The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-09-21
For the Anderson Intslligencer.
The Decentralization Of the Age.

Tho Decentralization OF tue ASe'
Mr. Ep1ToR.: Is it not enough to cause every
friend of morality and virtue-every patr1o
and philanthropist to become sick at hear
when he contemplates for only one single mo
ment the complete generalization OF this wicked
and reckless ages Look at our condition po
lit;cally. The body polite, both State ane
Federal, nothing but one entire mass OF putre
faction and decomposition nauseatlng stencf
In the nostrils of every upright and honest
mani Bribery, perjury, wholesale and legas'as0
spoliation, and unmiagating scoundrellsm o.
the most diabolical character, and of the black
est hue. has become the general order OF the
day. Both public and private enterprises are
merging. with an accelerated velocity, into
gigantic expressions and heaven-denounceo
engines of monopoly. Men are daily ano
hourly traficing off their principles of honesty
and integrity for paltry bundles of greenbacks
Esau-like, selling their birth-right OF probity
and liberty for mess of government pottage-
a few swigs at the public pap!
Now, sir, we know it is common tor US as
Democrats to fasten upon the back of the Rad
ical partv the sin of this immoral inundation'
which, like an Alpine avalanche, or an angry
food, is sweeping away every vestige of hon
esty of purpose. But is the Democratic party
simon-pure ? or is either party, as political
organization, to be held responsible! lave
not the elements of which the Democratic
party is composed had nothing to do with the
inauguration of the present reign of demorall-
zation? Of course the primary cause exists
in the moral depravity of the human heart,
but then the secondary cause has existed, and
still exists in the elements of which each po-
litical organization is composed. In short, 1t
exists in the people of these United States, In
the erroneous assumption that wealth is the
basis and only exponent of merit. Hence,
intellectual greatness and moral worth have
always been at considerable discount with U.S.
Now, sir, long before the war the science OF
government with us had degenerated into
disgraceful, disgusting scramble for "the loaves
and fishes" of Office.
WHY was thiss Simply from the false esti-
mate which we placed upon wealth. 1t grew
out of the false notion that money makes the
merstor;oas man, and the want of it the '0orth-
less fellow. Hence, it has been, is yet, and
looking into the future through the telescope oi
the past, we Judge it will continue to be that
men, seeing money can do anything, are, and
will be at all times, and under every conceiva-
bic circumstance, ready and willing to do any
thing for money! The most intense desire and
continual cry of one and all is, money, MONEY,
MONEY! Give us but this, and we care not
of what else you deprive us. For money gives
men social position and political power. 1t
gives them moral influence and religious pre-
ferment. 1t inducts them into Office OF trist'
honor and profit. 1t is substitute for intel
lectual endowment that is more acceptable
than the principal proxy for intelligence
that is more willingly received than the origi-
nal, and check for religion that is more tan
yible and current than the coin itself. Men
have been and will be elected to Office of trust,
honor and profit upon no other claim of merit
than that of their fathers names and pockets.
Think you that this picture is overdrawn-
that it is too highly painted with gorgeous
colors? No, sir. So far as drawn it is true to
life; but the whole truth is beyond the powers
of the tongue to express or pen to describe.
Who, we ask, is so morally dead and mentally
blind that he cannot feel and see, so as to fully
appreciate our situation, and candidly and un-
reservedly confess that Mammon is the god at
whose shrine we bow. To what is it that we
will not resort to make single dime? Ready
to encompass sea and land in pursuit of "the
almighty dollar" Lying, cheating and extor-
tioning have become the most popular and
fashionable avenues to wealth. Duplicity and
trickery, once classed in the black catalogue OF
vices, have become transformed into virtues
which we hold up before our children as wor.
thy of emulation. You say, perhaps, that this
is altogether hyper6ot;cah. Well, be it So
But we will submit an illustration as confirm
atory of our assertions;
How oft have we heard fathers expatiating
in the presence Of their sons upon the great
Importance Of knowing how tc turn penny.
This is all proper and right, if conducted with
in the legitimate channels of honest industry
and moral rectitude. But like the Quaker
economists advice to his son, they give them
this directly, and little more than this indi-
rectly. We not unfrequently hear fathers rela,
ting to their sons the wonderful abilities Of
some infamous cheat and swindler, in the per.
son of some "loaO-doOn" horse.jockey, or pro.
fessional black-leg, who, upon the exchange Of
horse or the turn of card, has made more
money than he could have made in months al
honest labor, always winding up with the EN-,
phatic sentence: "6oys, he's smart man p
leaving the impression indelibly fixed upon
the young, inexperienced and plastic mind
that these lazy drones and detestable lccchcs Of