New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-17

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
senator Schurz ON the Political Situation.
Our Western exchanges, received yester-
day, contain the following additional re-
port of the Chicago speech of Senator
Schurz, of Missouri:
CHICAGO, August 13-I do view the great
battles of politics as comedy wherein we
see fit to play at parting in one act and at
reconciliation in the next. To me it is a
serious, sacred task. know only right
and duty. / should have been but too
happy if j could have contributed to the
end that this administration should prove a
blessing in every direction, and / hoped
much. ! was fully conscious of the respon-
sibility. ] should never have spoken of it,
had not deemed it my duty, and were
not profoundly in earnest. 1t is my convic-
ton, a conviction conscientiously formed,
that this violation of the constitution in its
most important point, is one which the
people can not willingly suffer to pass with
out encouraging the undermining of their
constitutional rights, piece by piece, and
without dropping into the dangerous habit
of submission TO the arbitrary freaks of a
personal government. am not the man TO
change my convictions like pair of gloves.
Let them prove to me that am in the
wrong, and all differences are composed;
but until then / shall not cease to battle
against sanctioning this precedent, either
through Congress or through the people,
with all the energy of my nature. Others
may compromise with their consciences. l
can not, and / shall not indorse a violation
of the fundamental law by supporting the
reelection of the President who perpetrated
it, Vituperation and calumny may be
heaped upon me. / am conscious of an aim
as pure as it is great, and shall be infiexi-
BILE, and if stood solitary and alone, i
would not cease to sound the signal of
danger, deeply convinced as / am that
future events will justify my warning.
President Grant has placed his cousins
and brothers-in-law by the dozen at the
public crib, and the whole chorus of fat
terers exclaim: "a trifie-who will find
fault with him for that" and he who feels
the indecency of such acts, and expresses
his feelings, is simply denounced as a traitor
whose heart must be full of black designs.
But these are no trihes. The cousins and
brothers-in-law of the President may, as
officers, be no worse than others. but when
he puts them to the public crib, the chief
of the State teaches subordinates by his ex-
ample, which is everywhere visible. In his
opinion, a public Office may be used for
selfish ends, to make out of it what can be
made; and who will wonder when those
subordinates also make out of their offices
all that can be made, when the chief of the
State takes presents and then puts the
donors into high Offices and dignities.
Those men SO appointed may be very worthy
men, and the presents may have had
nothing to do with the appointments, but
the chief of State has shown his subordi-
mates that in his opinion an officer may
take presents and then grant his favors to
the donors In an official way, and will then
wonder when the subordinates, following
the high example, also take presents and
give their official favors to the donors.
The New York papers are making much
noise over the fact that while Republican
conventions pass resolutions in favor of
civil service reform, a United States mar
shall declares to subordinate officer whom
he had just removed, that for the removal
there were only political reasons, and none
arising out of any official shortcomings. Is
that surprising when the chief of the gov
eminent, after having declared himself in
his message in favor of civil service reform,
continually and persistently removes Off
GERS whose official conduct was unimpeach-
able, merely for the purpose of putting
political tools in their places9 If he, as |
have shown to you in one instance, carries
the trade in consciences so far that the
world laughs at it, like. master, like man,
we ought to be surprised at nothing.
No, gentlemen, these are not trifes,
which show that from the highest
position where model should be ex-
hibited for imitation that influence proceeds
which undermines all fair official feeling of
honor. Had Washington, instead of fur
nishing so fine an example of noble disin-
terestedness, given on his part the example
of corrupt nepotism, he could, by this exhi-
bition, for all future time have poisoned the
character of our public service. That in
our days this poison descends in such |
streams from the highest place is certainly |
a misfortune, but it is greater misfortune |
that party spirit covers such acts, which un-
dermine official honor in the whole republic |
under the mantle Responsibility. know
well that censure and abusewi rain down |
upon me for what have sd here; but ask |
those who blame me whether what have |
said is not true, word for word, and what |
can they answer | am for civil service re-
form in dead earnest.
In the new departure of the Democrats it |
is to be regretted that it does not go far |
enough, and also, that we can not place full |
confidence in the reformation of party poll |
tics. but it is feared that the pretended ac-
ceptance of the amendments by the Demo |
Gratis is merely to regain power, and when |
that is secured some means will be found to /
set them aside, either through decision of |
the Supreme Court or in some other man
ner; for both the language of the leaders |
and OF the Democratic press plainly init
mate such course. A large portion of the
Democratic party is not yet sufficiently |
ripe to accept general equality, and it Is |
possible that the personal counter efforts
made may dissolve the party, and if this
should take place, it would not be the |
worst thing that could happen to the re-
public. The separation of the progressive
from the reactlonary elements of that party
would be happy event. Liberal Repub-
Leans are not at all slow in telling what
they do not like in their own party, but
there is much more to be disliked in the
Democratic party. The new wine of Re
publcanism can not be put into the old
Democratic cask.
The Republican party is also engaged in
placing before itself new issues, as the
prominent party questions have now been
solved-the abolition of slavery, the in
tegrlty OF the republic and universal
equality under the protection of the con-
The present issues include the
by all constitutional means, the |
rightful results of the war as incorporated
in the amendments, combined with a lib
eral policy toward the people of the South.
As the dissensions of the party, if crowded
into the background, will give place to the
issues OF the present, we are for upholding
the principles ON which the constitution is
and the energetic condemnation
Of usurpations of power. We are for
reform in the public service and
the abolition OF government patronage, and
for securing the elevation of moral tone in
political life, by placing in the higher
offices of the republic men who, by their
example and principles, as well as inau-
snce, will act ennobling upon political life.
We are for granting the fullest freedom
with our constitutional system
10 the local selfgovernment. We are for
the partial collection of the revenue through
3 tariff upon imported goods, but only to