Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-12-08
HREEoRM..,

Reform is a great theme Just now with the
Commercial Aud 1t always recurs TO II as the
elections approach. This year there is slight
difference in its tone and it dwells more hopeful
" and at large upon "reform within the Repubh
can party" where reform is certainly much needed
Aner it has screened and dciended and apollo
eizsd until the people of its own party became
dsgused at it and its numerous official clquesters,
il begs the community TO be patient, not TO do
anything basty aud TO so TO work at reform with
in the party. This simply means that the thieves
who have got into law suit over the spoils must
not be dealt too harshly with; that t5cy may be
kept within tue party lines, and when displaced
some one out OF the same party, that has been al
the work OF reform within Iseif, may be put in
the roGues' place.
But the cry of reform within the Republican
party is no neW one, ii has been sounded all over
the county for the past ten or twelve years. We
might 20 back and date its first note about the
time Simon Cameron was Kicked out Of Lincoln's
Cabinet, and pointed al in the House Of hepre.
sptatives S as ono of The great absoTbers Of gov
eminent funds, without rendering satisfactory
explanations Commencing then We say it has
continued until this time in some parts OF the
country, and new il is raised in Delaware Cor
ruption anl dishonesty had long existed, no doubt,
in our own state; but until recently it was not
known that tAieYipG, bareiaeed and daring, had
been carried On go long. In, since the recent ex-
posuTes The cIy Ior reform within the Republican
party has been Issed here, and no doubt every
effort will bc made Io cover up corruption, and 10
sti6e the voice Of the people by bringing all the
machinery Of party TO bear upon the matter sus.
gested. This desired end is to be accomplished by
securing quiet every man is TO hold his peace
and say nothing-cover up the thefts, and call
every man a rebel disorganizeT who sttempts to
expose the rsscaliy Of party officers OF theirtoois
This is the extent Of the Reform that IS 10 be
effected " within the Republican party" Ii means
TO keep quiet until the next thief exposed as il
has meant elsewhere, and until the end OF
the chapter. There will be no genuine Reform"
until that corrupt and thieving party is utterly
rooted out and made to give place TO honest vo-
tiers, and men who will be satisfied with reasona-
bic salaries. The appointments of the Republi-
can party have proved TO utterly unWortby that
they are denounced all the city, and even
then any effort is made 10 retain the unworthy in
Office.
1t will not do for the Commercial us 10 refer to
the 'sslaTy grab" That Was another measure for
which its own party responsible, IT is also re-
spousible ior ,he Credit MObiler r.lscalily. That
parry had a large majority IN Congress, and the
salary grab could never have been passed had the
Republican party not favored it; nor could theI
bIl have become a laW had II not been slgned by
Grant. Il
With reference 10 " Governor Ponders appoint
ments, and especially his last one" We can, with
ell sincerity and candor, quote the old saw used
10y the COMMERCIAL, NC never kick" an honest
man when be ia dswn." Mark the difference ; we
throw in the word "hohesl' which the Comm, ere ial
could not honestly put in its quotation.