The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-20
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1870.
DISHONEST OFFICIALS - SHALL
THEY BE DEFENDED OR DE-

DURING the late war, when the expenditures
of the Government frequently amounted to
several millions of dollars in single day.
and when the air was rife with rumors of
extravaganza and corruption nothing did 80
much to allay the prevailing fears of financial
ruin and to maintain public confidence as the
course pursued by some of the resolute Re-
publican members of Congress and by Edwin
NJ Stanton. When public official or con-
tractor was accused, on plausible grounds, of
dishonest practices, searching Investigations
were speedily instituted, and when guilt was
proven appropriate punishments were in
f1icted. The efforts of the Democratic press
to make capital out of these accusations were
invariably nullifed by this straightforward
policy. If Congress and the Secretary of War
had condoned the offenses of every man who
professed to be Republican, and if mere
Iip-service to the Union and liberty had con-
ferred a license to steal and cheat, the debt
would have inevitably been swelled to tens of
thousands of millions, reputation would
have become unavoidable, and the Rebellion
could not have been crushed. Among all
the mighty influences which combined to
save the nation, none was more powerful
than the emphatic manner in which
contractors and officials of high and low de-
gree were warned that Repubicanism could
not be used as a shield for rascality. Now
that peace is restored the pressure of the
debt still compels the recognition of the
principle of action which saved the pub
lie credit from prostration. We trust
that Republicans will continue to rule the
haua rada a1
but the American people will not and should
not permit partisan professions of any de-
scription to Justify the retention of heartless
knaves in office. Honesty is an indispensable
qualification for every responsible position,
and the politicians who lack this essential
virtue should be kicked out of Office and kept
out, though they have spent their whole sub
stance and their best energies in the service
of the Republican party. The only decent
excuse for the existence of partisan organiza-
tions must be found in their real or presumed
ability to advance the public interest, and
when they become the apologists or suppor-
ters of leaders who are notoriously dishonest
and corrupt they cease to deserve the respect
or support of intelligent and consci-
entious citizens. Bearing in mind these
general assertions, which are SO self-evident
that they need no elaboration, we are aston
ished at the frequency with which public men
accused of peculation or of improper conduct
in Office are zealously defended for purely
partisan reasons. If Republican official
has been guilty of grave offense, Republi-
cans have a far deeper interest than the
Democrats in urging his removal from Office,
for they are melted to this course not only by
a desire to protect the national interests COM
mitted to their charge, but by the necessity
of warding off from their organization all
share of the odium which properly belongs to
the offender alone. When Republican organs
become champions of criminal ofice-holders
they suffer their zeal to outrun their judg-
ment, and do more than the most earnest
Democrats to weaken public confidence in the
great party of the nation No public man,
high or low, is above criticism, and the per-
manence of the Republic depends in large
degree upon the ability and willingness of
the people to keep tight rein upon their
greatest favorites. Recently General Howard,
who has gained very strong hold upon the
affections of all patriotic and philanthropic
Americans, by his useful service during the
war and by his devotion to the interests of
the freedmen, has been formally accused of
sundry public offenses, and these charges are
now undergoing Congressional investigation.
If the charges prove to be groundless we will
sincerely rejoice in his acquittal, but if he
really is guilty, we hope he will be quickly
disgraced and deposed from Office. He has
been arraigned before tribunal which, SO
far as it can be affected by feelings of par
tiality one way or the other, is prepossessed
in his favor, and if his official conduct is un-
impeachable he has nothing to fear from o
Republican Congress. If, however, Fernando
Wood can substantiate any material portion
of his allegations, General o. o. Howard
should be disgraced and dishonored, though
he were the head Of ten Freedmens Bureaus
and the hero of hundred battles. Neither
bravery, philanthropy or professions of
Christianity or of Republicanism should be
made an impenetrable cloak for corruption.
Injustice to the whole body of the people,
and fraudulent malappropriations of the pub
lie moneys, cannot be atoned for by devo-
tion to any class or fidelity to any principle.
The man who systematically resorts to the
practice of putting penny into the urn of
poverty for the purpose of acquiring oppor-
tunities to take shilling out belongs to the
very meanest species of the human race, and
any attempt to palliate such conduct involves
as great blunder as party can well commit
The most serious danger that now menacei
tha Ranublican oroanization arises from the