The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1872-03-14

GtdteS Seu1iOt snOOlO Oe s0tus SOclefy was
saturated with the virus of venality. There
il enc scene in Roman history afr the
second Punic war, too Apostle not to lie ap-
piled. The Prs;orian Band, the CONNER
cial politicians of that day, appeared upon
the walls Of the city bearing the head of the
last Emperor upon lance and the imperial
purple Of the next in their hands. and
offered the throne Of the Roman world fcr
sale to the highest bidder. 1t was Knocked
down to one Julian, who was borne to the
Senate on the shields of the Pta.orians,
where ne expatiated upon the freedom of his
election and the virtues of the people.
So the pretorians Of our Legislature car
ried the Senator who LAST bought them, to
this city, and listened to him at a banaue,
given in this hall, wherein he RECALLED them
with his feeble antecsdents, and avowed his
devotion to the public good. Some may seek
to carry this analogy farther, in citing the
sequel of the Emperor Julian, whose head,
at the end of forty days, was carried of in q
basket and thrown into ditch.
will read to you what q great political
thinker says Of the evils of political corrup.
ton. read from DR.. Letters LIST volume,
entitled ''Polnical Ethics" He says:
"a man Who commits, knowingly, wrong
for money-who sells himself-has been
considered the most abject Of evil-doers, and
may be considered ready to commit ali the
evil acts Of others, besides his own crime.
So soon as corruption becomes general in q
civilized nation; 20 soon - dishonesty il 8
general crime; 70 soon as public places are
considered, BY common consent, a. fair op-
portunities to enrich their holders; so soon
as parties consider themselves, BY their sue.
Cess, entitled to the spoils of the public-so
soon, there ia deadly cancer in the vitals Of
society, and hardly anything but severe
changes and revolutions can save it. Justice
will be sold, brides become common, public
opinion flee, veracity and consistency will be
disregarded, patriotism be derided, every
graced, oppression in every degree become
general, and the moral tone of society a!
large, which must always remain the FIRST
spring from which public prosperity flows,
will vanish.'
Ire, rcifuily submit whether our people
have Il altered many of the evils herein de.
scribed. rom the great prevalence of political
corrupIinn. had hoped that the Republi.
can pa could rise to the height of purify.
ing itself of this vicious element. But l was
mistaken They assembled in convention
on the 22d Of February, to appoint Delegates
to Philadelphia, and it adopted platform
which i intend to read to you. Much COM
plant was made at the calling of the Con.
vention at that. time. 1t seemed to some
that il was premature because the Custom
House Investigation vas going on and ,
motion was pending in the Senate to investi-
gate the charge that the Governmen,
had secretly sold arms to the French during
the late European var. rad von ,b;s
resolution. nase,l nv that Conven,;on.
WHEREas The rennhl;csns Of Kors,, in
convention assembled for the nurnose ~
eJect;no deleo,,e. N nn;,s v;,h ~" daIso,,s.
of othe1 St.fcs On lime < ensp;n. n, The
nurnose of nom;n.tinv The neyt pres;dert
and VICE Presidrnt of the limited St.,e. "a.
sire IN Give reneved and mo.t emnh.,;c s1.
preasion 10 their confidence in the nr;nc;nles
their pride in the record and their faith in
the future oftbat national nol;t;c.I oro,n;z,-
ton which carried the country throuch the
dificulties. and preserved amid The disasters
q, one of The storm;est coraic4, of ali b;storv
and which has addres.ed ;,seIf m the solution
of those delic,te md d;f;cnIt nrohIers wh;ch
are the general leg,cv of ali r.rs and more
especiailv of such = civil str;6e a. chr, in
such a manner as with sucb local e1cen,;ons
"a would be insenarsble from ,,v noi;cv Of
qualification TO secure IN the country A. large
= degree of internal neace organic ur;ty
financial standing and credit srd osr.r,i
business prosneritv vh;ch arc ,he Sondsr
and admiration of All the n.,;cn. oS,bs s.r,h
and believing IA tbis Conven,;on That th;s
satisfactory condition of nnhI;c .A.;rs 4.
largely attributable IN the n.,;ent conr,oe
and wisdom of the man Who Vas frat The
trusted Commander.in- Chief of the arm;e.
and then the honorcd President Of the coun,
ellis of the Republic. II ia therefore
Resolred. That the DELEGATES
this day chosen N ,,,end ,he
PHILADELPHIA National Convention no and
hereby are instructed IN c.s, the;, ro,es
for the patriot President and c;,;zen .o,d;sr
Jyivsse. 8 Grant ~ho :. -. IL. 81 a.
s,,rou, day, Of the Renuhl;c d,sni.vaJ ,,ns .
Qualities of COURAGE v;sdom Lii. ~
unyieldine persistencv vh;ch ;n:n;rsJ tho
friends Of freeflom With new ersrnr anJ
hone filled ,nd fred the oaIian, .oi5;s,. as" ~
the Union with the sr;,;t nf 81, anJ n
need he N die in ;fs dsesnsa .ni a mh;.h
crowned our long conflict v;th he a ;nss,;m .n
bic boon of a comnIetc v;ctorv and ,,o,n,a
-. -.
hent peace, ana VINO, IN the iess dangerous
out more 1imcIit duties to which grateful
people caiied MIN, has proved himself an
aeie, steady ana sSeSeasiul pilot Of the ship
OF state, amid connicflng opinions and trying
e1'gencies, the earnest advocate Of all judi
cious attempts al political reform, the fore
most friend OF all oppressed and distressed
people, OF whatever condition or color, who
are struggling Tor the ,na!'enable rights OF
perfect equality before the law-the undaunt-