The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1872-03-09
Not Equally Corrupt.

ueIoHCc cutp4Olcu W PSAS~S "
duh moral perception, against the
charge OF moral or political delin-
quency, is that the accuser has
either been or would be, under
the same circumstances, equally
guilty. This is no defence at all,
but a tacit acknowledgment of
guilt. Yet Gov. Warmoth and
his associates. before the Con
gressIonal Committee of Inyestl-
CATION, relied upon it exclusively
as a complete set off to their ac-
knowledged crimes. But what Is
still more astonishing, the Repub-
lican members of the above named
committee, seemingly recognized
the validity of this mode of de-
fence; witness their chuckling ex-
ultatiOn, whenever it was estab-
lished in evidence, that member
OF the Legislature, elected on the
Democratic ticket, had betrayed
his trust. They apparently build
on this narrow basis, will proba-
bly, herald it forth TO the world in
their report--that although great
wrongs have been perpetrated by
members of the Republican party
in this State, yet that both par
ties equally corrupt, and hence
any measures looking towards re-
lief, by placing power in the hands
of the people at large, would be
entirely nugatory in their effects.
If, from the evidence, they We're
to assume that bad men We're not
alone confined to the Radical
ranks, the conclusion would be
correct; but it would be grossly
illogical aud erroneous in fact, to
assume from their premises that
the Democratic party is as corrupt
as the Republican: for it is indis-
putable that while some members
OF the Legislature elected by
4 Democratic constituencies have be
trayed their trusts, they have not
been suffered to escape the public
condemnation, aud have, III fact,
Z ell read out of the party. In
further proof, there is not a single
instance OF any Democratic mem
Der who has been unfaithful or
corrupt, or suspected of being so,
who OH the expiration of his term
of office, has been elected, nomi-
mattel or even spoken of asa canGi-
date again. They have i'll all
cases been consigned not only to
political oblivion, but TO social os-
tracism also. In contrast with
this marked condemnation of
wrong how stands it with the car
pet baggers, the present rulers of
the State! Without a solitary
known exception, they are all
grossly corrupt, many of them
emerging from condition of alb
ject poverty, have risen to affla-
ence on the wages of iniquity.
Several of them are convicted fell
: ons, Yet there is not an instance
OF any one of them failing again TO
secure his seat III the Legislature.
OF having to vacate his office by
reason OF his open and ostentati-
Gus violation of every moral and
political obligation. Indeed, it
can be said, without exaggeratiOn,
that the more notorious the
scOundrel the greater likelihood
of his continuance in Office. If
these facts do not prove the puri-
ty of the Democratic Party, and
the deep-dyed imquity of the other,
then all fai,h in logical sequence
must be abandoned. Yet, in. de-
spite of this, how frequently do
we hear respectable citizens de-
Tending themselves from the just
reproaches of their more patriotic
fellow-citizens, because of their
failure TO participate in the con-
duct of public affairs, by the self
same fallacious reasoning, found
ed upon the same absurd premises.
When we speak of the Democrat
ic Party, We mean all those citi-
zens who are opposed to the Re-
Publican Party. We make no
partisan allnsions.
n. o. Bee.