis JUS. such politicians who, to-day,
conuol this Government, and it 10 just such
politicians bred from the corrupting slime
Of official patronage that orr late civil war
engsndsred, that have brought this country
into is present degraded condition. The
temptation TO live by Office has been intsns-
fed a thousand fold by the enormous crsa-
ton Of Offices Of every grade; and to secure
these, mon are willing to sacrifice the very
pr cipes Of free government, to overture
ancient land marks, and TO encourage the
growth of the free booter's principles in the
admin isttation Of government,
That they should hold who have the power
Aud they should keep who cAn.''v
Under the influences OF such . spirit, and
through the agency OF tho control OF the
immense patronage q huge system of taxa
ton imposes, corruption has entered into
our election contests, into our Legislative
bodes, into all our business relations. until
At last our country has been brought 10 the
position where Juvenals sarcasm found the
ssvs,-hillea city" Omnia Rome cum pro.
to-" oil things at Rome are Tor . price
Avarics has eaten out the heart Of this ma
tion, AMI We see men oil around US TO day
who arc hcartessly specula,ing upon thu
calamities of their country-human VAN
pirss suckng blood from their country
veins, while with the gently tanning wing
Of honsycd words and patriotic professions
they are continually cndeavoring to III
their victim into an unconsciousness {
their fell designs. Bioatod corporation
have slept INTO the Official arena, and i
every State are forming political iings {
control ard distribute official patrona &c
Myrla3s - hangcfs-on and adventures
without particle Of principle, hang ulei
and around these vast associations, son
for the ncre crumbs iha; fall from their .
bic. and others for tie heavier largcsses .
influential aud lucrative offices that are n
their bidding aid within their gift. Honor
able. high minded, aud gifted men find tina
in such condition of aif,irs "thc post o
honor is the private station and has
Withdrawn into the shades Of retirement
leaving the official places in the State to b
filed by the abandoned, the destitute, ans
the vie. We tremble for tho future Of on
country when we reflect upon these damn
ing facts. IL it any wonder that the air il
filed with mora, mias,na OF infideity an,
corruption, that is.nct only poisoning tn
well-springs Of public lie but those Of pri
vs'e lie rs welii Is il any wonder that til
state Is ROBBED and plundered. the sanclit,
~ homes violated. The church tlllei will
moral lcQers, oar pub ic places With Haunt
ing vice IN its most nllnrng forms. aud tia
Thick rimmerinn darkness hangs uko
pail over our entire community, It woul,
ver,'y seem as Il ",oit49Vt ieidl dsprlritg'
we could neither possess oar religion, o
our politics.