Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-08-16
The Impending Ruin Of the Republic,

The Impending Ruin Of the Republic.
What the country now needs to
save it from destruction is party of
sound constitutional principles, and
strict integrity in money matters
Under the pressure Of an extraordina-
ry exigency, tho Republican party du-
ring the war and the reconstruction era
adopted loose idens in their construc-
tion of tho Constitution, aud, invok-
ing the authority Of that instrument,
they exercised powers not dreamed OF
by the fathers Of the Republic.
The vast expenditures incident to
the war, and the immense fortunes
hastily accumulated by individuals
during that period, accustomed Office.
holders and tho masses of the people
to look with indifference upon annual
outlays of money that would have
amazed the country twenty years be,
fore. The suppression ofthc rebellion
was followed by political chaos in
the South, which opened awide field
for the operations of unprincipled ad
venturers from the North, who rushed
in. seized the roins of power in the
late insurgent States, and have since
ruled and plundered them, with the
protection Of the national Administra-
tion, as Warren Hastings oppressed
and robbed British India.
Almost everybody who holds an
offfpa op ohtaino n oo,4root ,,pJa. ,t,o
Federal and State governments, or
under any municipal corporation, has
become intoxicated with a passion for
suddenly getting rich by his position.
The natural consequence is Unsuitable
greed irrespective Of law, and wide.
spread corruption in spite of exposure,
among large portion of those who
live upon public patronage
These are the two evils which af-
flict the country. Laxinterpretations
of the Constitution, and the Wrestling
thereirom of unwarranted powers, are
gradually changing the form of the
Government, Lavish and needless
expenditures by Congress, by State
Legislatures, and by city authorities,
and loose notions of official integrity,
are steadily bringing governmental
economy into contempt, and rendering
honesty among public servants almost
an absolete phrase. So far has the
current drifted that politics is rapidly
becoming the synonym of corruption.
and stainless virtue in the administra.
tion of affairs is getting to be about as
rare in America rs il was in England
under the corrupt rule of Robert Wal
pole, who boasted that every public
man had his pride
Does any well informed person pre-
sumo TO dispute the truth of these
statements? Where lies the remedyY
Is General Grant the man to initiate
and carry through reform that shall
hiring tho govornmont book TO the
solid ground Of constitutional inter.
probation whoreon our fathers placed
ity Is ho the man to enforce scrupu-
lous abstinence from the reception of
gifts and bribes by office. holders
Can his own personal conduct in tho
premises be pointed to as a standard
worthy of imitation by all, whether
high or low, who manage public af.
fairs and feed at the public crib 2 Far
from i'll His ideas of the Constitu.
tion are so latitudnarian that one
may well doubt whether ho possesses
any clear ideas at all on the subject.
His dogged will is TO him the law of
the land, and he does not hesitate to
WELD almost kingly powers without
warrant from the Constitution. As
TO money matters, his administration
is notoriously the most venal in our
history, while he himself has grown
rich since he took Office by means of
gifts lavishly bestowed upon him in
return for patronage, which an homo
rablc man would have scorncd as
bribes.
The first and paramount duty of the
people then is TO terminate the reign
of Grant at the earliest possible mo.
ment, either by preventing his re
nomination, or by defeating him at
the polls if the Republicans should be
so infatuated as to again present him
as candidate.--NeU York Sun Radt-
cal) ft 4