The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1872-03-14
4 Mixed State of Affairs.

crdi, says tho present political aspcc. in
this country is peculiar, to say he least;
and that wo are not the la~lghing-stock /
of Europe, il not tho world, is no fault
OF our Administration, whose constant
aim since the close Of our civil war, has
been to bring discredit on our institu-
tons and contempt on our nam and
people;
Time was when the boast that one was
an American, proved the open sesame
to foreign lands and foreign hearts, But
alas how the mighty are fallen
In the eyes Of tho old world despots
the problem Of self-government has been
considered m Rbsurdity, il not IN i'm
possibility, and its failure in this oun
try would have astonished them, no
more than will the failure OF Grant TO be
our next President astonish us.
We have had traitors to our forms in
times past, yet never so black or corrupt
n ono rs our present Administration,
whose course has proved that he had
more sympathy with despots and rob-
bers than with the democratic masses
Of our own lands.
To MI honesty or uprightnoss he is a
perfect stranger, and in no instance does
he exhibit it moro clearly than by his
violated pledges to an outraged com
muuity,
His dppicity is shown by his San
Domingo scheme; his violation Of neh-
trality laws even while demanding from
England his pound Of fesh;' in his
course toward Russia by his insults TO
Alexis and Catacazy; mis- outrage to
Prussia, and his high-handcd robbcrics
Of the peoples money through his
Washington Board Of Public Works, his
Sandstone Ring, his General Order
store and sale of Offices.
He has filled his Cabinet and the me-
TONS custum-houscg with II horde o.
thieves and scounlrcls. He was winked
at the sale Of our navy, at the pldnder.
. ing of our public lands, To the appeals
Of our merchants for protection from the
. extortion Of his black-aud-t tan pets, Lee
, and Stocking, ho orders tho handcun,
aud the dungeon.
Our war vessels arc used as n means
to rctard legislation; and our army anc
Secret Service Bureau to intimidate 70.
ters and protect outlaws.
Our foreign legations and consulshipt
are filed with ignorant and worthless
relatives, not to mention silver mine
spectators and Third aycnue pot-hCusC
politicians; while at home, Whisky
Rings, Chorponuing Rings, Iron Rings
a. Navy Rings and White-Houao Rings
are the rulc-not the exception.
On the high seas our flag is ~insultcd
in foreign prisons OR people languish
and in our very capital a Spanish Minis
ter dictates TO us our foreign policy.
Where shall we turn for comfort o
, light? What have we to be proud Of
Not Of our Government, for that is II der
, Of thieves. not Of Il party, for her
, we find naugLt but factions and depar
lures, without u loader or ever IN aim
Not Of our Navy, for we have Hono; no
.. Of our honor, for that VIC lost when tn
o brine-tHEing [. S. Grant assembled til
7 Presidential chair.
T. In the past four years there is 10 on
act Of his to which we can point wit
= commendation, or without u feeling c
p shame that VT have sunk SO low MS t
see the seat of Adams and Jefferson dis
graced by horse Jockey and nonentity
i and the Senate that once heard the wis
70 counsels Of Clay, Webster and Douglas
F. writhe under the party lash OF sue
d frauds as Clayton, Morton and Conl
" ling.
Where shall we look for reform ? On
hopes have been Sc often blasted by til
folly or ignorance OF party leaders, tina
= We hesitate to trust even the pureSt.
= The wiso principles Of Democracy 81
almost lost in the obscurity Of the pms
Doctrines and creeds fail when place
3 under the white light OF test and praC
e tic". No turn our eyes from the SCUM
Y Of the conflict in the West to tue elias
a Of arms in the East, from the shores
our inland seas to our Southern gul
s and find naught but confusion wors
I confoundcd, and mt last arrive ut tn
= conclusion that things are decided
mixed.
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