The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-03-03
ScandalOus Corruption.
Washington Feb ao> Correspondence of the Bait

Washington Feb 2OD Correspondence OF the Balti-
more Gazette.
1t would be safe 10 say that no govern |
ment. ancient or modern, was ever carried |
on under such INSCRIPTIONS corruption |
and brazen effrontery as that of the United
States at this moment. Bribery and cor
ruption are shamelessly avowed as the
foundation of the whole superstructure.
The highest places in the Cabinet and
elsewhere have been unblushingly par
celed out as rewards for money previous
ly "had and received I" by the appointing
power, and we now see that the practice
has been common to sell for money the
future posts of command if the army and
nayyi Thesmanner in which the inves-
tigation has been conducted in respect to
the sale of cadetships has rendered 1T,
nevertheless, dangerous to publish par
ticuIars. | have, therefore, RETAINED
from giving facts brought to my notice IN
a Trustworthy manner. | may safely,
however, extract the following specifica-
tons from Sunday paper published here,
one of whose editors and proprietors hav-
ing been himself conspicuous witness,
doubtless speaks from the book:
S L. Hoge, of South Carolina, who is
member of the Military Committee, must
enioy the investigation. His was re-
markable case He had made an appoint
ment at Annapolis, but allowed the boy
to resign, for which resignation Sl,OOO
was paid. subsequently another boy
the son of Mr.. Upsher, of New York
was appointed to the vacancy.
s Newton Pettis, of Pennsylvania, has
made his own record by writing letters
regarding the sale, acknowledging the re-
ceipts of money, &c, which letters are
IL, IS t1,ea< 1rrlTrr
claims to have expended S50O oil the
money for political purposes.
John T. Dewcese, of North Carolina,
bargained for the sale of his army cadet
ship, but finally traded it away to State
Senator Lassiter, of that State, to prevent
the latter from running against him for
Congress and to influence the passage OF
railroad lob before the North Carolina
Legislature
b. f. Whittemore, of South Carolina, IN
return for the favor conferred on his con-
stituents by sending them about $l,O0O 10
be used for educational and political pur'
poses, appointed young man who Wa
legally qualified for the appointment.
w. Jasper Blackburn, of Louisiana, re
ceived 81 500 for both of his cadetshlps
from gentleman in New York, and SEN
bows to Annapolis and West Point whG
never dreamed of living in his district.
j. Hale Sypher, of Louisiana, having re
fused to have anything to do with the sale
transferred the negotiation to his " Band
Of-hOpe leading brother, j. r. Sypher, o
Philadelphia The brother demanded
$3.50, which was considered an exorbltan
price, and the negotiation was not con
cluded. Subsequently boy who was no
resident of this district was sent to tn
Point" by Sypher.
AR. r. Butler, of Tennessee, received
$1,000 for his West Point nomination, anC
Yesterday appeared before the committee
and, after admitting the fact, stated tina
he had given $500 of the money To aid II
the election of Col Stokes as GoVernO
of that State, 5000 of it to other politi
clans, and the remainder he had devoted
to his own use in defraying the expense
of his campaigns.
But, apart from the absolute sale o
offices OF all kinds there are other mean
OF prostituting the public honors an
enOluments of place. When. WalpOle Ga
the most corrupt period OF Englls
history said that every man had hi
price" ne by no means meant that tn
"price" was necessarily in dollars an
cents, or their equivalent, or in offices
Bat at this day, and here in this country
it may with truth be proclaimed that, wit
very rare exceptions, every appointment
made, either by the Executive or Cor
gress, within the past year, has been pal
for in some way, either in money, c
moneys worth. Capacity, integrity an
morality are totally taboOed.
In a debate yesterday in the HOus
upon a proposition to dispense wit
females in the departments, Mr.. Dave
Opposing the mOtion) seemed to loo
win horror upon the advent of anOtht
shOal of Congressional and department;
creditors. Allow me to quote par,
graph (not given in your Compression;
prOceedings) He Is replying to que!
ton of lis colleague (AIr. Hoar):
But | have single remark to max
and if my colleague thinks it is not tru
it is because he has not mingled in ~
politics of the country as much as he Wi
have done when he shall have occupied
place here 10 or 10 years. Then, unle:
there comes a revival, a revolution,
moral reform in the politics of the cOul
try, he will know what is its chief slap
OF trade among little politicians all owe
the country. Then he will know the bill
or accounts which are brought again
members. Then he will know why
was that tie avenues to the department
were for month succeeding the 4th
March last crowded with men WI
swarmed more thickly than did our SC
diers when they returned from the wa
and who were there claiming their rewal
at the hands of Members of Congress
claiming their reward, and refusing to
cOmforted unless they could go hon
with their commissions in their poke
as compensation for services thu
had rendered to Members of Co
gress. II my colleague did N
experience something of this Ia
spring, during the first month Of his sc
vice here then he has reason TO thank GC
that he for one escaped that malaria while
pervadcd the atmosphere here, and whit
was fatal to any such thing as indepe
dence of action or opinion in this hou
or in the other branch. We were mac
slaves TO politicians from AL parts of t
country who came here at that time, Al
who during the last few months have be
clamOring for an increase Of the salari
of those very offices which they crawl
on their knees 10 obtain during The fiji
month Of this administration"
A full account Of the character of t
"scrvices they had rendered to Me-
bers of Congress" is only wanted to ma
the picture complete of the universal c.
ruptiOn that stalks unchecked througho
the land.
Congress.