Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-09
TIE OTrUMWA COURIER
4 4. L. Z. WAMRiD5aaNS WARDEN. zaitors
KNAvERY W. HONESTY.

ANAVERY VS. HONESTY.
1t is, and always has been, the ain
of those who are morally diseased, t.
seek in every possible way to destroy
the reputation of the man who enjoys
au untaintcd character. This deplora.
bic disposition or quality Of the more
orless depraved human heart attends
upon both boy and man, in youthful
pleasures, in the school room, in the
professions, in all the ramifications Of
business, and in both social and politi.
cal life. There is no so sweet NOR
sci to the vicious taste of the vile as the
gossiping SANDER bruited around
among this class of people, concerning
the upright man, except it be when, as
sometimes happens, the once good
man has indeed and in truth fallen in
to a snare; when the latter occurs,
there is sardonic revealing in their
camp. When the placid surface of the
river is disturbed by the plunge of a
worthless pebble, and it sinks out of
sight the quick returning waters mark
the length of time, the observer notes
it; but when the glittering ruby thus
passes from view, there is much talk
about it, and extended search for it,
and it is the subject of conversation by
tn whole community.
While this carping at the man who
stands high in public estimation for
probity of character, is common every
where in all stations of life, we have
intended only at this time to make
application of it as it pertains to the
political field, and we have been led to
do so by the story that a reports soon
to be made by tho War Department,
prepared by Gen. Vincent, which will
reflect very seriously upon the charac-
ter of Gen. o. o. Howard.
Perhaps no general of our army has,
from time to time, been more bitterly
assailed than he has been. It is per-
fectly safe to set this down to the fact
that he is ono of the most upright Of
ficers of the army one Of the most un-
compromising foes of every breach of
fidelity on the part of subordinates,
lobbyists or newspaper correspon-
dents, and one Of the most unflinching
watch-dogs of the public treasury that
we have in the country. Whenever it
has been possible for him to do SO, he
has stood infexibly in the path of
wrong doors, and we have confidence
that he will ever be found go doing.
There may have been those who have
been under his direction, who have
done wrong and whose misdeeds may
have escaped his examination; there
may have been plots laid by subordi-
mates planned by those whom Gen.
Howard has offended by standing be-
tween them and some of their darling
schemes of plumber, to blacken his
good name by attempting to offensive
ly connect him with the lnisdeeds of
others, aud this may now be seized up
OH to attach stain to his character, for
the purpose Of getting him out of the
way of the thieves; for this is course
that has become the popular method
adopted by the birds Of prey that how
er over the National Capital, to rid
themselves ofthe faithful sentinel who
inflexibly guards the National honor
and Treasury from their attack. This
has been resorted to also for a few
years past in some instances as a
means of furnishing weapons of war;
fare for political contests in States, be-
tween individuals of the same party.
1t is gratifying to remember that,
however, such things may have sue
cessful ephemeral existence the day of
retribution and publication will come,
and the filth thus intcrmingled in the
body polite finds its proper place like
as the impurities gathered in the waters
ofthe sea at rest, are by natures never
failing storm thrown off upon the
beach or deposited with the slime and
filth beneath.
1t may be that Gen. Howard has
been guilty of the grave errors limited
at, but for the present we rather be.
lieve that it is the fault Of others which
is sought to be thrown upon him.
In this view, however, we attach no
blame tothe War Department or any
officer thereof.