Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-03-25
ScCHCEs or POEsTIC.EL coz
ETPTEO.r.

The scene which transprcd in the As
sembly Chamber, at Albany, ON Friday,
suggests food Tor serious reflection Tao
charges made by Mr.. Thomas c. Fields Of
this CITY, against Mr.. Ainswcrth, Of Sara
toga, following closely after the revelations
of Congressional corruption in connection
with the bestowal of West Point cadet
ships, constitute n sorry commentary upon
the practical working Of our political sys-
ten, and justify grave apprchensions and
solicitude concerning the future. The feel
ing is intensified almost to the extent OF
despair by the knowledge that the rcvela-
tons which are vouchsalcd to the public
are but isolated instances OF the dcmoral-
cation which exists, and that the people
have reason to know that for every case
which comes to their knowledge, hun
dreds escape detection.
The experience of years iustifies the be-
lef-wc had almost said the positive knowl-
e1ac-that the evil Of legislative corrup-
ton is not confined 10 any one locality.
Albany and Washington contain no fou err
political atmosphere than other centres Of
legislation. The governments of all the
D
States are similar ly affected with the pre-
vailng decentralization. The only distlnc-
ton among them is in degree, aud, not
in fact. 1t seems as if the yer, sources u
republican government were poisoned, and
that the experiment OF seli-govcrnment
was a lamcntablc failure. We do not of
course, subscribe to so cynical judgment,
but we regard the political situation OF the
country as full of danger, and believe that
unless some effective remedy is speedily
| applied. the evil will become chronic, and
finally will require that "heroic treatment"
which involves force and boodshcd.
/ The possibility OF so grave crisis rem
| ders important and legitimate the inquiry
whether the evil is an inevitable one, and
| how it can be remedcd. We maintain that
it has arisen from tho miserably defective
| system Of primary Political management
which has been adopted, and from the fact
| that the most reliable class OF our citizens
deliberately and persistently shirk their
| dutie- by abstaining from political action.
| They are repealed by the unclean and DIS
| gushing associations which an active and
| conscientious discharge of their duties a,
American citizens involves, and the conse-
| quence is that selfish and corrupt dcma-
| gDgues are enabled TO control, aud that I'M
worthy ambitions are gratitiel at the OK
pcnse of the general welfare, and in disre-
| gard OF the general Will. We lind corrupt
ward and town politicians at the head Of
bodies Of equally INSCRIPTIONS followers
| controlling the minor nominations, and
! acting in obedience to the veual behcsts o
county organizations, which in turn rou.
der similar active allegiance 10 State jun,
tas.
The evil has its inception with the poo
Pic themselves, and with them LES thC
remedy. The class most deeply interested
in tie honest administration Of affairs il
really responsible for the great evil o
which they complain. We are firm belicv
ors in the people, and in the doctrine tina
they are the only safe repositories of polit
lcal power; but our conviction presuppos
es an active particlpl Of all in the bust
ness OF government, and u constant checl
and control Of the corrupt by the good. s.
long as the intelligent, the honest and TN
taX-paying classes shall continue, through
encouragement or indifference, to shirl
their political duties, so long will corrup
ton be the rIlo instead of the exception
and so long shall we DO treated at intervals
to sporadic revelations of corruption.-N
Y. Times.