The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-09-25

NACA ~ AAN& ANEo was ANNoGh "a SN~AN9
of so much greater population. For in
stance, in the State Of New York, in the
year 1872, there were ! 1852 cases, civil and
criminal, in which the United States was q
party, that were brought to q termination.
In the same year the number of cases, civ
il and criminal, that were terminated in
Arkansas were 453,a little more than one
fourth of those disposed of in the State Of
New York. And yet The expenses in Ar
kansas exceeded the expenses in New
York. The judgments in civil suits re-
covered by the United States in New York
in the year 1872 amounted to S707, l6l 20,
being two and one-half times more than
the expenses in that State in both civil
and criminal cases. In the same year,
judgments were received by the Govern
ment in civil suits in North Carolina
amounting 10 $S5,040 50, being Sl49,S27,-
40 less than the expenses in that State.
Ispoke at Waverly of the delalcations
of public officers that have come to light,
and of the pardon by The President Of
Paymaster Hodge, n Of the greatest Of
the defaulters. What does Senator Nor
ton reply? He says:
"But the reason given why President
Grant pardoned Hodge was that he and
his friends were stanch Republicans. But
az AAGAO AOAS y AetAA - A41e NAAS
statement is not true. 1t SO happens that
Paymaster Hodge was a Democrat, and
that most of his family and friends are
Democrats, and it so happens that his Pc
tition was chiefly signed by Democrats and
officers in the army. What the ciroum-
stances were that induced the President
to pardon him l don't know; but that the
President acted as conscientiously as the
Governor of Ohio when he pardons q
criminal, 1 have not the least doubt"
This is the first intimation l eve had
that Hodge was q Democrat. and | must
be allowed to doubt the statement until
some proof be adduced to support it. But
whatif he we're a Democrat? How does
That justify The President IN setting SO in
furious an example as the pardon of a de-
faulter for more than four hundred thou
sand dollars efalcation that took place
in Washington itself, almost under the
nose Of the President? But Senator Nor
ton saysthat he has no doubt the. Fresi-
dent acted conscientiously in granting the
pardon. Suppose he did, still the effect Of
that pardon must be moSt injurious to the
public service. When men who defraud
the Government ont Of such immense
sums of money are set at liberty, every
public officer disposed to peculate is en-
Icouraged by the pardon to do So, I said
in the q speech that the defalcations
in the Internal Revenue Department ex-
ceeded two millions of dollars, and my
statement is verified by the Secretary Of
the Treasury, who alse came to the aid Of
Senator Morton to assist him in preparing
his speech. BY the statement Of the Sec
rotary, which appears in Morton's speech,
the defalcations of Internal Revenue Col
~lectors is shown to be $2,453,634 60. And
now I ask, asI did at Waverly, what one
of these defaulters has been sent to the
fpenitentiary where he belongs? If there
has been one thus punished 1 have never
YheRrd of it. ! have now replied to the
points made by Morton in answer to my
speech. I have not replied, and shall not
reply, to some rant in which he INDUCED,
and which can not be described by any
less expressive term than the word scur-
frility. He seems to think that tits the
duty Of q public man to do nothing but
praise the Government, and to hide out of
sight every thing like fraud & corruptioni
To lay bare official misconduct, to expose
frauds by which the people are made to
lose millions upon millions ofudollars, to
show how corruption is sapping the found
atoms Of public virtue and threatening
its utter destruction, is, in the opinion of
Senator Morton, to SANDER the country
and to ignore every thing that is great and
grand and beautiful in it. My friends, |
overlook nothing Of the greatness and
grandeur and beauty Of the Republic. l
have as much reason to admire all that is
great and good n it as has Senator Nor
ton. 1 have as much interest IN its well
fare and good name as he has, and it Is
precisely because l prize its welfare and
good name that IRxpose the corruptlons
that must be condemned by the people, If
its welfare and good name are to be pre-
served. It is not by hiding out of sight
the sores of the body polite that a cure
can be effected. 1t is treason to the peo-
pie to conceal what they ought to know
when knowledge is necessary, in order
that they may apply an efficient remedy.
And it is not a libel on our Government
to tell to the people what u public re-
cords show to be true, hurt whom 1T may.
Senator Morton volunteers to give me
some advice. In return let me advice him
to disprove, if he can. the facts stated IN
my speech, and not answer it by rant and
scurrility. Until he can do that, and I'M
til he can 90 further and deny the exls-
tence of other practices that demand the
condemnation of the people, he had better
hold his peace. Does he not know that
Republican senator from Kansas obtained
his seat by wholesale bribery? Did he
not so report, himself, to the Senate? Does
lie not know that another Senator from
that State attempted to procure his re-
election IN the same way? Does he not
know that the corruption of some OF our
Commissioners sent to represent this coun-
try at the Vienna Exposition, brought
disgrace upon the American name before
the whole civilized world? Does he not
know that q government was set up in the
State of Louisiana by the bayonet under
the order offs Federal Judge, made not in
Oourt, but in his private chamber, and
which as found by Morton's own Commit
tee, the Judge had no authority whatever
to make? Does he not know that every
free government that was ever overthrow
was destroyed by corruption, beginning in
high places andthence spreading through
out the body polite? No, fellow citizens,
he is not your friend who has nothing but
flattery for your ears, He is not your
friend who cries out ":All is WELL" when
an enemy is within your camp. But he
isYour best friend who warns you Of the
approaching danger and warns you before
it is too late. It has been nc pleasant
task to me to speak Of The corruption that !
las uISSIACcu inc ! kueW Ina
in doing so I should bring down upon
myself unlimited abuse. 1t would have
been far more pleasant for me 10 look only
on the bright side of the picture; but 1
should have been false to my trust and a |
miserable recreant had I failed to show
you the dark side too. The facts L have
stated are found in the official reports
made to your Congress; and, if it was
reveal them to Congress, it is equal
ly right to reveal them to the people. In
this country the people are the sovereign
power, and all public men are but their
agents. No efficient reform in Govern
ment can take place without the support
of the people. And they must know what
are the evils that demand a remedy be-
fore they can successfully apply them
selves to the task Of reform. And he is
no true friend Of free institutions who
would withhold from them the knowl-
edge they are entitled to have.
With q few words upon another matter,
/ VIII bring this speech, already too long,