The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-09-27
g Out of their Own Mouths are
They Adjudged Guilty"
Grant Indicted and Condemned by His
Own Party.
The Philadslphia Platform = Con.
fsssion Of tho Failure Of his
Administration.
From the Golden Age.

The severest commentary that can be
made on the failure Of Grants first term of
the Presidency is the platform on which he
stands for reelection. Every important
promise which that platform puts forth for
the future Is q confession Of the Admins
tration's derelction in the past. Each sue
cessive pledge made at Philadelphia turns
States evidence to convict the very candi-
date in whose behalf it was made. Examine
some of the points.
I. Grants platform demands reform Of
Why, then, has not his Administration
already given US this reform? The Presi-
dent has been in power three and half
years-neariy one whole term. During this
period he has always had q working ma or
ity in both houses OF Congress at his daily
Command. Indeed sometimes this majority
has exhibited toward him the subserviency
of lickspittles. They have been only too
prompt to do his bidding. Have thsy' not
made indecent haste to coz firm his broth ers
in-law, his nephews, his uncles, his wife's
relations, and all the host Of his nepotistic
appontments2 Were they not quick to
catch his wink and obey his beck for the re-
moval of Charles Sumner from the Chair
manship Of the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations? Did they not submssively bend
their knees with the Presidents in COM
mon and ignominious surrender to England?
When has he failed Of their votes for any
purpose, good or badf Neveri Why then
does his party 60 to Philadelphia and
through the unanimous mouth of packed
convention demand civil service reform
What thoughtful citizen, therefore, can
help asking, Why have they not already in
augurated civil service reformf What ex-
cuse can they give for having delayed il?
How can they ever apologize for the crime
Of having thus far thwarted it? What will
they say of their own orator, Gen. Butler,
for denouncing it? Outof their own mouth
arc they sdjudged guilty. They are self.
ii. Grants platform demands the aboli-
ton of the ranking privilege
Why, then, have his partisans in Con-
gress systematically voted against the aboli-
ton ofthe franking privilegei Have they
not had the fairest Of opportunities TO ac-
compish this reform? Ii they had been
in earnest to achieve this triumph, they
could have done il a. any time within the
last three years. To say new that the
Thanking privilege ought to be abolished is
simply 70 iudict the President and his
friends for not having abolished it long
ago. Here again they are self-condemned.
III. Grants platform asserts State rights.
Why, then, has he systematically violated
State rights? Why have we had for three
years an unbroken series of intrusions by
the Federal Government into local Affairs
Why, for instance, has it been the practice
Of Mr.. Thomas Murphy and the New York
Custom House to give laws 10 the Syracuse
Convention? Why has the Federal Govern
ment aided and allotted the alien and car
Det-bag governments in the Southern States,
the like Of which for rottenness has neoer
been matched in our history save oy the Tam
many Ringf Why has the Administration
conveniently thrown out the votes Of three
or four, four or Ave, Eve or six counties in
some Of these States at its sovereign pleasure
in order to keep it's own partssns in power?
State rights, forsooth These have never
been 90 hagrantly violated ~ by Grant and
his party. To say now that these rights
should be maintained is only TO say that
they have been well-nigh destroyed. And
the party that thus pretends to maintain
them is tho very party that has been sedu-
lously destroying thtm. After three years
Of this destruction the President and his
partisans have now the effrontery TO declare
themselves in favor Of what they have an
initiated. Such cul,rits are sslf-con-
demned.
Nv. Grants platform asks for encourage
ment to ship-buildiug.
Why, then, hss his Administration done
nothing FOR American commerce except 10
cripple and repress i'll Why are American
merchants doing but thirty.six per cent. OF
their own carrying trade-leaving the re-
precious prize to foreign flags? The Ad-
ministration has had nearly four years in
which to blot out this disgrace. Why is its
pitiful record concerning our maritime
prospects reduced to . specious promise
that, though the Government has done
nothing to promote ship building during the
last four years it will try to remedy this
neglect during the next termY The phila-
delphia statement OF the decay Of our COM
msrce 10 the Administrator confession Of
its own misgovernment. The President and
his re-nominationists are witness bearers
against their own delinquency. They are
self-condemned.
can citizens in foreign lands shall be pro-
tected in their just rights.
Why, then, has he, in an unhappy mum.
Der Of signal and fragrant cases, suffered
American citizens abroad TO be outraged
without protection, and indicted without re-
dressf a distinguished Union General ex-
claimed with great indignation few days
ago, "Thc safest act which any foreign
Government can now commit 10 to hang an
American citizen" lie was partly right.
No, it is not enough that the President
should promise in a campaign document
that American citizens travelling In other
count les are hereafter to be protected; he
must also give answer why they have not
heretofore been protected. His platform
writers have here again innocently con-
fessed themselves guilty. They are self
condemned.
vi. GRANTEES platform demands that sym.
pathy should be extended TO foreign nations
struggling for liberty.
This is bid for the Fenian and Cuban
vote. But has tao Administration, up
to this time, ever shown any sympathy
either with Fenians or Cubans? And
If it is to show such sympathy in future
will it not prove itself guilty for not
having done so in the past2 Its own decla.
ration of duty in this respect is the plainest