The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-12-29
New York and Washington Contrasted.

When the frauds in the municipal
government OF New York were discov-
cred, the Democratic press Of the State
and Of the country denounced the per.
petrators without stint or qualification.
Immediately Mr.. Tilden and other
leading members of the party repudla-
ted all connection with the thieves and
read them out of the Democratic fold.
The Tammany Ring was overwhelm.
ingly beaten at the polls and beaten by
Democratic influence and Democratic
votes. This was done without hesita.
tlon, though it was apparent that such
course would throw the State tempo.
rarily into the hands of the Republi.
cans. When party success could no
longer be secured, except by bolstering
up corruption, the Democracy of New
York voluntarily submitted to defeat
rather than suffer dishonor.
But the determination to punish mall
feasance and corruption in Office did not
stop with The administration of a re.
buke at the polls. The Democratic Dis.
trict Attorney of New York at once be.
gan series of prosecutions against
those who were suspected Of wrong do.
ing, and being assisted ly that distin.
guished Democratic lawyer, Charles
O'Conor, and sustained by such Demo.
Gratis upon the bench rs Judge Bedford,
he has brought orc prominent man af-
ter another to answer boflre the Courts
The last noted individual arrested was
VIM. NJ. Tweed, a man of immense
woalth, and one who has heretofore
welded great political power. His
committal to Il common Jail shows how
little sympathy the real leaders of the
Democratic party have with official cor.
ruptioO, and how rraiy they are TO
mete out stern and s,rict justice To all
offenders.
What contrast to this commendable
conduct of the New York Democracy
Is offered by Grant and his supporters!
Tom Murphy, who cheated the Gov.
ernmont out of immense sums during
the war, by furnishing shoddy clothing
and villainously. constructed hats to the
soldiers who was hand in glove with
Tweed and the rest of the Tammany
Ring in their robberies, and who made
the Custom House Of New York den
of thieves, retired from Office, not to q
prison, but to the gorgeous mansion,
with the congratulatory letter of U. S.
Grant in the left breast-pocket of his
frshionably cut coat. Hundreds of de.
tected defaulters to the general govern
ment are now living at ease upon their
i'll gotten gains, walking the streets of
Cur cities and towns in perfect peace
and security. No one attempts to mo.
lest them or make them afraid And
this while Tweed, Connoly & Co. are
arrested and thrust into prison by Dem.
ocratic officials
The Radical majority in the United
States Senate refused to pass Mr.. Trum.
bulls investigating resolution. By their
act they said to the horde of scoundrels
who are plundering the National Treas.
ury, "You have nothing to fear!" They
took care TO exclude from the Investi.
eating Committee, which was finally
appointed, every Republican who had
exhibited the least disposition to deal
properly with existing abuses. They
chose. Buckingham, Howe, Harlan,
Stewart and Poole, to checkmate any
action which might be taken by the
single Democrat they were forced to
place upon the Committee. Harlan, of
Iowa, whose corrupt management of
the Interior Department under form.
er administration gave him good cause
to dread an investigation, is member Of
this Committee, which was constituted
to shield rascals of every grade; Stew
art, OF Nevada, is well known as no.
torious broker of legislative jobs of
every description and Poole, of North
Carolina, owes his seat in the Senate to
a combination of fraud and violence.
Of Connecticut, who is
Chairman of the COMMITTEES, was one
of the boldest and most outspoken op-
ponents of any attempt at investigation.
Let the people look at the action of
the Radical majority in the Senate of
the United States, and then at the
course pursued by Democratic officials
in New York City. Let honest voters
maks the contrast for themselves and
draw their own inferences! And, while
this is being done, let it be remembered
that the acts of this Administration
cannot bear the light of day. An hon
est committee Of investigation would
be forced to make report which would
render Grants name more odous than
that of any of the men who have been
mentioned in connection with the Tam
many frauds, Lancaster LtclIgeacer.
In nas been announced in the ts li-