The national Republican., 1869-02-19

evening receptions. ...rH
MRs. SrcRnrARy BnowntNa reeeiyes on
Wednesday Of seoh week at her resideuee. No
% Istrest, from u n. toe p.m IN.
.F ---------
CORRUPTION AND FRAUD.
The conviction that the Government Is
defrsuded TO an enormous extent out Of its
legitimate revenues by the completely oi
corrupt officials with whisky distillers and
tobacco manufacturers and dealers, Is almost
universal. II Is safe to conclude that IL this
evil b not so widespread as Is believed, h
10 nevertheless very prevalent, and that cor
ruption In the ranks Of Governments oficlall
Il rank, rampant and unblushing. It there
fore becomes q serious question, and on,
which addresses Itself to all, what is to b,
done; what can be douei
There 10 no more dangerous tendency /,
national ruin, no surcr road to natlona
weakness and Generalization than this o
oficial malfcasance and corruption when Il
20 largely prevails and Is suffered to con
unus and increase, and no adequate check
aro interposed and no strenuous oIertions
and determined efforts arc put forth by the
proper authorities to bring to condign pun
hhment the bold, unprincipled and reckless
perpetrators Of such 1agitous crimes.
Situated as this nation now Is, with an
immense debt bearing 1t down with burdens
almost too heavy to be borne, loaded with
taxation direct and indirect, which perforce
abstract from the pockets OF the producer
and the consumer such vast sums as II
seen In the condition of millions Of laborers,
mechanics and artisans, that IL 10 nearly I'm
possible TO keep the wolf from the door.
But this is not all. The Government IT,
self has to struggle with almost superhumau
cIertions to meet It's liabilities, and car
scarcely keep Its credit from still further
depreciation. II finds Its bonds, though
gold bearing, selling at home and In tn,
markets OF the world at figure which II
humiliating TO contemplate, and as we ar
now drifting the prospect is a gloomy one
not ahording any hope Of Improvement III
we grapple with these gigantic frauds, an
erpel and punish this army Of rogues In at
cordance with their deserts.
The people are looking with hope and cor
ndence to the incoming Administration, an
wstrust that their confidence will not be mil
placed. The task Of ferreting out all thi
will be herculean, and the work must Of nc
cossity be comparatively slow. When de
moraliEation has attained that condition
which now marks and characterizes ofiicia
poaitions and the circles Of business AM
trade, 1t IL difficult to stop at once the down
ward tendency, though the full power Of tn
brake be applied. Corruption In business
In social and in official life, Is "as when on
letteth out water" The overhowing Is for
time Irresistible. When you have perforate
tho great moral bulwarks which protect SC
cial order, individual morality, business in
tegrity and Official honesty, though 1t
with an instrument no bigger than bodkir
the aperture Is sufficiently broad to admit
train Of evils "as fierce as ten furies and q
terrible as hell"
We speak OF repudiation as an act not pos
sible-as q crime which the people vii
never consent to see perpetrated; but W
should not forget that among the posSlblli
tics OF the future even reputation may b
accepted as a dernier resort to relieve an OF
pressed people from burdens which neithC
they nor their children are able to bear.
Two things are necessary to consummni
this FIRST and paramount work Of the ne
Administration; and the first Is, that all Il
laws for the collection of the revenues be
equal In their application to the various ta
able property as 1t Is possible to make then
and second, that the modH operdnH Of CO
lecting the taxes be as simple and direct
human wisdom can devise; and, abo
all, that honest officials do hs cork.
1t Ia an eminently satisfactory conclusl'
that II President Grant is pledged to nothi
else he is suro to bring the whole NOR
power and legal force Of his administrati
to this work OF ferreting out and puulshi
tho corruptionists. And there is one ott
fact Of significant potency, and that Is, Ii
between the new President and Congress the
b perfect accord and a coincidence
views in this regard.