The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-06-28
For the Democratic adroeote.
Crime in High Places,

MEssRs, EDITORS In casting my eve
over that much neglected and perverted
instrument, the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States, | was struck with the following
-"The President shall, at stated times,
receive for his services, compensation
which shall neither be increased nor di-
minished during the period for which he
shall have been elected Did Gen. Grant
ever read the constitution, or could his
party parasites and satellites in Congress
be Ignorant Of the nature and criminality
of the deed they we're committing when,
inthe face ofthis constitutional prohibition
they were guilty Of that daring and high.
handed act of public robbery by which al
one stroke of the pen, hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars Of the peoples money
were transferred from the public treasury
into the pockets of the sworn and conse.
quently periured guardians of grateful
peoples trust? Is this the way chosen by
Gen. Grant and the Republican party to
reward deluded and infatuated people
for their reelection to the highest places
of honor and trust Does the national
treasury belong to Grant and his followers
for their own personal and private emolu.
ment, and are the sworn supporters and
trainers of the laws of the land privileged
by their high positions to become its chief
and most daring criminals, adding treason
against the State and constitution to rob.
berry of the public treasury? The Presi-
dent is, according to the theory of oul
government, but the chief citizen and
public servant of the Republic: he, above
all other men, is set for the defense Of
the laws and interests of the people-he
is the sworn defender of the constitution
how, then, can he sign bill by which he
puts hundred thousand dollars Of the
peoples money in his pocket at single
stroke Of his pen, and at the same time
defend the constitution he is sworn to sup.
port, when that constitution expressly and
clearly forbids the enactment Of such q
bill2 No law is binding on Grant, or the
people of these United States, which is con.
trary in letter and spirit to the written and
fundamental law of the land he is sworn
to support. 1t follows, therefore, that he
can't touch single cent of the one hun
dred thousand dollars his hattering knayes
of the last demoralized Congress voted him
at the peoples expense, without branding
himself perured criminal, and betrayine
the sacred trustgof forty millions of free,
men. Can any one think for moment
that Gen. U. 5. Grant would do such a
dastardly and desperate act as this I
What sacrifice his hard-earned fame, due
from so many mines, aud at the sacrifice
of SO many more precious lives than his
own, for filthy lucre's sake? Grant the
Saviour of the Union, the gallant defender
of Kellogg, Durell, and his broth-in-law
Casey, against all the legal authorities Of
Louisiana, one of the sovereign States of
this glorious Union? Who can be so un.
charitable as to suppose that this unsullied
patriot-this hero of temperance and Of
50 many successful bulldog fights, would
soil his spotless reputation for the paltry
sum Of one hundred thousand dollars I
What this second Washington have so
little respect for the pure and exalted ex-
ample of the first, who seorned to use his
high Office for the personal emolument Of
himself or his family, as to rob the public
treasury by violating and betraying the
constitution he had sworn to support ? No
Messrs. Editors, there must be some mis-
understanding in this matter, the Presi,
dent Of the United States, as bad as the
times are, cannot be traitor or robber
If he signed such bill, it must have been in
ignorance, not knowing what he did--or
in generous sympathy with the necessities
OF his Democratic successor, knowing that
he could not touch the hateful bride
without sacrificing all that an honorable
man would deem worth living for. Hur.
rah for Grant the peerless, the spotless
hero and Saviour Of the Union the truly
loyal The second Washington, as BY
some profanely called. Oh for the first.
to redeem our fallen land
WASHINGTON.