The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-05-18
Extravaganza and Corruption.

we nave Seeu III inc CehtHtt uoSt ouI-
rageous charges of corruption against Re-
publicans, but not one word against Demo-
Gratis or Conservatives. We have made no
such charges. The facts are before the
people. The grand juries, the Legislature
and the Executive have duties prescribed
in the premises. and when they move as
they have moved in accordance with law
and precedent, we have nothing more to
say. We do not desire to blast private
character by such charges. because when we
make them we desire to be understood as
telling the truth and not lying for partizan
purposes.
If there be corruption, it is not confined
to PARTY; it is confined to men.
On Thursday last when Mr.. Phillips came
forward aud Mr.. Scott was seated in the
Hall, We looked to see Gov. Bragg also. He
knew that the indiscriminate charges of the
Sentinel against the PARTY, however well
meant for men, was false; that if men, who
voted the Republican ticket were guilty,
men who voted the Democratic ticket were
equally guilty; and he knew further, that
Messrs. Phillips and Scott had as pure pri-
waite characters as any men in the State, and
would scorn to ally themselves with party
of corruptionists as quickly and as firmly as
be himself would have done. But enough
of this subject for the present
As to the matter of extravaganza we have
few further remarks to make. Gov. Cald-
well most truly said in his Thursday night
speech that the Democratic or Conservative
party of this State had been the most ex-
travagant party that ever oppressed the peo-
pie. They declered Confederate money to
be the best in the world. They spent bill
lions of it and stole the balance. They
passed 1.-THE laws. They spent blood more
freely in battle than they spent alter
in their brandy. They set back on soft
chairs, while widows and children went bare.
foot in the snow and ploughed and worked
for q. living. And all the while they pro-
claimed Confederate money to be as good as
gold. Whenever they could get hold of it,
they held on to it, because "six months after
the treaty ofpeace" they expected to see it
at par and they would be richer than ever,
while the poor white man would be poorer
than even the poor black slave. aa
With this money, :" as good as gold,n they
voted themselves fifty dollars day in the
Legislature, with corresponding amount
for mileage. Here was extravaganza! Here
was waste of gold-a waste of blood and
treasure, of corn, potatoes, wheat, rice,
rye, meat, meal and other nccessaries of
life. - ,.f ..1 49,
But what did these extravagant fellows
further do-the same men, who now favor
economy, and charge corruption and extrav-
agance on Republicans. They laid onerous
taxes on the people. They expended the
school fund They issued millions of war
bonds. And all the while they set back in
comfortable arm chairs, and went to din
ner at the Yarbrough House when the horn
bowed"
Now here is picture for any reasonable
man. The Republicans have made errors
They issued large number of bonds for
internal improvement purposes, but not one
cent of them for war purposes. Their in
tentions were good. Still whenever they
voted, not as party, but as internal i'm
provement men, members of the Democratic
party voted with them Is the Republican
party responsible9 If it is, SO is the Demo-
cratic party. If one was extravagant for
good purposes,-for the purpose of building
railroads, &c.,-the other is responsible, both
for the impoverishment of the people by the
war debt, and $50 per diem in money as
good as gold, and because they assisted in
all the last appropriations.
We make no demagogueical appeal. We
state facts which cannot be denied. And
the Democrats know it. If there is extrava-
gance they are doubly guilty of it. If
there is corruption, they are also guilty oft