The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-02-14
s. G.
Friday {Hasn,nR / Februagyjl4. 1873.
CSritrfaon ksid is Defe nasas.

When we read OF the admipistratiops
of ,GeiefaE Washington and Mr.. Jeffer-
son. of Mr.. Madison and the Adamses,
and even 'of later Presidents, we seem to
breathe the atmosphere of the golden
age. The public servioo was the one
thing uppermost. in. their thoughts, aud
private emolumerits and the advantages
of Office the last to.bs considered. They
held their positions fpr the good Of the
country, and served In them with an eye
single to It's advancement and honor.
Gentlemen by breeding. education ind
associations. punctiliously maintaining
the spirit and sense Of honor. guarding
their integrity asohe apple Of the eye. it
is. delightful TO perpse the history Of
theiI esvsral terms, to Sgo over their
statements of. aHairs; and ii everything
they otacislly said or did. to. recognize
the absolute honesty and delicate senSs
of propriety which ruled in their lives
and times. The glorious pattern was
set. and subordinates conformed to it.
Honesty was the fashion, from which 10
departure was allowed.
We often bonst that we are q fast peo-
pie; that we accomplish more, think
more, feel more. than any other under
the sun. The heresy has extended from
New England through the Middle and
Western States, and is gathering force
in the Southern, in these latter carpet
bag days, that we are the smartest nation
in all creation. In manufactures, in in
ternal Improvements, in railroad build
ing, in free public schools, in popular
education and enlightenment, in the
number of churches and church sittings,
in Sunday schools and Christian associa-
tohs, we claim that We are without
rivals in the old world. We hnbituaily
deride the old world governments as
slow, while We comfort ourselves with
the belief that the progressive spirit of
our people, reflected in the bold conduct
Of the. National Government, CORES
ponds to the wisdom of it's political in
stitutions and to the grandeur of it's
natural scenery. We are, indeed, live
people. known and felt in all the marts
and exchanges Of the world; intelligent,
industrious, thrifty, knowing no pause
or rest in the pursuit of wealth, wor-
sbjping the almighty dollar as tho Per
sian the sun or the African his fetish,
and yet, after, all, finding no peace or
comfort in it. or in anything else. The
consciousness is widespread, although
the national vanity would be 10th to ad-
nit it. that we lack the one thing, more
needful than any other, to make peo-
pie great and happy. WeFlaok integrity
in our public' men. purity In Office and
the subordination of Office to right ends
OF justice and the public good. We are
in our iron age.
A large part Of the time of Congress.
and Of the State Legislatures. is con-
sumed ia'investigating fra Ids and truck
ing corruption. The amount of lying
and perjury, used to prevent detection.
is beyond human knowledge, and the
amount OF stealing which they cover up
is beyond human computations. But we
may judge of the unknown and undis.
covered by what is occasionally laid bare.
It is startling enough. The investiga-
tion. so called, OF the Credit Mobilier
swindle. for instance. has discovered the
astounding fact that the actual profits of
the Credit Mobilier amount to $42 1885,
329.34. This was stolen from the Go.
vernment through the form of q con-
tract entered into by the projectors of
the Union Pacific Company. with them
selves as officers of the Credit Mobilier
Company. This disclosure has been
literally wrung from the committee of
Investigation, and will confirm the public
in it's belief that the corruption OF Con-
gressmen has been more extensive and
disgraceful than has yet been disclosed.
It is grand swindle, in the whirlings of
whose maelstrom OF corruption, the
names of Colfax, Patterson, Brooks,
Ames, Harlan, Dawes, Kelly and others,
have been caught and gone down never
to rise again. But their offence, in the
judgment of many, consists rather in
thoir dofont;op than -, H.