American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-29
.Not Much Of n shower

THE Republican party is just now in
the attitude of the incredulous chap in
the time of the Deluge who disdained an
umbrella and thought ''it wasn't going
to be much of a shower after all" Most
of the leaders and many of the newspa-
pers have determined to braZen it out
There was a time, a few weeks ago, when
the Developments in Credit Mobilier and
other Congressional corruption were
coming to the surface day by day, that
brought terror 10 their hearts and whiten-
ed their checks. There was anxiety
among the honest members of the party
to save themselves; a willingness on the
part of their press to concede the exist
ence of corruption and the necessity for
eradicating it; a demand among the rank
and file for a thorough cleansing process.
All this has changed. Congressional
bribery, Legislative bribery, judicial
bribery have an entirely different aspect
in the light of the official verdict from
what they presented when the sworn evil
dence was submitted. The first conces-
sion was found in the Poland Committee.
Their report offered a hinge for Congress
to overturn the whole edifice that had
been erected by proof. The Credit Mo-
bilier Congressman duly whitewashed,
the same process was applied to all 9th
ers who had been convicted of taking or
of giving brides. Then, that there might
be no doubt OF the party policy to put on
bold face, Congress proceeded to raise
the salaries of its members, and so pro-
claimed to the world that they had been
virtuous enough to warrant them in ap-
propriating for themselves an additional
reward. The party newspapers were
quick to take their cue The pot-house
politicians and ward bummers follow
closely in the rear. and swing their little
whips over the rank and file.
II is impossible not TO regard Mr.. Col
fax's reception at South Bend as a prOmi-
nent feature of this programme. Great
posters were distributed throughout the
country; brass bands were employed to
drum up the people; petitions were circu-
lated with one hand while the party lash
was flourished in the other; the retiring
Vice President was duly consulted, and
came forward with written and elabo-
rate reply to what was to pass for spon-
taneous welcome. But it is not enough
to herald Colfax as the martyr OF persecu-
ton: Cakes Ames must be justified as
well. Not one of the guilty must be per
m1tted to rest under the aspersion. 1t
must not be conceded that corruption is
even possible within the sacred precinct
of the party. Accordingly, we lave the
from Boston that Cakes
Ames will have complimentary recep-
ton at his home in North EastOn, Mass.
There is no reason to doubt that his well
come VIII be as hearty, as spontaneous,
as general, and as enthusiastic as that of
Mr. Colfax at South Bend, however an
tagonlstic the Oaths of the two martyrs
may be. Whose turn comes next? Is it
to be Patterson or Pomeroy, Durell or
Sherman? Is the same popular indorse-
inent to be extended TO all who have been
proved guilty? Are Scofield, Bingham,
Kelley and Garfield to be neglected be-
cause their offense is less than that of
Ames and Colfax? Cannot the Demo-
cratic party get up demonstration for
poor Brooks?
The justification is to be general.
Even Mast has been found, as a result of
the expedition which Mr.. Watterson, of
the Louisville Courier Journal, sent after
him. He was buried in forced retire
ment while the evidence was pouring in.
His arm was palsied and his pencil I'M
sharpened when he could have pictured
Oakes Ames and Colfax, Pomeroy and
York, Brooks and Wilson, and the thou
sand and one striking incidents of the win
ter's investigation. But the journal Of
Ctcadzatson" has produced him again in its
work of justifying the party by throwing
dirt at those who had the audacity to
wing Charges against It's most VlrtuOuS |
Sunday School teachers and temperance
agltators. All are to be sustained-a
Credit Mobiiier Congressman; the bogus |
Kellogg Government; the United States |
Judge who created it, and the President
who sustained it by force of arms; Pome-
roy and Caldwell, who are convicted of
bribing Legislatures for Senatorial places;
Judge Sherman, who gets down from the
United States bench to act as the paid
lobbyist of ring of brokers; Clayton,
Spencer and the carpet baggers generally.
1t is not to be conceded, by hook or by
crook, that corruption has ever tainted
Lhe Republican party.
The programme thus proclaimed is an
evidence of the desperate condition to
which the party has been reduced. 1t is
sink or swim, live or die, survive or per.
sh. There is no middle ground to be TAX
IN. There is no healthful or saving ele-
nent which is strong enough to sustain
he body after the rotten limbs are Topped
1ff. Corruption has set in SO deep that
.he party doctors do not dare to take
znife and cut it out. The case is as hope
ess in politics as it would be in physics
The Republican party has assumed the
guilt of certain individual members, and
i must abide by the consequences.-I
Chicago Tribune.