Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-11-29
Public Indifference to Criminality.


Scarcely day, and certainly not q
week, goes by but an announcement
is made in some part of the country
OF defalcation or embezzlement in
public service, local, State or national.
Some public official has proved him.
self unworthy. .Itis heralded through
the country by the opposition, ifit
happened to be a big steal, and feebly
told, if at all, by the party TO which
the defaulter happened to belong
Tho criminal then passes from the
stage, (another coming on in quick
succession,) his. case is "fixcd up" for
reason of policy, and that is the last
heard of it, the people taking the re.
suit as a matter Of course. One more
scoundrel thus escapes punishment
and a penitentiary has one inmate less
than it ought to have.
The greater the offence the less pun.
ishment seems to be the rule. A man
who steals from the government, cs
pecially If the sum be large, is rarely
punished to a greater extent than'to
restore, through himself or bondsmen
a portion of the amount stolen. If he
docs this he is thought to be doing a
great deel; indeed, the feeling goes
so far as TO regard this partial return
OF stolen property by thief after he
is found out us a mcrtorious act and
sympathy is expressed at the poor
fellow having to give mp his property
The thicfis not punished criminally
nor does he suffer social ostracsm
In fact, the embczzler or defaulter al
together escapes the odium (as well a,
the punishmenD that visits Other
rogues; yet he is among the moanest
of thieves. Favored with the influ
enoe of friends and sustained by theil
endorsement as bOndsmen, honorcC
and trusted by tho government, and
flattered by society, there is base in
gratitude in this kind of thieving that
ought to place it outside of the pale oil
pity.
But these rogues (and what applies
to them is equally applicable to legis
lative bribe. takers) steal with impuni
ty, and if they get through with q
"full hand" it is not uncommon Ia
hear them openly spoken of in com.
plimontary terms for their shrewd
ness This is all wrong. A man
who steals is thief, whether it be
some poor devil burglariousIy robbine
or passing counterfeit money, or gov.
ornment nppointec deiaulting or en-.
bezzling, or a legislator taking brides
Yet the former gets all the punish
ment and all the odium.
This is trining with Justice. So
long as these defaulters-thc robbers
Of public funds--and bribe takers arc
so treated, no reformation can take
place. They must be regarded az
thieves aud be so treated. Society
the public at large-must treat such
nee need n not look Tor or anytbihg else than
a continuation of these kinds of tbelts,
but small portion of which are
brought to light. Make the results OF
detection the same as are visited upon
other rogues and there will be salu
tary restraint upon this class of rob.
berries Let the principle prevail OF
"prison for the guilty and public trusts
for honest men"
This indifference on the part of the
public to the criminality of the viola.
tors of public trusts encourages the
thefts. The public are not guiItless
in this matter No party considera-
tion should palliate the offence in any
honest mans mind. Every citizen
should set his face unalterably against
corruption in office, and in the exer.
else of his political rights, take the
matter in hand, oppose and defeat the
nomination Of doubtful men, and sup,
port only those for Office whose well
established reputation is n guarantee
ofan honest discharge OF their public
trusts Clinton Democrat.