The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-22
Greltius telegraph
THURSDAY, JUNE %, 1871.
THE MORALITY OF THE iSLA YES
OF TIE RING.

THE MORALITY OF THE SLA YES
OF TIE RING.
The Press in its leading editorial article of
yesterday said, in relation to the nominees of
the last conventions, Gas to matters of per-
sonal character, we do not think the Republi-
cans of Philadelphia are quite ready to allow
such considerations to enter into their
philosophy" If thought like that, unblush-
ingly expressed, means anything, it means
that its author has been so long swung around
in the muddy vortex of political chicanery
that he is incapable of an honest appreciation
of the ordinary duties of citizenship; that his
moral sense is SO blunted by long striving for
the spoils of Office that he is not only untitled
thereby to teach others, but that his official
conduct will bear being closely watched by
all those whose interests are therein con-
cerned.
The very expression is full, free, and en-
phatic endorsement of every line and word
printed by The TELEGRAPH against the
ring nominees. Their want of character is
unrestrainedly admitted, but it is said that
should be no bar against honest, honorable
men voting for them. Suppose that in
stead of the hungry, grasping crew who
now claim the support of the Republican
party in Philadelphia, half dozen cells of
the County Prison had been emptied to sup
ply ''the party of principles" with candidates,
would the Press still insist that
''matters of personal character" do not
enter into the calculations of those respectable
members of the Republican organization who
have kept their own hands clean, their names
unsullied, and their consciences clear of Of
fense? When a conscientious Republican goes
to the polls to cast his vote he has right to
expect to find the name of another conscien-
tious Republican printed on his ticket. He was
once before driven-unwillingl enough, to be
sure, and yet dri0e,,-to vote for one who was
not honest for place in which the candidate
afterwards sat as judge of the court, and was
arbiter of the fate of the widows and orphans
of the city. He was spurred on then by the
cry of "vote for the regular nominations"
just as he is spurred on now
when other confessedly characterless
candidates are pretending to represent the
grand principles of his political faith. Again,
he is informed that he must vote as the rings
direct; his old-fashioned notions of the eternal
fitness of things are secuted att he must give
up his convictions of what is becoming in an
officer of a great municipality like Philadsl-
phia, and bow down slave to the place
hunting rings. Upon what pretense? Why
that in voting for men who have no character
he will vote to maintain in highly-moral
state of inviolacy the principles of the Repub-
iican party, just as certainly as if he voted for
other men having great deal of character.
To test the truth of this proposition, it will be
we'll to inquire what principles the candidates
chosen by the conventions of last week repre-
sent. They are indifferently we'll known to
this community: their lives have been spent
here chiefly. What has any single one of
them ever done to make stronger in mems
esteem and confidence these great principles
of purity and honesty in government upon
which the early leaders of the Republican
party planted it The first victory of that
party was the country's emphatic protest
against and condemnation of the dishonest,
characterless men and measures that had
shaped to bad ends the entire Government.
The Republican party is young yet, and it
cannot afford SO early to cut its own throat
by presenting to reputable citizens to be
voted for men who are not one whit better
than those it was established to hurl from
power. Good principles are neoer repre-
sented dy bad men, nor is the Republican
party Of Philadelphia represented By tile in
diyidu0ls aOhO By trick and deoice packed the
conventions last a0eek, and thus secured the
nominations. They represent themselves
and their inordinate greed for the profit that
comes from peculation and dishonest use of
place. If they represent anything else we do
not know what it is.
Our contemporary, with that want of moral
sense which the prospect of election dayAlways
so clearly develops, asks, 'What good can any
Republican hope to accomplish by voting
against this ticket?" Briefly, then, he can
preserve his self-respect, he can help to place
in positions of honor and responsibility
men of known fitness and integrity, he can
teaeh the corrupt rings of Philadelphia that
taxes are levied for other purposes than to
enrich combination of political tricksters,
he can uphold the principles of his party by
condemning at the ballotbox the monstrous
doctrine that character is without honor, aud
that thief and perjurer on the ticket is the
peer of an upright and just man off of the
ticket He can do more he can compel
the conventions next year to nominate the
best men whose names can be found in the
City Directory-the true representatives of
Republicans-men whom he can vote for
without blush of shame.
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