The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-12-28
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We presume the history of political in
triguas and dark plots in our country.
will reveal no more well devised and
deep-laid scheme for the disrupting and
destroying an opposing political party.
than the one which has recently SO sign
ally failed in Congress- plot which the
aiaeritable George Wilkes said would as
tound the nation, (or words to that eff
feet, and be the keynote to the cam
paign of 1872.
The whole plan was to get up sensa-
ton quarrel between what are known as
disaf1ected, and their more to be depend
ed upo1, tie radical Republican Sena-
tors.
The mine was sprung in Sena torlal
caucus, and proved one of the most
harmless plots that ever came to naught.
Senator Trumbull' S calling for COM
mituee to examine into the manner ofex-
penditures in every department. of Gov
ernment.-in other words, to search out
corruption in all departments-was to be
the hound that would bring the admins
tration party to bay, and end in dis
rupting conflict and so it did for brief
space. And Mr.. Trumbull's proposition
was voted down; but, as the sequel
showed, not on account Of any objection
to the main proposition that ct having
every department of the present admin
istration overhauled, but In the naodus
operandi of the work to be accomplish
ed. Trumbull's proposition was to raise
a committee which should sit during the
recess of Congress, with power to send for
men, papers, &c. This was objected to
as expensive and useless.
The little difference between the two
factions was soon arranged, for the dis
cpssion discovered the fact that the
friends of the administration were as
anxious and as willing to go into an ex-
animation OF the manner In which the
several departments are managed, as the
opponents of the administration (which
of course closed up Tor the present every
opening for the great wedge that had
been prepared for the splitting asundlng
of the party in favor of the present ad-
ministration. A committee Mas agreed
upon, consisting of Buckingham, Howe,
Pratt, Harlan, Stewart and Bayara.
Thus ends the first gun for 1872, and
as the smoke clears away, it is discovered
that the smoke was all there was of it.
We say to the radical members of Con-
gress. give those cross-grained sore-heads
Shurz s. Co., who hoped to make such
capital out of official corruption and civil
service reform, ali the investigation and
civil service they want. 1t certainly will
do our side no harm, and cannot advan- !
tage them in the least.
Civil service is humbug, IF Con-
gress had the prerogatlves OF the Al
mighty, and could change human nature,
and thus prepare its subjects for a lite
service under Government, it would be
something to speak of. But the villain,
which is almost universally cloaked un-
der sanity garb, will be beyond the
reach of any committee, though it be
composed of all the learned sore-heads
in the land. Nothing but test of temp
tation will develop the bad in human
nature. 1t would be impossible to search
out thousand men, or even a hundred,
with an entire sDOtless integrity. Our
Savior, failed to select twelve that were
all to be trusted; aud we don't think
civil service would have aided him in his
discovery of the bad in human nature.
But give them all the civil service they
want; it will create few more offices to
devour the peoples substance, with no
practical benefit. t.-Racine Journal